Monday, August 06, 2007

Compare


Compare the propaganda of Sean Penn to the courage of Daniel in Venezuela. And weep.

15 comments:

  1. Unfortunately, SP has lost the few marbles he had.

    Just because he acted superbly in Mystic River, doesn’t mean he knows shit from shinola....it is evident from his meeting and supporting Chavez that he has absolutely no grasp on reality...

    But why should I be surprised. He has millions upon millions and was a teenage star...evidently he has no real grasp on reality.

    Nor does he give a shit about those in Venezuela who have had their rights stripped away.

    Here is what I think, Sean ought to pack up with his wife and any family he has, move to Venezuela and live under Chavez.

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  2. Unless I missed something, there's really nothing to compare. The only thing Penn says is that Venezuela is a "great country," which is one of those meaningless statements people toss out when they visit a place. He probably slept "great" and breakfast was "great" also.

    I will reserve judgement until I see what he actually writes.

    I heard all sorts of condemnation of Penn when he visited Iran a few years ago. But his actual essays (for lack of a better word) were actually interesting and shed some light on the country. They were critical of Iran, not the butt kissing one might expect after listening to FOX News guys talk about Penn.

    My initial question was why should I read something penned (no pun intended) by an actor instead of actual journalist?

    His Iran series answered that question – because he's a celebrity, he gets access to people and places that others would not.

    A good portion of the Iran series read like a travelogue, and I thought it was entertaining, interesting and, to some degree, even a little enlightening.

    So maybe he'll do the same with Venezuela. Or maybe it will be pure propaganda. We'll have to wait and see.

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  3. Perhaps you are right, Jack. But he, and his star power are also being used, and he has to know that. And anyone who works in the media should be chilled to the bone by Chavez's actions. They know full well what it means when the media begins to be shut down by a dictator. Those are not things made up by 'right-wing' propagandists. they are things that Chavez is actually doing.

    Daniel and other bloggers in Venezuela, on the other hand are providing in-depth, and immediate reports of what is happening there - possibly at the risk of their lives. That is why I say compare. It doesn't take any courage to do what Penn is doing. On the contrary, it just adds to his star power.

    Daniel talks about another blogger named Miguel, and his 5-year old blog, the Devil's Excrement: Miguel says, "I will keep writing, because all sorts of external reasons will be blamed when the whole thing collapses, but I plan to record how it all happened and how this is the result of ignorance, arrogance and the belief that the laws of economics can be manipulated at will."

    That is, regardless on how the winds blow, reality will always catch up with us in Venezuela and Miguel wants it to be left written somewhere.

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  4. More from Miguel's post: "Today is the fifth anniversary of this blog. I must confess that during the past month I have considered whether to shut it down on this date.Why? Because I get the feeling that everything I say is simply repetitive. That I am not saying anything new. What was a suspicion a few years ago, has become a certainty. Everything bad thing about Chavez and his Government has become institutionalized. The Government no longer even attempts to hide its abuses in the gray area of the law. Even Chavez challenges the CNE and the Courts to stop him from violating the law and defends the fact that the President of PDVSA blatantly violated it during last year's election.

    But I will leave the blog open, not so much out of duty or need to do so, it is almost irrelevant given the hold on power of the autocrat/dictator on all institutions, but because things are going to get much worse and as long as I am allowed to, I might as well leave it alive and continue recording what Chavze is doing to the Venezuelan people and the country."

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  5. Sure, Hugo is megalomaniac who is consolidating power and will make himself a dictator.

    But even the President of the United States is known to meet with brutal dictators and praise them.

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  6. speaking of "yougo"'s, schwartz is still listed with the Bar as with the DA's office. What's going on?

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  7. You have to do business with people you don't like, too. You may even have to say something nice about them and their business. That's diplomacy. There is a difference. Maybe once Bush is out of office, and people stop being motivated by Bush-hatred, there will be a return to sanity.

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  8. Rumor has it he has changed his mind and is staying. Still has his ad in the yellow pages, private practice, too. I haven't called the (cell phone) number to see if it is active.

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  9. I have lots and lots of criticisms about Bush, but talking to "bad guys" isn't one of them. In fact, I think he should talk to more bad guys.

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  10. Is Shallenberger still a PR flak for Ol' Hugo?

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  11. Well if Yougo doesnt go, watch his work hours because he just used up all his vacation and admin leave.

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  12. Yougofree.com is still a leak in the county payroll. And still doing basically nothing. No more C.A.S.T. for yougo. Do you see or hear of him taking any cases to trial ? Hell no. He's just hanging on at top step wages and doing nothing. Way to go PVG. What a manager.

    As for the other Hugo. He is a half crazed dictator and a growing danger to the US, Central and South American. Sean Penn the journalist? Now there's a joke too. He's a good actor will too much time on his hands and tooooo big an ego. What an asshole.

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  13. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 9, 2007


    Join Barbara Shults, Registered Nurse and Director of the North Coast Animal Welfare Advocacy Center, Thursday, August 9, 2007 from 7 to 8 p.m. on 88.3 and 91.1FM for the next edition of Animal Advocate.

    Updates of current animal welfare issues and events in the news; Tonight's show will focus on Atlanta Falcons quarterback, Michael Vick and the Mad River Trinity Case coming up for trial. Special Guest: Dana Campbell, Chief Contract Attorney for the Animal Legal Defense Fund.

    Only through the involvement of the citizens of Humboldt County can solutions be found to the serious issues facing animal welfare today. Listeners can also tune in on-line at www.kmud.org.

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  14. Thanks, Barbara. Those are indeed both serious cases worthy of discussion.

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  15. Miguel's simple statement just resonates with me:

    "I will keep writing, because all sorts of external reasons will be blamed when the whole thing collapses, but I plan to record how it all happened and how this is the result of ignorance, arrogance and the belief that the laws of economics can be manipulated at will."

    Knowing what he is up against, it is particularly poignant.

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