"Head ’em off at the pass!" Connie Mack style

Ok, over to Skookum, who’s been posting some great links. This particular bit seeming to fit in with the “Global Struggle Against Violent Extremists!”

Man, that’s a mouthful, isn’t it? Global Struggle Against Violent Extremists. No nifty acronynm. GSAVE. Hmmm. Or is there an acronym hidden in there after all? Globe Save? Was that on someone’s mind? No? Yes? Well?

Can we turn it into Globe SLAVE? “Global Struggle (fill in the blank) Against Violent Extremists!” I’m having no luck there. The only L word I can think of tonight is “lamprey”. Because H.o.p. learned about lampreys in a science thing of his, which are an ugly ugly fish that are said to not have changed much in 300 million years. “They’re cute fish from the side,” says H.o.p. Keep that in mind if he tells you you’re cute or beautiful. He praises most any creature as cute or beautiful. He was truly injured when I once remarked on a not-so-attractive cartoon character, and I knew before I said it that I shouldn’t, I knew that I should keep my mouth shut. “But she’s beautiful!” H.o.p. said of the fictitional cartoon character. “She’s so sweet and nice. She’s beautiful!” Which may be partly to do with how we’ve brought him up (beauty is in the eye of the beholder kind of stuff yada yada) but mostly to do with him. Mom shudders at lampreys. H.o.p. says for me to then ignore their mouths and look at them from the side.

Yuck.

But enough of that. Go visit Skookum for his links on the story on Rep. Connie Mack being all upset about the new Televisora del Sur (Telesur) which began broadcasting July 24, created by the Venezuelan government, in association with the governments of Argentina, Cuba and Uruguay, “born out of the need to to give voice to Latin Americans confronted by an accumulation of thoughts and images transmitted by commercial media and out of the urgency to see ourselves through our own eyes and to discover our own solutions to our problems.” In other words, a counter-weight to CNN and Univision. Something that the lower house of the U.S. congress decided to something about, Connie Mack rallying, and on July 20 passed an amendment “to initiate radio and television broadcasts that will provide a consistently accurate, objective, and comprehensive source of news to Venezuela”, countering Telesur’s “anti=Americanism”.

The article, Venezuela vs US: Looming War of the Airwaves at Commondreams.org, also notes:

For his part, Venezuelan Information Minister Andrés Izarra stressed that in addition to the anti-Telesur initiative, the House of Representatives also agreed to earmark nine million dollars in 2006 and another nine million in 2007 to support opposition political parties, media and civil society organizations in Venezuela, “in what they refer to as the defense of the state of law and the promotion of democratic governability.”

Does this fall under the heading of “Global Struggle Against Violent Extremists”?

The BBC also has an article on it from June 28.

…Telesur’s test signal is already on the air – giving a taste of what’s to come. One promo promises an investigation into “the hidden threads of Plan Colombia”, the $3bn US-funded drug-eradication programme in Colombia.

“Who will judge”, the soundtrack asks, “the US military personnel caught trafficking drugs and arms in Colombia?”

….

To some, that sounds like propaganda. Last year, the chairman of the US Senate’s foreign relations committee, Richard Lugar, referred to the planned channel as a vehicle to spread President Hugo Chavez’s authoritarian message around the region.

Alberto Ravell, the head of Venezuela’s main private news channel, Globovision, agrees.

“You’re going to have a view of Latin America, but you’re going to have the view these governments want you to have, not an impartial view,” he said.

He told the BBC that all the people working at Telesur are leftist.

Another article is at The Narco News Bulletin, Al Giordano’s Welcome Telesur to the Struggle to Light Up the Skies, Notes on the Civil War Between Media from Below and Media from Above, going in depth on the subject.

A May 13 article at Alternet supplies info and also focuses on Al-Jazeera opening a bureau in Caracas and how Al-Jazeera may possibly be “creating logistical ties with Telesur”.

To which Connie Mack said:

“An Al Jazeera-type network in South America sounds like Chavez wants to poison the minds of people longing to be free,” Mack said. “The steps he has taken over the last couple of months, and even before that, point to someone who is more interested in his own power than the welfare of his people.”

Another article at Mercopress for more coverage on this.

And finally, here is Connie Mack’s July 20th press release on it:

House Approves Mack Amendment to Promote Freedom in Venezuela
“The United States has sent a message that we will not turn a blind eye as Hugo Chavez continues to snuff-out freedom and hijack Venezuela from its citizens.” – Congressman Connie Mack (FL-14)

July 20, 2005 –
Washington, D.C. – In a strong signal that the United States government is growing increasingly alarmed by the actions of Socialist Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the United States House of Representatives today acted on the leadership of Congressman Connie Mack (FL-14) to ensure the Venezuelan people have the opportunity to hear the positive ideals of freedom, security, and prosperity.

By voice vote, the House adopted Mack’s amendment to the Foreign Relations Authorization Act of 2005, which authorizes the U.S. Government, through the Broadcasting Board of Governors, to initiate radio and television broadcasts that will provide a consistently accurate, objective, and comprehensive source of news to Venezuela.

The move comes as Chavez readies to launch his own television network patterned after Al-Jazeera to spread his anti-American, anti-freedom rhetoric; his continued use of the existing airwaves to wipe out opposition leaders and thought; the enactment of new laws that essentially end the nation’s free press; a spending spree on new military hardware; and the establishment of strategic alliances and relationships with Fidel Castro, China and Iran.

Mack, a member of the International Relations Committee, has been an outspoken critic of Chavez and his ongoing, radical shift toward Socialism and the elimination of freedom for the Venezuelan people.

Mack said:

“Hugo Chavez is an enemy of freedom and of those who support and promote it. He is a threat to the United States and stands to undermine the balance of power in the Western Hemisphere. Today America has sent a message that we will not turn a blind eye as Hugo Chavez continues to snuff-out freedom and hijack Venezuela from its citizens.”

The House adopted Mack’s amendment just days after he unveiled the principles of a three point plan to extend freedom, security and prosperity to Venezuela:

1) The creation of institutions that will foster a free press, the freedom of speech and religion, and free and fair elections for Venezuela.

2) Establish a Venezuelan Security Zone that will isolate Chavez and limit his ability to destabilize Latin America.

3) Promote economic development in Venezuela through free markets, privatization, and other means that will create lasting prosperity and opportunity for all Venezuelans.

Hmmmm. Earlier press release titles of Connie Mack? July 5th, “New economic data forecasts show Bush tax cuts working”. And a July 14th press release, “Mack unveils three point plan to extend freedom, security and prosperity to Venezuela”.

Oh, please. The kind of freedom, security and prosperity we all enjoy here?

Might as well give the text for that press release as well. Read on to the end because Connie Mack lets us know who the enemies exactly are:

Mack Unveils Three Point Plan to Extend Freedom, Security and Prosperity to Venezuela

July 14, 2005 –
Washington, D.C. – Calling Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, “an enemy of freedom who threatens the balance of power in our hemisphere,” Congressman Connie Mack (FL-14) today unveiled a three point plan to extend freedom, security, and prosperity to the people of Venezuela.

Mack, a member of the International Relations Committee and an outspoken critic of Hugo Chavez, unveiled his plan in a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives in which he outlined the growing threat presented to the United States by Hugo Chavez and his ongoing crackdown on individual freedoms and rights.

Mack’s plan calls for:

1) The creation of institutions that will foster a free press, the freedom of speech and religion, and free and fair
elections for Venezuela.

2) Establish a Venezuelan Security Zone that will isolate Chavez and limit his ability to destabilize Latin America.

3) Promote economic development in Venezuela through free markets, privatization, and other means that will create
lasting prosperity and opportunity for all Venezuelans.

The entire text of Mack’s remarks follows:

“Mr. Speaker, I ran for Congress on the ideas of Freedom, Security and Prosperity because these are the ideals that define America and they are the necessary ingredients for a better quality of life for people around the world.

“And though freedom is on the march in many places around the world, in Latin America, a resurgence of socialist, communist and anti-freedom movements and alliances represent a new emerging threat that must be stopped.

“At the root of Latin America’s renewed Anti-Americanism is Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez.

“In the years since Hugo Chavez first took office as a democratically elected leader, he has retreated from the ideals of freedom, security and prosperity, and begun his own march toward oppression and socialism modeled after his mentor – Fidel Castro.

“In Hugo Chavez’s Venezuela there is no free press – just state controlled Anti-American, anti-American propaganda.

“There is no freedom of speech, no freedom of dissent, and no freedom to stand in opposition to the Chavez regime. Just days ago, for example, several leaders of the opposition group Sumate were charged with treason and conspiracy simply for accepting money from the National Endowment for Democracy to help educate their fellow citizens about Venezuela’s constitutional referendum process.

“In Hugo Chavez’s Venezuela the government owns the country’s key industries and controls the economy, the flow of capital, jobs and opportunity. Hugo Chavez holds the hopes, dreams and opportunities of an entire nation firmly in his fists.

“In the years since he came to power Hugo Chavez has hijacked the courts and installed his cronies and allies to manipulate the country’s constitution and legal system.

“He has forged a dangerous alliance with Fidel Castro and is now receiving military and intelligence assistance and training from the Castro government.

“He has acquired 100,000 machine guns from the Russians and admitted to trying to acquire nuclear technologies from Iran.

“He has threatened to end diplomatic relations with the United States.

“Mr. Speaker, Hugo Chavez is an enemy of freedom who threatens the balance of power in our hemisphere.

“Today I call on the United States to pursue a three point plan that will promote the ideals of Freedom, Security and Prosperity for the people of Venezuela.

“First the United States should promote the creation of institutions that will foster a free press, free markets, the freedom of speech and religion, and free and fair elections for Venezuela, including the establishment of a Venezuelan counterpart to Radio and TV Marti.

“Second the United States should establish a Venezuelan Security Zone that will isolate Chavez and limit his ability to destabilize Latin America. This new zone would restrict the Hugo Chavez’s ability to purchase arms, nuclear information and technologies and weapons of mass destruction.

“It would make it more difficult for Hugo Chavez to enter into commerce, trade or alliances with other nations led by dictators and anti-American fanatics. And it would require the restoration an independent judiciary committed to respecting and protecting the rights of all Venezuelans.

“Third, the United States should promote economic development in Venezuela through free markets, privatization, and other means that will create lasting prosperity and opportunity for all Venezuelans.

“Mr. Speaker, President Reagan tore down a wall, and liberated a generation. He once said:

‘Freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by
inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation….’

“President Reagan’s steadfast commitment to freedom should have left a lasting lesson for all of us. But it didn’t, and the foreign policy debates in this body couldn’t be more dramatic.

“Those on the left have demonstrated they believe in peace at any price even if that price is the loss of freedom.

“Those of us on the right believe that freedom is worth fighting for and that together, freedom, security and prosperity will yield lasting peace for all.

“Mr. Speaker, make no mistake about it. Hugo Chavez is a threat. We must take him seriously and we must take action.”

How do you like that? Repeating Connie Mack, “Those on the left have demonstrated they believe in peace at any price even if that price is the loss of freedom. Those of us on the right believe that freedom is worth fighting for and that together, freedom, security and prosperity will yield lasting peace for all. Mr. Speaker, make no mistake about it. Hugo Chavez is a threat. We must take him seriously and we must take action.”

Oh, yes, indeedy, the “Global Struggle Against Violent Extremists” it is, with progressive lefties right up there as the enemy of the values and virtues that Connie Mack holds dear.

The Telesur signal, via the New Skies Satellite 806, will reach throughout the Americas, western Europe and North Africa, and Telesur will have correspondent’s offices in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, the United States and Uruguay.

P.S. I looked at Connie Mack’s campaign brochures which, besides touting him as bringing tax relief, being all for winning the war on terrorism etcetera etcetera, also had as a key point, “Successful schools built on conservative principles.”

Connie introduced a bill requiring character education to be taught in public schools and for the Pledge of Allegiance to be recited every day.

Back in 2001 Connie Mack sponsored a Florida Bill that required school districts to put in place patriotic programs (guess that is the character education part) , required students to stand during the national anthem, and required that the Pledge of Allegiance be recited each day at all public schools, students standing and with their hand over their heart during the pledge. It allowed that if a student didn’t want to participate then the student didn’t have to recite the pledge but would be required to stand. Don’t know if they would have to hold their hand over their heart.

It passed the Florida House. Rep. Chris Smith, a Fort Lauderdale Democrat, pointed out that it conflicted with a 1943 court case that said students didn’t have to participate in the pledge. His response to the bill? “What’s next? We pass a bill that says you have to tattoo a flag on your butt. They’ll vote for that. You’ve got to walk slowly.”