Robertson apologizes for Chavez comment - Americas - MSNBC.com

It's good that Robertson apologized for his remark; it was inappropriate.  There is some logic to his thinking:  why wage a war costly in money and lives when the intent is to remove a strong-arm dictator.  But that applies to the likes of Saddam Hussein and others guilty of crimes against humanity--torture, murder, genocide and just plain evil.  It doesn't apply to Hugo Chavez of Venezuela who is an elected president, not a dictator.  However, Chavez apparently has illusions or delusions of dictatorship.  In my travels in Latin America in the sixties and early seventies I talked with many young people, especially college kids, who admired Fidel Castro, Ché Guevara, Camilo Torres, the revolutionary priest of Colombia, and other revolutionaries and military dictators.  They had Bolivarian dreams of revolución, fuera gringo, abajo imperialismo yanqui and viva la patria.  I think they mostly liked the look of fatigues and berets.  Chavez is from that era; he probably never got over it and still lives in and for those "glory days" and emulates the style of Fidel and Ché.  He also emulates their political philosophy and government with strong-arm control, repression of rights and freedoms, and a host of dictatorial anti-democratic policies and tactics, all to the detriment of the Venezuelan people.  He has curtailed the freedoms of speech and of the press to the points that the media is now merely pro-Chavez propaganda machines.  These types have such inflated egos they can't tolerate any criticism.  Any opposition, including powerful and respected political leaders, have been silenced by threats.  His misguided policies have mucked up the economy.  In the area of international relations he has fostered among the people a spirit of antagonism toward the United States and Americans.  I didn't like that feeling in Latin America decades ago--treated with scorn, snubbed, accused of being a gringo imperialista, personally blamed for all the ills of their country (as if a hick from Tennessee had a darn thing to do with the US government).  The accusations and laying of blame and guilt-trip were ironic since in some cases I was there at the invitation of their own social agencies to work with them in community development.  I spent a lot of time in Venezuela from the seventies through the nineties and loved it--one of my favorite countries, great place, great people.  With Chavez at the helm and with the social climate he fosters I have no interest in returning.  Too bad since I'm writing a novel honoring Bolívar and the Independence of Colombia and Venezuela.  El Libertador would be disappointed in Chavez since he viewed the Americas (North and South, English and Latin) as a New World empire of sorts, a partnership, a brotherhood:  todos somos americanos, he would say.  Chavez is anti-Bush, anti-American, and anti-democratic.  Alligning himself and Venezuela with Cuba and like-minded nations, primarily dictatorships, in Africa and the Middle East against the US and allies is, I think, an unfortunate and grievous mistake.  Some Venezuelan officials want legal action against Robertson (his apology was not good enough).  What about legal action against Chavez who accuses Bush of plotting to assassinate him?!  Now that notion is just plain wacko, Hugo!  He probably wants to be assassinated to achieve two goals--martyrdom and a permanent anti-American policy and spirit in Latin America.  I hope he doesn't achieve those goals and I hope he is not re-elected.  But I'm not optimistic.  With his tactic of intimidation will the election be free and fair?  ¡Viva la patria!

T-shirt said to be offensive to Mexico - - MSNBC.com
Apparently the members of the Anti-Defamation League who protest this t-shirt have never been to Mexico.  They're too busy fighting for causes to travel the world and learn something.  It's a fact that Mexico as well as other Latin American nations tend to be a little dirtier in a few places than some states in the USA.  And that's not bad, negative, or offensive--it's a cultural and economic thing, a difference in values, customs, needs, resources, and several other factors.  Dr. J-J  

Good reading recommended by Dr. John-Juan

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Spaniards stage big protest against gay marriage - MSNBC Wire Services - MSNBC.com
Too little, too late.  But typical--the take it easy, wait and see, tomorrow we'll do it attitude or syndrome.  I wrote about the Spanish concept of mañana in one of my books and that reminds me--I wrote an entire chapter on machismo and donjuanismo.  I guess when I revise that book I'll have to delete that chapter.  Or maybe change it to donjuanito-ismo.  Oh, well!  Dr. John-Juan

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Spain 3rd Nation to Legalize Gay Marriage - MSNBC Wire Services - MSNBC.com
The third nation, with no doubt more to follow.  It's not so much the gay marriage issue as it is extreme liberalism.  Let's just throw all morals, ethics, values, traditions, customs, laws, civility, decorum, and the like out the window!  If Spain wants to be ultra-liberal maybe they'll sell me Mallorca (a beautiful island) and a group of us can buy it and establish the nation of "Johnland" or the Kingdom of Babylon (one of the favorite blog names I use) where conservatism and the above-mentioned traditions and values will be established as the immutable law of the land forever.  How about it?  John W. (aka Babylon, aka Dr. John-Juan)

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Spain defies Church to legalise gay marriage - MSNBC Wire Services - MSNBC.com
A predominately Catholic country and still a minority rules the land!  Shades of Sodom and Gomorrah!  John W.

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Spanish parliament legalizes gay marriage - World News - MSNBC.com
Oh, no say it ain't so!!  Not Spain!  ¡España, mi querida España!  ¡España, mi patria chica!  ¿Cómo puede ser?  Spain, the land of machismo, Don Juan, the masculinity of the bull fight, stalwart of Catholicism and you do this?  Tolerate the gay lifestyle, fine. But to legalize it as "marriage" opens floodgates that many don't expect and will regret.  With this precedent it will be almost impossible for legislators/courts to deny other non-traditional legalized unions--men with pre-teen girls, men with pre-teen boys, polygamy, humans with animals, to name a few.  Spain, you really distressed me when you let the terrorists win.  You surrendered, gave up, and caved in to terrorist actions.  What a great message you give the terrorists bent on destroying the civilized world!  Blow up a train and we'll do anything you want!  Why do you think the terrorists continue to do the same in Iraq and Afghanistan?  Spain, you gave them the encouragement and motivation to keep blowing up people thinking that the US and our allies will give up, surrender, retreat,  just like you did.  What's happened to you, Spain?  A very disheartened John W.

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Hispanics now one-seventh of U.S. population - U.S. News - MSNBC.com