One of the nice things about having a blog is the remarkable memory one has. Not so much because I have a good memory, but because the blog is a an eight year database (Forgot the anniversary earlier this month!) of what has happened in Venezuela and many times when I have to go back and look something up, I look in the blog and not in Google if I know I wrote about the subject. On top of that this “memory” is complemented by that of the readers who are always quick to remind me of things from the past. It is truly amazing how many posts originate from readers or material is provided by them (Keep it coming!)
I write this preamble, because a reader sent me a note, reminding me of things Hugo Chavez has done on TV, which would qualify under his “Mediatic “Pornography” label and are no different, in fact they are worse, he did it on TV, which is watched by more children and adolescents than those that read El Nacional.
The first case took place on October 29th. 2001 during his variety show Alo Presidente. In it, Chavez showed pictures of bodies of dead kids from Afganistán, describing how these were today dead bodies, but were the day before live kids who were not at fault and a bomb was dropped on them. This was not even one minute, but several minutes and several pictures that Chavez showed in his program, as shown below:
Chavez was not only quite graphic, but the pictures were of the same gruesome nature as those published by El Nacional. He showed no qualms or scruples about doing this on TV, the outrage was against the US, for that he could use those pictures. Kids were watching, and of course, no Children Judge said the next day that he could not do this.
A nice double standard, but we know that.
It was very similar in 2004, Chavez then showed pictures of tortured Iraqis, I will not show them here you can look in the link. He went on and on talking about human rights, as if he would recognize one if he saw it. He once again showed no scruples about this “Meadiatic Pornography” that kids and adolescents were seeing on TV. He actually seem to relish it.
Such are the double standards of Hugo Chavez, having no morals, he will use whatever is needed to attack his enemies, he will shift criteria, allow himself and his buddies license when it fits their purpose, but attack when others do it. He can use fake pictures to try to make a point, even if he knows it is all a lie.
The problem is that he is such a great charlatan, that he has said and done everything and history comes back to bite him.
(Thanks MRB for the info)
The Devil's Excrement 
August 22, 2010 at 7:05 pm
Deanna,
I am not much of an expert, but as I understand it, Twitter is limited to messages of 140 characters or less. You could send a URL link to the photos in another site, but I think all of the messages on his Twitter site are edited to include only favorable ones.
August 22, 2010 at 3:22 pm
I don’t know how Twitter works , but would it be possible to send a twit to Chavez’s site and include that picture???? Or just completely bombard all the websites of the media and blogs, including the Chavista ones, with comments including the picture. That’s one way of getting it to a wider audience.
August 22, 2010 at 3:19 pm
The only efficacious remedy I know to this kind of situation is quite old. It was admirably codified in this sentence:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
Meaning not even the highest lawmaking body has any business deciding what is fit to show and what is not. At least among adults.
There is another remedy, not as efficacious. Which is to strive to have objective standards. But standards about what is offensive and what is not are never ever “fair” (fairness being impossible in practice unless you consent and sign your consent) or objective and are only good grounds for endless legal argumentation and for the prosperity of lawyers.
Fairness cannot exist. Freedom is another matter.
August 22, 2010 at 12:41 pm
Sorry. That should be “coined” with Chavez in mind.
August 22, 2010 at 12:39 pm
The ends justify the means as long as they are his ends. “Sin Verguenza” was cined with Chavez in mind.
August 22, 2010 at 9:21 am
Yet another episode reminiscent of Orwell’s Animal Farm. “Four legs good, two legs bad”* until you need to backtrack and sell grain to humans, or claim the scandalous pictures are damaging the psychological well being of the Bolivarian youth of the nation.
http://orwell.ru/library/novels/Animal_Farm/english/eaf_go
August 22, 2010 at 8:38 am
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August 22, 2010 at 8:14 am
One of the major newspapers needs to publish that photo.
It’s just stupid that a photo that has political implications is harassed while the “Emperor” can do what he wants.
August 22, 2010 at 6:49 am
Question…..What was his weight then vs. what is his weight now?
August 22, 2010 at 12:43 am
I wonder what would happen if El Nacional were to publish those exact same pictures, I mean the ones showing Chavez with photos of dead children. Would they be accused of “mediatic pornography”? Would all the PSUV focas demand that it be closed for showing such degrading, and unsuitable-for-minor pictures of Chavez showing degrading and unsuitable-for-minors pictures to everyone in Venezuela?
If you know anyone at El Nacional (or Tal Cual for that matter), could you tell them to show these pics? That might prove fun.