Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Chavez Continues To Warn His Free Press

All is not well with the Jurassic Press...

"Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has denounced what he called fresh plots to destabilise his government, after he closed an opposition TV channel.

He urged supporters to be on alert for a coup attempt and threatened a second TV network, Globovision.

Thousands of people across the country protested for a second day after Mr Chavez's decision not to renew Radio Caracas TV's (RCTV's) licence.

Police, government supporters and protesters clashed violently on Monday.

'Enemies of the homeland'

In a national address shown by all TV stations, Mr Chavez defended his decision to close RCTV as a public service, denouncing the 53-year-old station - Venezuela's most popular - as a "permanent attack on public morals".

He also called news network Globovision an enemy of the state, attacking its coverage of the protests against RCTV's closure.

"Enemies of the homeland, particularly those behind the scenes, I will give you a name: Globovision. Greetings, gentlemen of Globovision, you should watch where you are going," Mr Chavez said.

"I recommend you take a tranquiliser and get into gear, because if not, I am going to do what is necessary."

On Monday, Venezuela's government announced it was suing Globovision for allegedly broadcasting material to incite a possible assassination of Mr Chavez. It also accused US news network CNN of linking him to al-Qaeda. Globovision and CNN have both denied the claims.

In his broadcast Mr Chavez also accused protesters and opposition media of stirring unrest.

"Sound the alarm in the hills, neighbourhoods and towns to defend our revolution from this new fascist attack," he said.

Opposition TV channels openly supported a coup against him in April 2002 and refused to air massive pro-Chavez demonstrations at the time."

You know they've been scared out of their little half-wits when they begin shutting down the media. Just like here, yes, right here, where liberal politicians are doing their level best to destroy conservative talk radio. Now, for all our ballyhooing about being such a free media country, which we all know is abject bullswaddle, there certainly isn't an alternative media outlet to be found because blogs still don't count.

The main function of a free press is not to provide Paris Hilton updates but to keep our lords and masters on their toes. You now, the ones who take our money under threat of incarceration or worse. The ones who forcibly abscond with our hard earned dollars so that they might clothe, feed, and house others who don't feel up to working for a living. The ones who feel that the mere mention of a religious belief is establishing state sanctified worship. The ones who trample daily on most of the Constitution in order to accumulate favor with the dregs of society.

Poor Hugo IS scared witless and ya know what?

So should our "leaders". We've, you see, a history of petitioning the government when we're ticked off with their behavior. At least for now we can. Until Hillary becomes President, that is.

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.

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