Dear Cindy Sheehan,
The people of Venezuela need your help. After years of peace, freedom and prosperity as a fledgling democracy, their country is being transformed into a dictatorship without even the most basic of freedoms and rights you champion and thrive upon here in the United States.
I believe you can help the people of Venezuela in this hour of their greatest need.
You have a close, personal relationship with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. You have embraced him personally and as a world leader and as fighter against the American injustice in Iraq. He has, in turn, supported you, embraced you and endorsed your efforts to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq.
Hugo Chavez joined you in condemning the actions of President Bush here in the United States and in the middle east. Your thoughts and your messages to both the American and Venezuelan people have been virtually identical. You spoke with one voice and one heart.
I genuinely believe that if you will now speak out for freedom of speech, for freedom of the press and for freedom of assembly, President Chavez will listen. You have the moral authority. You have stood by his side. You have validated his regime. Your credibility has enhanced his stature. In many ways, it was you who handed him the moral power he now uses against his own people.
Last night President Chavez assumed control over the one nationwide free and independent television network. At midnight he shut it down and replaced it with a state run propaganda machine. Only message approved and even prepared by President Chavez are allowed to be broadcast.
Only hours later he moved to shut down the only other opposition broadcaster. This smaller network did not have the national distribution or broadcast channels, but is about to be silenced, none the less. There will be no opposition viewpoints once this has been accomplished.
As your own protest to end the war in Iraq nears a successful conclusion, imagine what would have happened if you hadn't had open access to a free and unfettered press. Imagine your fate if the press hadn't camped with you outside the Presidential summer home.
You moved a nation because your every word, your every prayer, even your every tear was reported, televised and broadcast to a receptive nation. Your friend and ally President Chavez has now made similar actions in Venezuela absolutely impossible.
Today tens of thousands of Venezuelans protested all across the nation. The police and troops had to resort to extreme measures including tear gas, rubber bullets and even shotgun blasts to quell the crowds and force the protesters into retreat.
Not one single broadcast television station in all of Venezuela carried even the slightest mention of the protests. Chavez silenced all freedom.
But if you speak, even from right here in the United States he will hear you. The world will hear you. You can really make a difference!!
You can be Chavez conscience. You can be the person who reminds President Chavez of the greatness, the generosity, the stature he once sought at your side. You can help the people. You can speak for those who now have no voice. They have been sobbed of their forum.
You live in the United States where freedom of speech and freedom of the press are unchallenged. Your microphone is open. Even today I heard and watched you again condemn and vilify the President of the United States and the Congress. Even the right leaning FOX NEWS carried your every word.
If you speak out the entire world will echo and amplify your words.
The people of Venezuela are praying for your help.
TECHNORATI TAGS: CINDY SHEEHAN HUGO CHAVEZ VENEZUELA FREE SPEECH FREEDOM OF THE PRESS WAR ON TERROR POLITICS IRAQ MILITARY
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The people of Venezuela need your help. After years of peace, freedom and prosperity as a fledgling democracy, their country is being transformed into a dictatorship without even the most basic of freedoms and rights you champion and thrive upon here in the United States.
I believe you can help the people of Venezuela in this hour of their greatest need.
You have a close, personal relationship with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. You have embraced him personally and as a world leader and as fighter against the American injustice in Iraq. He has, in turn, supported you, embraced you and endorsed your efforts to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq.
Hugo Chavez joined you in condemning the actions of President Bush here in the United States and in the middle east. Your thoughts and your messages to both the American and Venezuelan people have been virtually identical. You spoke with one voice and one heart.
I genuinely believe that if you will now speak out for freedom of speech, for freedom of the press and for freedom of assembly, President Chavez will listen. You have the moral authority. You have stood by his side. You have validated his regime. Your credibility has enhanced his stature. In many ways, it was you who handed him the moral power he now uses against his own people.
Last night President Chavez assumed control over the one nationwide free and independent television network. At midnight he shut it down and replaced it with a state run propaganda machine. Only message approved and even prepared by President Chavez are allowed to be broadcast.
Only hours later he moved to shut down the only other opposition broadcaster. This smaller network did not have the national distribution or broadcast channels, but is about to be silenced, none the less. There will be no opposition viewpoints once this has been accomplished.
As your own protest to end the war in Iraq nears a successful conclusion, imagine what would have happened if you hadn't had open access to a free and unfettered press. Imagine your fate if the press hadn't camped with you outside the Presidential summer home.
You moved a nation because your every word, your every prayer, even your every tear was reported, televised and broadcast to a receptive nation. Your friend and ally President Chavez has now made similar actions in Venezuela absolutely impossible.
Today tens of thousands of Venezuelans protested all across the nation. The police and troops had to resort to extreme measures including tear gas, rubber bullets and even shotgun blasts to quell the crowds and force the protesters into retreat.
Not one single broadcast television station in all of Venezuela carried even the slightest mention of the protests. Chavez silenced all freedom.
But if you speak, even from right here in the United States he will hear you. The world will hear you. You can really make a difference!!
You can be Chavez conscience. You can be the person who reminds President Chavez of the greatness, the generosity, the stature he once sought at your side. You can help the people. You can speak for those who now have no voice. They have been sobbed of their forum.
You live in the United States where freedom of speech and freedom of the press are unchallenged. Your microphone is open. Even today I heard and watched you again condemn and vilify the President of the United States and the Congress. Even the right leaning FOX NEWS carried your every word.
If you speak out the entire world will echo and amplify your words.
The people of Venezuela are praying for your help.
TECHNORATI TAGS: CINDY SHEEHAN HUGO CHAVEZ VENEZUELA FREE SPEECH FREEDOM OF THE PRESS WAR ON TERROR POLITICS IRAQ MILITARY
DIGG THIS
SAVE THIS PAGE TO del.icio.us
5 comments:
Yes, Cindy! We are waiting for your answer! I'm holding my baited breath!
On second thought, I'll not hold my breath. Cindy is in activist retirement (temporary I hope). Sheehan has not been a perfect spokesperson for my point of view, but she's been a national treasure.
Don't encourage them. Puhleeze, just this one time could we stay out of the infernal internal affairs of every other country on the planet?
not your mama, I cannot share your isolationist viewpoint. That doesn't mean that we should launch an invasion... or occupation.... or nation building.
But we can use our voice, our hearts and (when and if we actually have any) we can use our moral authority against an abuse of power.
I believe Cindy Sheehan (who vigilante correctly points out is in retirement for a much needed rest) has a degree of moral authority, .
I'm not proposing an invasion of Venezuela. However, often our government does have power it can use in diplomatic negotiations.
What would Bill Clinton have done? WHat would Barack Obama do?
And, finally, do we simply ignore situations like this? Attack on Girl's Schools
Off, topic, Wizard, (Apologies.)
Just wanted you to see this: Bush's talk does not match his walk in Darfur. Just another Iraq/Iran-centric tax on his foreign policy.
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