SHARP REPORT: Sean Wants Chavez Critics Sent to the Penn
Sean Penn is very upset that American media outlets refer to his BFF Hugo Chavez as a dictator. In an appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher Penn was quoted as saying "Everyday, this elected leader is called a dictator here, and we just accept it, and accept it", he went on to say "there should be a bar by which one goes to prison for these kind of lies."
Sean Penn is no stranger to making statements that call into question his ability to use rational thought and once again he is not only ignorant of reality, he his also a hypocrite. Back in 2002 Penn wrote to former President Bush in an open letter that called for Bush to be impeached, and also called Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice "villainously and criminally obscene people." Yet the legitimate title of dictator is too much for Penn.
I try to always find the logic or point of view that a person or group is following. This is part of keeping an open mind but Penn's hypocrisy and ignorance is so far off the chart that there is no other explanation than to call this delusional. If you happen to be one of these people who idolize the likes of Chavez and think that criticism of him is nothing more than a government plot to brainwash Americans against the benefits of Socialism then let's look at his actual record.
According to the Human Rights Watch report in 2008, Chavez:
-- Won the battle to remove presidential term limits, amending the nation's constitution in a February referendum.
-- Maneuvered a "political takeover" of the Supreme Court in 2004 by the president and his allies by signing legislation allowing his supporters to "pack and purge" the court.
-- Fired and blacklisted political opponents from state agencies and the Venezuelan oil company.
-- Denied citizens with unfavorable political opinions access to social programs.
-- Required state oversight and certification of union elections.
-- Engaged in reprisals against striking oil workers.
-- Subjected rights advocates to exaggerated charges and groundless investigations.
-- Shut down RCTV, the major Venezuelan TV station, in 2007 by refusing to renew its license. Though Chavez apparently said he was not renewing the license because the station backed the 2002 coup, Reporters Without Borders said in its report that Chavez had a more sinister motive, since another TV station that backed the coup was allowed to continue operating. (RCTV later moved to cable, but was still threatened.)
-- Controls "nearly all the country's broadcasting." Chavez went on TV 1,500 times for more than 900 hours between January 1999 and November 2007. Plus he took up 1,000 hours on his Sunday show Alo Presidente.
-- Pushed for the creation of about 60 newspapers to support his agenda.
-- The penal code was amended in 2005 so that insulting the president is punishable by up to 30 months in prison.
-- Oh an then there is the final play, indoctrination of children, if you think America's public schools are bad, watch this short television report.
Sean Penn is very upset that American media outlets refer to his BFF Hugo Chavez as a dictator. In an appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher Penn was quoted as saying "Everyday, this elected leader is called a dictator here, and we just accept it, and accept it", he went on to say "there should be a bar by which one goes to prison for these kind of lies."
