Re: Hey Barry, quit apologizing.http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124000875842430603.html Chief American apologist and his new best friend...
My President just concluded a tour of Europe, where he was so busy apologizing for America that he couldn’t get a single concession from European leaders. Sarkozy mocked him. He bows to a Saudi prince. And now in Trinidad he accepts an insulting gift from Hugo Chavez with a big, shit eating grin on his face. He should have thrown that book right back at the Venezuelan asshat, instead he opens it up to see if Chavez had autographed it.
Gosh, VFish, maybe you should consider seceding. That is, after all, the right wing wacko equivalent of liberals moving to Canada.
Forgive my outrage, at the very least Barack could have politely declined the inappropriate gift, “Thanks Hugo, but Michelle already gave me a copy for Christmas”.
You mean the book? It was a book by the guy who wrote Soccer in Sun and Shadow, which is on my bookshelf and maybe even yours. Who the f'ck cares? It's just a freaking book. Seriously, do you have anything even stupider that you care to whine about?
But then the gift wasn't a copy of "Soccer in Sun and Shadow" was it? And can someone explain why diplomatic protocol requires anything other than a standard handshake? Instead Chavez gets the greeting one would give to a long lost frat brother.
Actually, it's supposed to be a very good book, I've heard it highly recommended over the years. And I just checked, it's currently #13 in sales on Amazon, the publisher should pay Chavez some royalties for the free publicity...
It's funny, but this is actually something I'm going to grudgingly agree with VFish on. It's my once in a lifetime quota. While needing to be diplomatic, we also can't simply accept responsibility for the entire problems of the world, and particular in Latin America. Latin America has a boatload of problems because Latin America has a history of crappy government, which ultimately resides squarely in the lap of Latin Americans citizens. Period. The sooner they figure that out and stop taking the easy out excuse of saying "it wasn't us, it was the Americans", the better it will be for their countries. Hell, I've gone on the Latin America board here and seen them complaining that it's the US' that "lures" Latin Americans (and particularly Mexicans) here, so we are in a way responsible for them. Not a single word about their countries being responsible for them wanting to leave by failing to provide them with the proper necessities of life. It's just a slippery slope that I'd like to see us maneuver a bit better. Having said that, the issue that VFish makes about the book is utter nonsense. If I had been handed a book, I would accept it, shake hands and move on too. Obama, like me, wouldn't have known what it was about either. He actually later said that he initially thought it was a biography of sorts by Chavez and thought about giving him one of his in return. The guy isn't GOD. He isn't going to know every piece of trivia the world has to offer. Get over it.
Tell me exactly how Obama shaking hands or accepting a book means we're accepting "responsibility for the entire problems of the world, and in particular in Latin America".
I don't think it does. Read the second paragraph of my statement. That's diplomacy. However, the whole Mexican drug problem is largely the fault of Americans, it's our fault that Mexicans are gunning each other down ad nauseum thing is the kind of stuff that I think is a bit much for me. I, unlike VFish and inthenet, think that Obama is doing a good job. I just don't want us to be too obsequious along the way. In the end, that could end up biting us in the butt as well.
Does "squarely" mean "entirely?" Because if so, then you're wrong. It is folly to say that the US has had nothing to do with Latin America's problems--the United States has been disrupting the democratic process left and right in Latin America since, well, since William Walker, I suppose (granted he wasn't exactly an agent of the US government). I'm a graduate student in Latin American history. I understand that Latin America's current problems are not entirely the US's fault (not even mostly). But to remove the US from any blame at all is just ignorant. In truth, most of Latin America's problems are not because of "Latin American citizens." That implies that Latin American citizens made the wrong choices again and again. This is what a lot of US media would have you believe, but it's a condescending and paternalistic attitude that is frankly embarrassing. It's borderline racist--at best it's culturally chauvinist.
don't worry i hear the book is in Spanish and Berry, despite wanting Americans study foreign languages, does not speak Spanish or any other language
It's been available in translation for 12 years (and it's now up to #11 in books on Amazon. Good thing it doesn't have any gay themes or its ranking wouldn't be displayed). Or do you mean the specific book that Chavez gave him? That one might be in Spanish, you're right.
#11? Wow that's impressive! Gee, I wonder what would have driven the book from obscurity to the top of the Amazon charts?
I am upset because he doesn’t seem to have made the transition from community organizer to President of the United States.
How insecure are you about America's greatness? Like, do you just need a pep talk, or are we talking about years of therapy here?
Looks like an interesting read. I just ordered a copy myself. [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Open-Veins-Latin-America-Centuries/dp/0853459916/"]Amazon.com: Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent: Eduardo Galeano: Books[/ame]
Whats to get upset about? Which is better for the US? To begin a better relationship with the rest of the Americas? Or continue on with the way we have been doing things for decades now? Personally I think Obama needs to let Chavez know that in no uncertain terms that if he intends on following in Castro's footsteps he will get the same type of treatment. Obama being cordial in a first meeting is what I expect of our leader. This however does not mean that he will give Chavez a free ride by any means. I think we just need to wait and see what happens next.