Much has been written about Pat Robertson's latest bit of insanity, suggesting on the 700 Club that we should assassinate the president of Venezuela. The only thing I have to add is this: if this were a Muslim cleric rather than a Christian one advocating the murder of a head of state, he might well find himself in Gitmo. Especially since this same nutball just a few short months ago was saying that we should drop a bomb on the State Department. If he was Muslim, he'd be on a terrorist watch list by now at the very least, and quite possibly in custody. But he's a Christian, and a loyal Republican, so we get weak statements from the government about how it's "inappropriate" (State Department spokesman) and "private citizens say things all the time" (good ol' Donald Rumsfeld).
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Robertson is now claiming that he was misinterpreted:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050824/pl_nm/venezuela_robertson_dc;_ylt=AsF773JJTDu_Kp1qrAgA3l6yFz4D;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl
John wrote:
I'm sure this will work on the majority of his mostly braindead followers, who lap up anything he says. He likes to issue denials like this and his followers generally believe them. He did the same thing during the flap over his interview with Falwell in which Falwell claimed that the blame for 9/11 should be put on the ACLU and homosexuals and abortionists. But the statement was crystal clear and it's on videotape, for crying out loud. The statement "If he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it" really can't be interpreted any other way. This is just a lie to cover up his stupid statement.
The oddest part is where he tried to link Venezuela with islamic terrorism...? Are there even any middle eastern people in Venezuela at all?
About the "misinterpretation", even if we be very lenient and allow that to mean kidnappings... that's still an absurd statement. And Chavez isn't exactly a great guy or anything, but let's please reserve the D word for people who, at bare minimum, weren't elected in internationally observed free elections.
"If he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it"
So if Pat thinks someone wants to kill him, should we go ahead and do it?
Rumsfeld's dismissive comment is especially ironic considering the 'war on terror' has recently been remarketed as the 'global struggle against extremism', which should now doubtlessly include Pat.
Matthew: "even if we be very lenient and allow that to mean kidnappings..."
Kind soul that I am, I often give fools the benefit of the doubt. But no such lenience is warranted in this case. As Raging Bee notes, Robertson plainly said we "ought" to assassinate (a word he now claims he never used) Chavez.
He is a liar. Now, I can excuse the assassination talk -- it's wild, but at least Robertson arrived at it by way of argument. (To wit, Venezuela's oil belongs to the US, and if Chavez won't cough it up, a hit job would be cheaper than a war.) And given that he's been saying similar things for years, maybe he simply has a unique opinion on the morality of war.
But lying about things you said two days ago -- he's either demented or crooked. But we already knew that.
"If he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it" really can't be interpreted any other way.
Sure it can. It was allegorical. Remember, Mr. Robertson is a holy man of God. Everything he says is either allegorical, or not allegorical, depending upon its allegorical status.
There are some latest postings up on the web regarding the markets that moved substantially(particularly funds from South America) after Robertson's statements. It seems that his investments were generously rewarded by his utterances, as anxious long term bonds held in Venezuela were put up on the global market. Go figure. There was nothing patriotic nor spiritual about what he said. It was pure greed.
Just when I thought there was nothing left to laugh about , former presidential nominee , Reverand Pat Robertson, says feminism encourages women to " practice " witchcraft".
I'm firing up the old broom tonight and will invite Hillary and the others to make a swoop over his house and the FCC headquarters.
This old man is out of his mind. It's okay to be crazy but one should not be granted their own network to promote extremist violence.
Anyone out there ???
Nancy E.:
This old man is out of his mind. It's okay to be crazy but one should not be granted their own network to promote extremist violence.
Anyone out there ???
Hmmmmmm.
The civil libertarian in me says that Robertson has a right to spout whatever nonsense he wants, whenever and wherever he wants.
On the other hand, the rationalist in me says that he's a batshit-loony nutcase who should be forcibly put somewhere for psychiatric treatment. Preferably intense psychiatric treatment.
Remember, this is a guy - who with his theological bosom-buddy Jerry Falwell - blamed the victims for 9/11, since it obviously wasn't the fault of the Wahhabist extremists who hijacked and then crashed those jets into the WTC towers but us poor, misbegotten Sodomites who obviously deserved such a punishment for...for...being normal human beings, apparently.
Robbie is edging closer and closer to Fred Phelps territory in the nature of his public farting; I really don't see how anyone can think otherwise unless they're just as far-gone as he is.
I wonder where Pat was during the reign of Pinochet, a real dictator, albeit a right wing anticommunist one, so I guess he wasn't the correct ideology to deserve assassination in Pat's eyes.
W.W.J.A.
Who Would Jesus Assassinate?
Oh great, now we're down to cheerleder mode: "Two, four, six, eight, who would Christ assassinate? [Enter name of today's Christofascist boogeyman here]"