---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2006 00:29:44 -0400
From: moderator@PORTSIDE.ORG
To: PORTSIDE@LISTS.PORTSIDE.ORG
Subject: FCC Scandal Explodes - Second Revelation of Suppressed Media Ownership
Research
FCC Scandal Explodes with Second Revelation of
Suppressed Media Ownership Research
by Robert W. McChesney
Published on Tuesday, September 19, 2006 by
CommonDreams.org
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0919-27.htm
Last week, Sen. Barbara Boxer rocked the re-
confirmation hearings for Federal Communications
Commission Chairman Kevin Martin when she released a
suppressed FCC study from 2004 - leaked to her by an
FCC whistleblower - that indicated locally owned
television stations did far more local news programming
than TV stations owned by big conglomerates. A former
FCC lawyer acknowledged that agency officials ordered
the report and all supporting material be destroyed.
Martin, who was on the FCC in 2004 but not yet its
Chairman, said he had no idea the report had been done
in the first place and knew nothing about its
disappearance. Then-FCC Chairman Michael Powell also
claims he knew nothing about it, and, in classic Bush-
era fashion, he took no responsibility for what
transpired under his command.
In their minds, this was some sort of clerical error --
and the sooner everyone forgot about it, the better.
The FCC could go back to its time-honored job of doling
out tens of billions of dollars in monopoly privileges
to massive media and communication firms in relative
anonymity.
That PR approach collapsed this week on Monday, Sept.
18, when another repressed FCC study was leaked to
Senator Boxer by an FCC whistleblower. This study
demonstrated that independent radio ownership plummeted
after the passage of the 1996 Telecommunications Act,
even though the number of commercial radio stations
actually increased. As with the first study, by all
accounts it was grade-A empirical research of the
highest quality. Apparently that was the problem.
Martin finally agreed to an independent investigation
on Monday night, though no timetable has been set. But
-- and this is crucial --he apparently does not intend
to delay his mad rush to relax ownership rules until
the investigation has been completed and steps have
been implemented to address the problem. It is full
speed ahead. So right now this looks more like a PR
stunt than a genuine effort to get at the truth and
deal with its implications for policy making. In view
of Martin's and the FCC's record, skepticism is not
only justified, but warranted.
Let me explain. This scandal could not have hit the FCC
at a worse time from Martin's vantage point. Right now,
the FCC is formally reviewing its local media ownership
rules and is prepared to vote on relaxing or
eliminating them as soon as the end of the year.
In 2003, when Powell tried to eliminate any
restrictions on local media ownership, the public
revolted, with an extraordinary left-right coalition
that generated nearly 3 million letters to the FCC and
Congress. Powell announced plans for numerous public
hearings on media localism across the country as he
tried to persuade Congress he was actually listening to
the people. The federal courts eventually rejected
Powell’s plan to relax media ownership rules in 2004,
and he resigned as a failure in 2005.
Powell's plans for hearings on localism were quietly
dropped after Powell learned in no uncertain terms at
the tumultuous hearings he attended that the public
wanted more locally owned broadcast media and wanted
rules to reverse media consolidation, not permit it.
Kevin Martin now has been tasked by the Bush
administration to do the job his predecessor couldn't:
Eliminate the restrictions on local media ownership so
the big media firms, like Tribune, Sinclair, News
Corp., Clear Channel, Gannett, Belo and Media General,
-- which have been so supportive of the Bush
administration -- could build local monopolies by
gobbling up most of the media in communities around
America.
Their vision is of owning an empire of company media
towns with one monopoly newsroom servicing all the
outlets in a town, and a massive reliance on
inexpensive syndicated fare. A dream for the company
that holds the monopoly - and for the politicians it
supports - but a nightmare for everyone else.
Martin has promised to hold as many as six official
public hearings but has so far only committed to one in
Los Angeles on October 3. He and the Republican
majority are unequivocally in favor of scrapping rules
limiting local media monopolies, but they have to at
least make it look like they care about the public and
due process - because that's what the law requires - to
get their gift to big media approved by the courts.
But this scandal has thrown a monkey wrench into
Martin’s and the Bush administration’s best-laid plans.
Core research that undermines the argument for relaxing
media ownership rules has been suppressed by the agency
that is legally obligated to serve the public interest.
Something is utterly rotten here, and the logical
question facing everyone is how extensive has this
pattern of corruption and suppression been?
It is imperative that the FCC slow down its mad dash to
implement sweeping media ownership rules changes this
year. It must wait until the independent investigation
has been completed. It must fulfill Martin's promise to
hold at least six official public hearings around the
nation. It must pay attention to what the research
indicates and, every bit as important, what the people
of the nation tell the FCC in their filings with the
commission and at its public hearings.
This can happen, but only if enough Americans contact
the FCC and get their names on the record demanding
fairness and integrity.
Fortunately a coalition of some 40 consumer, labor,
civil rights and public interest groups have formed a
coalition, www.StopBigMedia.com, to rally public
involvement and opposition to corrupt FCC procedures on
media ownership. Go to the Web site and send a message
to the FCC demanding full accountability:
http://www.stopbigmedia.com/coverup.php
If we know one thing from the past four years of
activism in the burgeoning media reform movement, it is
that organized people can defeat organized money. In
fact, it is the only thing that does. But it takes a
lot of people because we are talking about a lot of
money, so please get on the bus. And bring your
friends.
[Robert W. McChesney is the president and founder of
Free Press, and the author of The Problem of the
Media.]
____________________________________________
portside (the left side in nautical parlance) is a news,
discussion and debate service of the Committees of
Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism. It aims to
provide varied material of interest to people on the
left.
To submit an article to portside, go to:
http://www.portside.org/submit
For answers to frequently asked questions:
http://www.portside.org/faq
To subscribe to the list:
http://www.portside.org/subscribe
To unsubscribe from portside:
http://www.portside.org/unsubscribe
For assistance with your account:
http://www.portside.org/contact
To search the portside archive:
http://www.portside.org/archive
This stuff is so damn new! - Alan
blog at http://nikuko.blogspot.com - for URLs, DVDs, CDs, books/etc. see
http://www.asondheim.org/advert.txt - contact sondheim@panix.com, -
general directory of work: http://www.asondheim.org
Trace at: http://tracearchive.ntu.ac.uk - search "Alan Sondheim"
http://clc.as.wvu.edu:8080/clc/Members/sondheim
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2006 12:02:08 -0400 (EDT)
From: NWC Online Newsletter <NetworkComputing@update.networkcomputing.com>
To: sondheim@panix.com
Subject: Happy 15th Birthday, World Wide Web; Is Apple Becoming Less Secure?
Network Computing Online Newsletter
Wednesday September 20, 2006
Gather round and raise your voices: Happy 15th birthday to the World
Wide Web. Yep--15 years!
In late summer 1991, an information technology consultant named Tim
Berners-Lee posted an unassuming message to the alt.hypertext newsgroup,
making public a project he had been working on for the European
Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). He began, "The WorldWideWeb
(WWW) project aims to allow links to be made to any information
anywhere."
And from that the Web was born.
To mark the occasion--now 15 years later--check out our wide-ranging
package exploring the history and impact of the Web, including our
exhaustive history of its past, present and future.
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0EmCW0FH
Also, don't miss our look back--and a sneak peak ahead--at the browser
wars.
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0EmCX0FI
Not to mention a look at what's next, namely the emergence and promise
of "Web 2.0."
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0EmCY0FJ
Also, don't miss our investigation into Apple's (diminishing) security
story. Apple-lovers love to bash Windows for its security concerns. But
with the latest large sets of security patches and an alleged wireless
driver vulnerability, Mac OS X no longer seems invincible.
Our expert delves into the real threats in the Apple world and outlines
simple steps you can take to protect yourself.
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0EmCZ0FK
--Rich Karpinski, NetworkComputing.com Online Editor, rkarpinski@cmp.com
PLUS:
Check out the latest issue of Network Computing online. We are going
through a stretch of weekly issues (as opposed to our usual every other
week schedule), so be sure to keep up. Live right now is our September
21 issue, including an analysis of the unified communications market, a
comparative review of DNS/DHCP appliances and a TechTracker
investigation of the new 802.11n standard.
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0Elfl0FC
Also, take part in our annual reader survey, with a focus on letting
you--the reader--vent about what you don't like about your jobs and the
industry. Let us hear what you have to say.
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0EmGj0Fe
.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._
Focus on... e-Commerce Solutions
Want to learn more about e-Commerce Solutions?
Check out these sponsored links from Internap.
Performance enhancing technology for gaming:
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0Ei3l0FI
Build player loyalty bordering on fanaticism:
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0Ei3l0FI
.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._
Here's what's cooking on NWC Online this week:
1) New Online!
- 15 Years of the World Wide Web
- Has Apple Lost Its Security Shine?
- Microsoft Windows Office 2007 Beta 2 Technical Refresh
2) The Daily Blog
- On the Road to 4G
3) YackITyYack
- Call for Entries: Top 11 Celebrity-Related Computer Attacks
4) In The News
- New Trick: Managing Windows Servers Remotely With PDAs
- Microsoft Warns August Patch Corrupts Data
- Mobile VoIP Poised to Surpass Fixed Net Telephony
- IE at Risk to New Unpatched Bug
5) Download Mania
- FTP Master 2.4
- Handy Folders 3.0.1.788
6) Eye on Security
- Alertcon: Microsoft
- Security Threat Watch: Election Hacking
7) Coming Events
- Webcast: State of Power and Network Continuity for the Data Center
8) Calling All Readers
- TechSearch--One Site Fits All
- TechCareers
._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._
1) New Online!
- 15 Years of the World Wide Web
By George Jones, Mike Elgan and Valerie Potter
In August, the World Wide Web celebrated its 15-year anniversary. Where
did it come from, and how did we get to where we are today? We bring you
an opinionated history of the WWW.
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0EmCW0FH
- Has Apple Lost Its Security Shine?
By John C. Welch
With the latest large sets of security patches and an alleged wireless
driver vulnerability, Mac OS X no longer seems invincible. Our expert
delves into the real threats in the Apple world and outlines simple
steps you can take to protect yourself.
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0EmCZ0FK
- Microsoft Windows Office 2007 Beta 2 Technical Refresh
By Barbara Krasnoff
B2TR adds a few features, tweaks a few others and reminds us that there
are changes coming in Microsoft's popular Office suite.
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0EmSx0F5
.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._
2) The Daily Blog
- On the Road to 4G
By Sean Ginevan
In announcing that it had decided to deploy a WiMax network using its
2.5 GHz spectrum, Sprint proclaimed that its decision marked the
company's commitment to building a 4G wireless broadband network.
Several commentators, including Network Computing's own Peter Rysavy,
were quick to point out that WiMax did not mark the development of a 4G
network if only because there was no 4G standards effort at the time.
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0EmB80Fj
Read more entries from The Daily Blog.
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0EOdL0F8
.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._
3) YackITyYack
- Call for Entries: Top 11 Celebrity-Related Computer Attacks
Forget boring old phishing, nothing has more drawing power than
celebrities. So this week we're challenging you to come up with some
imaginary, but inventive celebrity-based computer attacks. The funniest
will be posted online in the Last Mile. Here are a few suggestions to
get you started:
* Cruising: This DoS forces your computer to jump up and down on the
nearest couch, laughing maniacally.
* Trumped: You receive a fake message from your boss telling you 'Your
Fired' unless you give him all your bank info.
* Hiltoned: Pop-up threatens to play tracks from new Paris Hilton album
unless you crank call Nicole Richie.
* The Brangelina: Your computer gets stolen by two impossibly
good-looking thieves.
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0EEVH0Ff
.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._
4) In The News
- New Trick: Managing Windows Servers Remotely With PDAs
The Avocent software runs on a BlackBerry or any Windows Mobile 5-based
device. Two packages provide different levels of administration features
and functions.
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0EmSy0F6
- Microsoft Warns August Patch Corrupts Data
Microsoft has created a hotfix that patches a bug in one of the dozen
August security updates that could corrupt users' data.
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0EmSz0F7
- Mobile VoIP Poised to Surpass Fixed Net Telephony
Cellular VoIP services will generate more revenue in the U.S. than fixed
VoIP by 2012, recording more than $18 billion versus about $12 billion
for fixed VoIP, according to a report released by Analysys.
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0EmS10Ft
- IE at Risk to New Unpatched Bug
Look out: Exploit code for an unpatched vulnerability in Internet
Explorer is circulating, and thus far there's no patch for it.
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0EmS20Fu
You can find links to these and other breaking news stories organized by
technology via our handy NetNews Service.
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0EOdN0FB
.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._
5) Download Mania: Select Files From IT Pro Downloads
- FTP Master 2.4
FTP Master is a utility for transferring files between your computer and
a remote File Transfer Protocol (FTP) server anywhere on the Internet.
Whether you're making public a Web page, downloading the latest digital
images, music or software, or transferring large files between your home
and office, FTP Master will do the task quickly and easily, even if
you're a beginner.
Size: 2,087k
Platform: Windows
Licensing: Freeware
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0EluV0F4
- Handy Folders 3.0.1.788
When it comes to quickly moving to a location on your PC, Handy Folders
is an experienced assistant you can rely on. This utility provides quick
and direct access to whatever you wish, including folders, files, disks
on your PC or LAN, and a predefined folder located anywhere, including
FTP or Web sites. Its sleek user interface and simple design make
working with Handy Folders as easy as ABC.
Size: 2,343k
Platform: Windows
Licensing: Shareware
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0EluW0F5
Note: By using IT Pro Downloads, you agree to these terms of use.
http://www.itprodownloads.com/terms.jhtml
.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._
6) Eye on Security
- Alertcon: Microsoft:
ISS' X-Force Research & Development team has published a Protection
Advisory entitled "Microsoft Internet Explorer Vector Markup Language
Alert." Our analysts have discovered an exploit in the wild that targets
a zero-day remote code execution vulnerability in Microsoft Internet
Explorer.
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0EEVM0Fk
- Security Threat Watch: Election Hacking
With election time right around the corner, two students and a professor
at Princeton University did an analysis of the Diebold AccuVote-TS
electronic voting machine. This analysis covered the hardware and
software security of the AccuVote-TS and discovered that many serious
attacks can be leveraged on the more than 33,000 of these voting
machines in use today. Attacks vary from stealing votes and modifying
all records, logs and counters to changing the outcome of an election.
The analysis included working demonstrations of these attacks.
More about this study as well as the full research paper can be found
at: http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0EmS30Fv
For more security alerts and information, sign up for our free Security
Threat Watch newsletter.
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0EOdR0FF
.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._
7) Coming Events
- Webcast: State of Power and Network Continuity for the Data Center
Wednesday, September 27, 2006 || 4:00 p.m. ET / 1:00 p.m. PT
In this revealing Network Computing Vendor Perspectives TechWebCast,
power quality and reliability experts from Eaton Corp. will talk about
how businesses should go about making sure they have ample power
protection in place to support continuity.
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0Eksb0FE
.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._
8) Calling All Readers
- TechSearch--One Site Fits All
Now you have everything you need to stay on top of the tech industry in
one easily navigated, info-packed site. TechSearch brings you hot
technology news, editorials and tech blogs--plus an unrivaled search
engine! Visit the site for news, blogs and unparalleled technology
search results from over 60 CMP sites. Try a TechSearch now!
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0EPci0Fc
- TechCareers
Looking for a new position? Are you unhappy with your current job? Do
you want to know how to move into a new tech specialty or which
certification is paying the most? Send your career questions to CMP
Media's new career site, TechCareers, and get an answer from our
experts.
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0ETNu0FX
.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._
Focus on... e-Commerce Solutions
Want to learn more about e-Commerce Solutions?
Check out these sponsored links from Internap.
Performance enhancing technology for gaming:
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0Ei3l0FI
Build player loyalty bordering on fanaticism:
http://update.networkcomputing.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/mzUw0GPwtO0G6u0Ei3l0FI
.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._
.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._.._
Subscription Information
You are subscribed as:
sondheim@panix.com
Put Us On Your White List
Don't let an overeager e-mail filter bounce the Network Computing Online
newsletter! Our address:
NetworkComputing@update.networkcomputing.com
must be in your address book or on your anti-spam white list. Ask your
admin or ISP how to do this, or check your anti-spam utility documentation.
As always, we welcome your feedback about our newsletter. Please feel
free to message us directly if you have any comments or questions
(mailto:nwconline@cmp.com).
Important subscription contacts:
CMP Media LLC
600 Community Drive
Manhasset, NY 11030
Change your e-mail address.
http://networkcomputingsubscriptions.com/customerservice
Unsubscribe to Network Computing's newsletters.
http://www.networkcomputing.com/newsletters/unsubscribe.html
Sign up for your own issue of this newsletter.
http://www.networkcomputing.com/newsletters/subscriptions.html
Subscribe to Network Computing's newsletters.
http://www.networkcomputing.com/newsletters/subscriptions.html
Still not receiving your own FREE subscription to Network Computing
magazine?
http://networkcomputingsubscriptions.com/customerservice
ADDITIONAL SUBSCRIPTION CONTACT:
Please send an e-mail message to mailto:newsletters@cmp.com if you need
assistance changing your e-mail address, unsubscribing from this
newsletter, or require additional assistance with your subscription. Please be sure to
include the name of this newsletter in your message.
Note: This newsletter utilizes dynamic URLs. For more information,
please refer to our privacy policy.
http://www.doubleclick.net/us/corporate/privacy
Copyright (c) 2006 Network Computing, a CMP Media LLC publication
http://www.networkcomputing.com/
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2006 21:43:42 -0400
From: moderator@PORTSIDE.ORG
To: PORTSIDE@LISTS.PORTSIDE.ORG
Subject: Hugo Chavez's Address to the United Nations: Rise Up Against the Empire
Address to the United Nations
Rise Up Against the Empire
By HUGO CHAVEZ
Counterpunch
September 20, 2006
http://www.counterpunch.org/
Representatives of the governments of the world, good
morning to all of you. First of all, I would like to
invite you, very respectfully, to those who have not
read this book, to read it.
Noam Chomsky, one of the most prestigious American and
world intellectuals, Noam Chomsky, and this is one of
his most recent books, 'Hegemony or Survival: The
Imperialist Strategy of the United States.'" [Holds up
book, waves it in front of General Assembly.] "It's an
excellent book to help us understand what has been
happening in the world throughout the 20th century, and
what's happening now, and the greatest threat looming
over our planet.
The hegemonic pretensions of the American empire are
placing at risk the very survival of the human species.
We continue to warn you about this danger and we appeal
to the people of the United States and the world to
halt this threat, which is like a sword hanging over
our heads. I had considered reading from this book,
but, for the sake of time," [flips through the pages,
which are numerous] "I will just leave it as a
recommendation.
It reads easily, it is a very good book, I'm sure
Madame [President] you are familiar with it. It appears
in English, in Russian, in Arabic, in German. I think
that the first people who should read this book are our
brothers and sisters in the United States, because
their threat is right in their own house.
The devil is right at home. The devil, the devil
himself, is right in the house.
"And the devil came here yesterday. Yesterday the devil
came here. Right here." [crosses himself] "And it
smells of sulfur still today.
Yesterday, ladies and gentlemen, from this rostrum, the
president of the United States, the gentleman to whom I
refer as the devil, came here, talking as if he owned
the world. Truly. As the owner of the world.
I think we could call a psychiatrist to analyze
yesterday's statement made by the president of the
United States. As the spokesman of imperialism, he came
to share his nostrums, to try to preserve the current
pattern of domination, exploitation and pillage of the
peoples of the world.
An Alfred Hitchcock movie could use it as a scenario. I
would even propose a title: "The Devil's Recipe."
As Chomsky says here, clearly and in depth, the
American empire is doing all it can to consolidate its
system of domination. And we cannot allow them to do
that. We cannot allow world dictatorship to be
consolidated.
The world parent's statement -- cynical, hypocritical,
full of this imperial hypocrisy from the need they have
to control everything.
They say they want to impose a democratic model. But
that's their democratic model. It's the false democracy
of elites, and, I would say, a very original democracy
that's imposed by weapons and bombs and firing weapons.
What a strange democracy. Aristotle might not recognize
it or others who are at the root of democracy.
What type of democracy do you impose with marines and
bombs?
The president of the United States, yesterday, said to
us, right here, in this room, and I'm quoting,
"Anywhere you look, you hear extremists telling you can
escape from poverty and recover your dignity through
violence, terror and martyrdom."
Wherever he looks, he sees extremists. And you, my
brother -- he looks at your color, and he says, oh,
there's an extremist. Evo Morales, the worthy president
of Bolivia, looks like an extremist to him.
The imperialists see extremists everywhere. It's not
that we are extremists. It's that the world is waking
up. It's waking up all over. And people are standing
up.
I have the feeling, dear world dictator, that you are
going to live the rest of your days as a nightmare
because the rest of us are standing up, all those who
are rising up against American imperialism, who are
shouting for equality, for respect, for the sovereignty
of nations.
Yes, you can call us extremists, but we are rising up
against the empire, against the model of domination.
The president then -- and this he said himself, he
said: "I have come to speak directly to the populations
in the Middle East, to tell them that my country wants
peace."
That's true. If we walk in the streets of the Bronx, if
we walk around New York, Washington, San Diego, in any
city, San Antonio, San Francisco, and we ask
individuals, the citizens of the United States, what
does this country want? Does it want peace? They'll say
yes.
But the government doesn't want peace. The government
of the United States doesn't want peace. It wants to
exploit its system of exploitation, of pillage, of
hegemony through war.
It wants peace. But what's happening in Iraq? What
happened in Lebanon? In Palestine? What's happening?
What's happened over the last 100 years in Latin
America and in the world? And now threatening Venezuela
-- new threats against Venezuela, against Iran?
He spoke to the people of Lebanon. Many of you, he
said, have seen how your homes and communities were
caught in the crossfire. How cynical can you get? What
a capacity to lie shamefacedly. The bombs in Beirut
with millimetric precision?
This is crossfire? He's thinking of a western, when
people would shoot from the hip and somebody would be
caught in the crossfire.
This is imperialist, fascist, assassin, genocidal, the
empire and Israel firing on the people of Palestine and
Lebanon. That is what happened. And now we hear, "We're
suffering because we see homes destroyed.'
The president of the United States came to talk to the
peoples -- to the peoples of the world. He came to say
-- I brought some documents with me, because this
morning I was reading some statements, and I see that
he talked to the people of Afghanistan, the people of
Lebanon, the people of Iran. And he addressed all these
peoples directly.
And you can wonder, just as the president of the United
States addresses those peoples of the world, what would
those peoples of the world tell him if they were given
the floor? What would they have to say?
And I think I have some inkling of what the peoples of
the south, the oppressed people think. They would say,
"Yankee imperialist, go home." I think that is what
those people would say if they were given the
microphone and if they could speak with one voice to
the American imperialists.
And that is why, Madam President, my colleagues, my
friends, last year we came here to this same hall as we
have been doing for the past eight years, and we said
something that has now been confirmed -- fully, fully
confirmed.
I don't think anybody in this room could defend the
system. Let's accept -- let's be honest. The U.N.
system, born after the Second World War, collapsed.
It's worthless.
Oh, yes, it's good to bring us together once a year,
see each other, make statements and prepare all kinds
of long documents, and listen to good speeches, like
Abel's yesterday, or President Mullah's . Yes, it's
good for that.
And there are a lot of speeches, and we've heard lots
from the president of Sri Lanka, for instance, and the
president of Chile.
But we, the assembly, have been turned into a merely
deliberative organ. We have no power, no power to make
any impact on the terrible situation in the world. And
that is why Venezuela once again proposes, here, today,
20 September, that we re-establish the United Nations.
Last year, Madam, we made four modest proposals that we
felt to be crucially important. We have to assume the
responsibility our heads of state, our ambassadors, our
representatives, and we have to discuss it.
The first is expansion, and Mullah talked about this
yesterday right here. The Security Council, both as it
has permanent and non-permanent categories, (inaudible)
developing countries and LDCs must be given access as
new permanent members. That's step one.
Second, effective methods to address and resolve world
conflicts, transparent decisions.
Point three, the immediate suppression -- and that is
something everyone's calling for -- of the anti-
democratic mechanism known as the veto, the veto on
decisions of the Security Council.
Let me give you a recent example. The immoral veto of
the United States allowed the Israelis, with impunity,
to destroy Lebanon. Right in front of all of us as we
stood there watching, a resolution in the council was
prevented.
Fourthly, we have to strengthen, as we've always said,
the role and the powers of the secretary general of the
United Nations.
Yesterday, the secretary general practically gave us
his speech of farewell. And he recognized that over the
last 10 years, things have just gotten more
complicated; hunger, poverty, violence, human rights
violations have just worsened. That is the tremendous
consequence of the collapse of the United Nations
system and American hegemonistic pretensions.
Madam, Venezuela a few years ago decided to wage this
battle within the United Nations by recognizing the
United Nations, as members of it that we are, and
lending it our voice, our thinking.
Our voice is an independent voice to represent the
dignity and the search for peace and the reformulation
of the international system; to denounce persecution
and aggression of hegemonistic forces on the planet.
This is how Venezuela has presented itself. Bolivar's
home has sought a nonpermanent seat on the Security
Council.
Let's see. Well, there's been an open attack by the
U.S. government, an immoral attack, to try and prevent
Venezuela from being freely elected to a post in the
Security Council.
The imperium is afraid of truth, is afraid of
independent voices. It calls us extremists, but they
are the extremists.
And I would like to thank all the countries that have
kindly announced their support for Venezuela, even
though the ballot is a secret one and there's no need
to announce things.
But since the imperium has attacked, openly, they
strengthened the convictions of many countries. And
their support strengthens us.
Mercosur, as a bloc, has expressed its support, our
brothers in Mercosur. Venezuela, with Brazil,
Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, is a full member of
Mercosur.
And many other Latin American countries, CARICOM,
Bolivia have expressed their support for Venezuela. The
Arab League, the full Arab League has voiced its
support. And I am immensely grateful to the Arab world,
to our Arab brothers, our Caribbean brothers, the
African Union. Almost all of Africa has expressed its
support for Venezuela and countries such as Russia or
China and many others.
I thank you all warmly on behalf of Venezuela, on
behalf of our people, and on behalf of the truth,
because Venezuela, with a seat on the Security Council,
will be expressing not only Venezuela's thoughts, but
it will also be the voice of all the peoples of the
world, and we will defend dignity and truth.
Over and above all of this, Madam President, I think
there are reasons to be optimistic. A poet would have
said "helplessly optimistic," because over and above
the wars and the bombs and the aggressive and the
preventive war and the destruction of entire peoples,
one can see that a new era is dawning.
As Silvio Rodriguez says, the era is giving birth to a
heart. There are alternative ways of thinking. There
are young people who think differently. And this has
already been seen within the space of a mere decade. It
was shown that the end of history was a totally false
assumption, and the same was shown about Pax Americana
and the establishment of the capitalist neo-liberal
world. It has been shown, this system, to generate mere
poverty. Who believes in it now?
What we now have to do is define the future of the
world. Dawn is breaking out all over. You can see it in
Africa and Europe and Latin America and Oceanea. I want
to emphasize that optimistic vision.
We have to strengthen ourselves, our will to do battle,
our awareness. We have to build a new and better world.
Venezuela joins that struggle, and that's why we are
threatened. The U.S. has already planned, financed and
set in motion a coup in Venezuela, and it continues to
support coup attempts in Venezuela and elsewhere.
President Michelle Bachelet reminded us just a moment
ago of the horrendous assassination of the former
foreign minister, Orlando Letelier.
And I would just add one thing: Those who perpetrated
this crime are free. And that other event where an
American citizen also died were American themselves.
They were CIA killers, terrorists.
And we must recall in this room that in just a few days
there will be another anniversary. Thirty years will
have passed from this other horrendous terrorist attack
on the Cuban plane, where 73 innocents died, a Cubana
de Aviacion airliner.
And where is the biggest terrorist of this continent
who took the responsibility for blowing up the plane?
He spent a few years in jail in Venezuela. Thanks to
CIA and then government officials, he was allowed to
escape, and he lives here in this country, protected by
the government.
And he was convicted. He has confessed to his crime.
But the U.S. government has double standards. It
protects terrorism when it wants to.
And this is to say that Venezuela is fully committed to
combating terrorism and violence. And we are one of the
people who are fighting for peace.
Luis Posada Carriles is the name of that terrorist who
is protected here. And other tremendously corrupt
people who escaped from Venezuela are also living here
under protection: a group that bombed various
embassies, that assassinated people during the coup.
They kidnapped me and they were going to kill me, but I
think God reached down and our people came out into the
streets and the army was too, and so I'm here today.
But these people who led that coup are here today in
this country protected by the American government. And
I accuse the American government of protecting
terrorists and of having a completely cynical
discourse.
We mentioned Cuba. Yes, we were just there a few days
ago. We just came from there happily.
And there you see another era born. The Summit of the
15, the Summit of the Nonaligned, adopted a historic
resolution. This is the outcome document. Don't worry,
I'm not going to read it.
But you have a whole set of resolutions here that were
adopted after open debate in a transparent matter --
more than 50 heads of state. Havana was the capital of
the south for a few weeks, and we have now launched,
once again, the group of the nonaligned with new
momentum.
And if there is anything I could ask all of you here,
my companions, my brothers and sisters, it is to please
lend your good will to lend momentum to the Nonaligned
Movement for the birth of the new era, to prevent
hegemony and prevent further advances of imperialism.
And as you know, Fidel Castro is the president of the
nonaligned for the next three years, and we can trust
him to lead the charge very efficiently.
Unfortunately they thought, "Oh, Fidel was going to
die." But they're going to be disappointed because he
didn't. And he's not only alive, he's back in his green
fatigues, and he's now presiding the nonaligned.
So, my dear colleagues, Madam President, a new, strong
movement has been born, a movement of the south. We are
men and women of the south.
With this document, with these ideas, with these
criticisms, I'm now closing my file. I'm taking the
book with me. And, don't forget, I'm recommending it
very warmly and very humbly to all of you.
We want ideas to save our planet, to save the planet
from the imperialist threat. And hopefully in this very
century, in not too long a time, we will see this, we
will see this new era, and for our children and our
grandchildren a world of peace based on the fundamental
principles of the United Nations, but a renewed United
Nations.
And maybe we have to change location. Maybe we have to
put the United Nations somewhere else; maybe a city of
the south. We've proposed Venezuela.
You know that my personal doctor had to stay in the
plane. The chief of security had to be left in a locked
plane. Neither of these gentlemen was allowed to arrive
and attend the U.N. meeting. This is another abuse and
another abuse of power on the part of the Devil. It
smells of sulfur here, but God is with us and I embrace
you all.
May God bless us all. Good day to you.
____________________________________________
portside (the left side in nautical parlance) is a news,
discussion and debate service of the Committees of
Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism. It aims to
provide varied material of interest to people on the
left.
To submit an article to portside, go to:
http://www.portside.org/submit
For answers to frequently asked questions:
http://www.portside.org/faq
To subscribe to the list:
http://www.portside.org/subscribe
To unsubscribe from portside:
http://www.portside.org/unsubscribe
For assistance with your account:
http://www.portside.org/contact
To search the portside archive:
http://www.portside.org/archive