Robertson's comments on Chavez

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In summary, Pat Robertson said that we should assassinate Hugo Chavez because he is an American enemy and a threat to our south. His comments were dismissed by the State Department as inappropriate and un-Christian. It is interesting to see how the Bush administration deals with religious extremists when they get out of line.
  • #1
klusener
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http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/08/23/robertson.chavez/index.html

Is there anything more stupid the old man could do? He always talks about violence in the Quran and then turns around and issues a "fatwa" for Chavez's assasination. Where did the "love thy enemy" sentiments go?
 
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  • #2
Does anyone actually believe this man is a Christian?
 
  • #3
Robertson, a contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 1988, called Chavez "a dangerous enemy to our south, controlling a huge pool of oil, that could hurt us badly."

"a dangerous enemy to our south"

Ok, i didn't know that south america (where i live) belongs to USA.

"controlling a huge pool of oil"

Againt, ist's all about oil...

"We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability,"

He was a democraticaly elected president, he won with more that 50% of the votes, and he had win TWO, plebisites asking to stay or leave the presidency..
 
  • #4
During his “700 Club” broadcast Aug. 22, Robertson lit into President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela as an American enemy that needed to be done away with:
“You know, I don’t know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he [Chavez] thinks we’re trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it,” Robertson told his audience. “It’s a whole lot cheaper than starting a war. We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability.”
Not only is he preaching politics from the pulpit, it is very un-Christ-like and hypocritical. Talk about someone we need to do away with. The only good thing is if people like Robertson keep spewing garbage, mainstream America is likely to push them back under the rocks they crawled out from under when Bush was elected.
 
  • #5
How much more twisted can this country get when the WHITE HOUSE has to apologize for a RELIGIOUS ZEALOT'S COMMENTS!

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/08/23/robertson.chavez/index.html

"White House dismisses Chavez assassination call
State Department: Pat Robertson comment 'inappropriate'"

SEPERATION OF CHURCH AND STATE ANYONE?!?

WHY SHOULD THE STATE DEPARTMENT HAVE TO DISMISS THIS MORON'S COMMENTS??

Do people just take it for granted now that religious extremists set the foreign policy of this nation?
 
  • #6
MaxS said:
How much more twisted can this country get when the WHITE HOUSE has to apologize for a RELIGIOUS ZEALOT'S COMMENTS!

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/08/23/robertson.chavez/index.html

"White House dismisses Chavez assassination call
State Department: Pat Robertson comment 'inappropriate'"

SEPERATION OF CHURCH AND STATE ANYONE?!?

WHY SHOULD THE STATE DEPARTMENT HAVE TO DISMISS THIS MORON'S COMMENTS??

Do people just take it for granted now that religious extremists set the foreign policy of this nation?


These are the same religious extremest who put Bush into office. He could not have won without them. It will be interesting to see how the administration slips and slides around this one.

It will depend a great deal upon how much media coverage Robertson's statement gets. It could be a flash in the pan if the shrub damage control team does its job as they have in the past.
 
  • #7
I can't believe that there are people stupid enough to listen to this man. He is a complete psychopath.
 
  • #8
Manchot said:
I can't believe that there are people stupid enough to listen to this man. He is a complete psychopath.

more than half the country can't believe Bush was elected...
 
  • #9
MaxS said:
WHY SHOULD THE STATE DEPARTMENT HAVE TO DISMISS THIS MORON'S COMMENTS??
Probably the only reason was
But Venezuela's ambassador to the United States, Bernardo Alvarez, said Robertson was "no ordinary private citizen" and demanded the White House strongly condemn the remarks.
It may seem unnecessary to some, but I don't see why it's wrong of the US to do so.
 
  • #10
It is wrong because it has come to the point that other nations are afraid of what some American televangelist is saying.

What does that tell you of how the U.S. is perceived around the world?? Do you think we are seen as much better than the Taliban when things like this happen?
 
  • #11
He was a democraticaly elected president, he won with more that 50% of the votes, and he had win TWO, plebisites asking to stay or leave the presidency..

That is the ironic part, he talks about spreading democracy and then issues a death threat to a popular democratically elected president, whose last approval poll showed more than 70% of his nation backing him.
 
  • #12
Skyhunter said:
Does anyone actually believe this man is a Christian?
um, sounds about right to me.
 
  • #13
kcballer21 said:
SkyHunter said:
Does anyone actually believe this man is a Christian?
um, sounds about right to me.
That is really sad. :frown: :frown:
 
  • #14
Greg Palast or BBC has written a few reports on Robertson and Chavez. In my opinion they are excellent. His website also has links to BBC coverage of his reports.

Report on Robertson
http://gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=49&row=0 [Broken]

Report on why the Bush Admin is going after Chavez
http://gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=452&row=0 [Broken]

Related report on Rice's attack on Ecuador's elected president...similar to the attack on Chavez
http://gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=427&row=1 [Broken]
 
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  • #15
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas/08/23/chavez.gasoline.reut/index.html [Broken]

Chavez offers cheap gas to poor in U.S.
 
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  • #16
It's traditional to include information for what your link is about when you post it.. just a thought.
 
  • #17
MaxS said:
What does that tell you of how the U.S. is perceived around the world?? Do you think we are seen as much better than the Taliban when things like this happen?
I don't know if the US would be perceived much better regardless of this. This is a symptom, not a problem.
 
  • #18
Smurf said:
It's traditional to include information for what your link is about when you post it.. just a thought.

I aim to be non-traditional, it has been edited.
 
  • #19
Surely you remember he and Fall-Well making these statements?
 
  • #20
klusener said:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/americas/08/23/chavez.gasoline.reut/index.html [Broken]

Chavez offers cheap gas to poor in U.S.
I find it incredibly odd that the very last line of the article is
Chavez and Castro offered to give poor Americans free health care and train doctors free of charge.
:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: No other information, no details, no relation to the subject. Does this not deserve an article on it's own in the least?
 
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  • #21
SOS2008 said:
Not only is he preaching politics from the pulpit, it is very un-Christ-like and hypocritical. Talk about someone we need to do away with. The only good thing is if people like Robertson keep spewing garbage, mainstream America is likely to push them back under the rocks they crawled out from under when Bush was elected.

America is well known for free speech...even if that free speech dooms reputations. I say, let him spew out the garbage, that way (intelligent and informed) Americans will have a better idea of what these religious "leaders" truly stand for.
 
  • #22
Smurf said:
I find it incredibly odd that the very last line of the article is :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: No other information, no details, no relation to the subject. Does this not deserve an article on it's own in the least?
Castro for President of the USA! Surely he can't do worse than the incumbent. :biggrin:
 
  • #23
Kerrie said:
America is well known for free speech...even if that free speech dooms reputations. I say, let him spew out the garbage, that way (intelligent and informed) Americans will have a better idea of what these religious "leaders" truly stand for.
It was just brought up on the BBC ... sure he's a private citizen and has a right to speak his mind however, he was also a private citizen in the running for the presidency and shares many of the same supporters who put and kept Bush in power.

It basically knocked the pegs out from under the administration that this 'religious leader' called for an illegal action on the world stage.

Many nations have stated this is a religious leader calling for an act of terrorism and they want to see if the USA is willing to apply their laws they are attempting to enforce on other countries.
 
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  • #24
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Tuesday that Robertson has the right of any private citizen to say whatever he wants, but added that the televangelist's remarks "do not represent the views of the United States."

I lean toward as broad an application of the first amendment right as possible. But this case seems like incitement to violence. Isn't there a principal of law that such speech is not protected?
 
  • #25
jimmysnyder said:
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Tuesday that Robertson has the right of any private citizen to say whatever he wants, but added that the televangelist's remarks "do not represent the views of the United States."

I lean toward as broad an application of the first amendment right as possible. But this case seems like incitement to violence. Isn't there a principal of law that such speech is not protected?

I doubt it, if so, then the KKK would certainly have to be taken down. I don't see Robertson's words any better then the KKK having their marches through small towns. The KKK isn't well liked or respected by a majority because (we hope at least) American society has progressed beyond racism. Maybe someday Americans who support this kind of wrong religous garbage will question what it's worth and progress to religious tolerance as well. This sort of attitude is no better then what we accuse the religious terrorists of expressing.
 
  • #26
I don't understand how Roberston could still have any credibility or respect after he "concurred" with Falwell regarding 9/11 being God's punishment towards the U.S. because of the gays and lesbians.
 
  • #27
klusener said:
I don't understand how Roberston could still have any credibility or respect after he "concurred" with Falwell regarding 9/11 being God's punishment towards the U.S. because of the gays and lesbians.


i hope that our older (and much wiser!) readers won't take offense to this, but Pat R. is 75 years old, perhaps dementia might be setting in? or has he always been this outspoken about issues such as this? i remember a relative of mine had dementia and would say some really wild things that would leave you in shock if you didn't realize he had it.
 
  • #28
Most of his life Robertson has lived on and made a fortune on donations from fundamentalist Christians. He still knows how to pull their strings, even if it is accomplished by making outlandish statements. He has been doing it for years.

Ironically 30 years ago Christians especially southern Christians were predominately Democrats. In 1979 when the Reagan PR people convinced Jerry Falwell to head the "moral Majority", Robertson also had been considered for the job.

Robertson's ability to talk people into "giving" will probably be his last mental faculty to go. He is the con artist extrodinaire.

http://www.cbn.com/communitypublic/shake.asp
 
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  • #29
jimmysnyder said:
I lean toward as broad an application of the first amendment right as possible. But this case seems like incitement to violence. Isn't there a principal of law that such speech is not protected?

Nope. Why do you think so many people get away with calling for President Bush's assassination (of course, no appology given)?

And I find it absolutely hilarious that people compare this to the Taliban. Last I checked, this guy didn't mastermind any aircraft hijackings... I guess sensationalism is the only way some people can get their shots in :rolleyes:
 
  • #30
Kerrie said:
i hope that our older (and much wiser!) readers won't take offense to this, but Pat R. is 75 years old, perhaps dementia might be setting in? or has he always been this outspoken about issues such as this? i remember a relative of mine had dementia and would say some really wild things that would leave you in shock if you didn't realize he had it.

When I get that old and if I have any power, I am going to say anything and everything! Intelligent design is scientific! 9/11 was a conspiracy! Canada is respectable!
 
  • #31
Pengwuino said:
And I find it absolutely hilarious that people compare this to the Taliban. Last I checked, this guy didn't mastermind any aircraft hijackings... I guess sensationalism is the only way some people can get their shots in :rolleyes:
Last I checked, neither did the Taliban. It was Al Qieda. :rofl:
 
  • #32
Pengwuino said:
When I get that old and if I have any power, I am going to say anything and everything! Intelligent design is scientific! 9/11 was a conspiracy! Canada is respectable!
America's a Democracy ... Yeah, we get the message.
 
  • #33
The Smoking Man said:
Last I checked, neither did the Taliban. It was Al Qieda. :rofl:
And last time I checked, neither did "Al Qieda." It was Al-Qaeda.

Just Kidding. :smile:

Edit: What a waste of my hundredth post...
 
  • #34
The Smoking Man said:
Last I checked, neither did the Taliban. It was Al Qieda. :rofl:

Damn. Venture into this stupid thread and goof up like that. Last time I put my browser in places it doesn't belong.
 
  • #35
Archon said:
And last time I checked, neither did "Al Qieda." It was Al-Qaeda.

Just Kidding. :smile:

Edit: What a waste of my hundredth post...
Good sarcasm is never wasted. :wink:
 

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