If the news reports I have read over the years are accurate, then President Chavez is establishing a dictatorship. It is, in principle, a totalitarian one, but not yet in practice. There is still resistance and even outright opposition to some of his policies.

However, I have seen nothing to indicate that anyone in the government, including the judiciary, is free enough of fear to be able to take independent, rational steps to protect individual rights. For that reason, I suspect that all efforts to "influence" the government are wasted.

A better approach would be, I think, to begin appealing directly to the clear thinking part of the population by emphasizing basic principles of Western Civilization: use of reason not brutality; rule by law; free speech, and limiting government strictly to the protection of rights, especially the three basic rights of life, liberty, and property.

"If the news reports I have read over the years are accurate,"

And there, Burgess Laughlin, is where your analysis falls apart.

Well I'm in no position to vouch for this development, but it would make sense in an enemy-of-my-enemy-is-my-friend kind of way. Chavez must want buddies in OPEC, and Israel is the great political distractor that sidelines middle eastern populations while the rulers hold the power and money. There is the very visible military and diplomatic support the U.S. gives Israel, so Chavez might also see it as a way to be a further annoyance. Then too lots of leftist mythology sees (Jewish) Israelis as colonial occupiers and (Arab) Palestinians as the courageous resistance, and he might be seeing the world through that lens too. On reflection, it would hardly surprise me if he did indeed prove to be an anti-semite. Sad.

This is a rather poor article. The headline strongly implies that Chavez is anti-semitic but fails to provide the evidence.

What the article says is that Chavez has been accused of anti-semitism. Being accused is not the same thing as being guilty.

“Over the past several years, the Jewish community has suffered as President Chavez and government-affiliated media publicly made anti-Semitic remarks and published anti-Semitic cartoons and opinions,” wrote Commission Chair Felice D. Gaer to Shannon.

If Chavez has made anti-semitic remarks, what is the difficulty in providing the actual quotes so that we can judge these for ourselves?

Let us not forget that James Dobson, Billy Graham, Mel Gibson, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, and numerous Catholic leaders including popes have been accused of anti-semitism. Let us not forget that virtually every Republican leader (and many Democrats as well) has at some point or other been accused of racism.

Charges of racism and anti-semitism are easy to make. If simply making the charge were enough to convict a person, then there are hundreds of prominent people here in the US (including dozens of major religious leaders) to be concerned about.

It is possible that Chavez is an anti-semite, just as it is possible that James Dobson is. But let's not spread tales claiming either man is one until the evidence is laid out clearly and fairly.

Personally I don't blame Chavez for wanting "Christians on a mission" to stay the hell away from all indigenous people. In my opinion, medeling christians are the last thing these people need.

i agree with grover bean

Pat Robertson all but called for Hugo Chavez' head on a platter because Chavez is a Christian socialist. The author of 'The Pledge of Allegiance' was a Christian socialist. As was eminent theologian Reinhold Neibuhr. Martin Luther King? That's probably why he was assassinated. Yet all Christianity Today can do is bring up anti-semitism spin against fellow Christian Hugo Chavez. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

Hey. I followed that post of mine (that appears here from March 25, 2009) the following day--March 26, 2009--with a request it not be published. I had written the intial post hastily when in a bad mood. Your article had made me angry (for the very reasons "Nova Land" articulates so well in their post of February 24, 2009). It is now April 22, 2009 and the only thing that appears is my initial post. Please be fair. Thanks...Bruce

When Google searching "Hugo Chavez" on March 25, 2009, found a link to this Christianity Today article. At the bottom of article it had a box for comment. I wrote a reply. The following day, thought my reply might be considered for publishing in a 'Christianity Today' magazine. Since my comment was a bit inflammatory due to being hastily written, I requested it not be published (March 26, 2009). Googled my name on April 22, 2009 and found this blog (yet there had been no indication when first replying that it was for a blog). Maybe you should alert people replying to your articles that their comments will it at some point appear on a blog. That way they will know to be more careful since blog comments often come up when Google searching a person's name (unless of course they are writing anonymously--something ordinarily I might do except that my personal websites were hacked and manipulated. So posting blog comments has been the only recourse to getting my personal viewpoints on-line). Thanks---Bruce Deile

hugo chavez is an international hero to millions-billions of people for his brave action of offering a new model of banking industry and trade--one that benefits the general population of his nation rather than causes the indigenous wealth to flow to wealthy colonial powers--Jesus --if we read our new testament--could well be discribed as a socialist too!--how much did he charge for healings?-or for feeding the hungry--no--HE WAS ASSASSINATED by the powers that be for showing their hypocracy!I wish every success to the new financial group--the IMF will benefit from some competition!!

It was a very nice idea! Just wanna say thank you for the information you have shared. Just continue writing this kind of post. I will be your loyal reader. Thanks again.