Chavez Thanks Sean Penn for Slamming His Critics
Thursday, 11 Mar 2010 05:23 PM Article Font Size


Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is grateful that actor Sean Penn has defended him against his critics within the U.S. media. In an appearance on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher" last week, Penn slammed Chavez critics who refer to the socialist leader as a dictator.

The Oscar-winning celebrity noted that Chavez has won repeated elections and suggested that media critics who call him a dictator should be jailed.

He says that "there should be a bar for which one goes to prison for these kinds of biases."

Penn has visited Chavez several times and frequently defends the president's leftist political policies.

Chavez welcomed Penn's comments Wednesday and thanked the actor for standing up to his detractors.


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Sean the commie simply proves why actors should stick to acting and stay out of politics - abut which they know less than nothing!

Sean Penn Wants Me Thrown In Jail

Michael C. Moynihan | March 9, 2010

Appearing on Real Time With Bill Maher, amateur Latin America scholar Sean Penn details his recent humanitarian trip to Haiti, reveals that he has started an NGO, and praises the United States military's reconstruction efforts in Port-au-Prince, calling it the "most noble [military] mission since World War II." (Penn has apparently forgotten the 2004 operation to provide relief to parts of tsunami-ravaged South Asia.)

But as is his wont, Penn couldn't get through the interview without reference to the beneficent Venezuelan and Cuban governments (who supplied "narcotics" in Haiti, despite their own drug shortages) and how Hugo Chavez is unfairly maligned in the United States media. How should one combat this misinformation campaign? Penn has a plan:

Because every day, this elected leader [Hugo Chavez] is called a dictator here, and we just accept it. And we just accept it. And this is mainstream media, who should – truly, there should be a bar by which one goes to prison for these kinds of lies.

It seems that Penn—a half-wit, but apparently an honest half-wit—has learned a thing or two on his political pilgrimages to Cuba. This is a dirty little trend, both in Europe and an America, amongst the thicko intelligentsia: For example, insult 95,000 "relatives" of the "Prophet" by publishing a cartoon and a liberal newspaper, under legal threat, issues a pathetic front page apology. Insult the democratic credentials (of which there are none to speak) of that sinister troll in Venezuela, and an self-important actor suggests you spend a little time in the cooler, rethinking your claims of objectivity. Watch the clip here (about 5 minutes in) and observe the cowardly silence of Bill Maher, his audience, and his panel of Greek social climbers. Mustn't challenge the big-hearted, weepy, humanitarian Oscar winner, for he surely means well. As does Chavez.

As Penn says, the population of Venezuela now has "access to dreams" they never had in the past (could Penn even name the previous president of Venezuela?); a funny little formulation that unconsciously acknowledges that after 10 years of chavismo, the poor are still amazingly poor, the rich are now in Miami, having been replaced by members of the Bolibourgeoise, and the economy is a mess. The poor may have aspirations, but, as Venezuelan economist Francisco Rodriguez discovered, they have seen no real material gains.

In light of his calls for jailing journalists, I suspect Penn would agree with this decision, recently reported by the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas at the University of Texas: "Venezuela rejects company's request to launch two anti-Chávez TV channels."

In 2008, I responded to Penn's preposterous piece in The Nation, which detailed his groveling appearance at the Castro compound in Havana. A sample:

None of this bothers the average Cuban, [Penn] writes, because unnamed American government officials and "prominent dissidents acknowledge" that "the ruling Communist Party would win 80 percent of the electorate" if the country ever got around to having an election. So why not test this theory and silence international critics? Because not even the regime believes that they have the support of the country's vast proletariat. As one student recently told the New York Times, young Cubans "don't believe in a world where the Internet is forbidden and your whole world is Cuba with the rest blocked out." Indeed, even Eloy Gutierrez Menoyo, the leftist dissident Penn cites, recently told a reporter that "Talk to young people, and 90 percent will tell you their dream is to leave the country."

Whole thing here.

And while Penn's lower lip quivers discussing the destruction he witnessed in Haiti—and it is horrible and depressing—I won't hold my breath for a comment on the recent death of Cuban political prisoner Orlando Zapata Tamayo, or the hunger strike of dissident Guillermo Farinas:

[IMG]
http://reason.com/assets/mc/mmoynihan/2010_03/hunger_strike.jpg[/IMG]

Someone should put Sean out of his misery!

What is it with Sean Penn? When he’s not busy wishing rectal cancer on his critics (and looking constipated while doing it), he’s slamming Americans who dare to say mean and nasty things about his pal Hugo Chavez. I kid you not!

[IMG]http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/files/2009/02/penn_chavez_100307_fresh.jpg[/IMG]

In a recent appearance on Bill Maher’s HBO show, Penn showered praise on Venezuela for assisting him in assisting the quake victims in Haiti. He also claimed to have a little sympathy for those who hold America-as-an-evil-empire-looking-to-conquer-the-world views. Then he turns around and says journalists here who call Chavez a dictator (shudder) should do a stint in the hoosegow:

The collaborative opportunity in Haiti, when you talk about Hugo Chavez, and some of the other people who are demonized [think Castro], and you know, when some of these countries accuse us of an occupation – where I believe this was strictly a humanitarian action by the United States military, and an incredible one – I’m a little sympathetic. Because every day, this elected leader is called a dictator here, and we just accept it! And accept it. And this is mainstream media, who should – truly, there should be a bar by which one goes to prison for these kinds of lies.

Okay, so he’s not officially a dictator. Neither was Saddam Hussein, you may recall – he won 100 percent of the vote back in the day. How about we call Hugo “dictator in waiting” instead? Would that make Sean feel better?

Let’s take a look at some of the things Venezuela’s duly elected leader has done lately:

* The takeover of numerous banks has caused the Venezuelan dollar to plunge in value.
* His dream of ending presidential term limits was realized a year ago.
* He supports the Basque terror organization ETA as well as the Colombian FARC.
* This oil-rich nation that depends upon “green” sources for its electricity is now rationing said electricity, and Chavez is threatening to “punish” businesses that use what the government deems to be too much, further putting a strain on that nation’s economy.
* Chavez ordered the takeover of a number of privately-owned businesses, including U.S. food giant Cargill, assets of 60 oilfield services companies, and he continues to tighten his grip on private media.
* Schools that do not implement his socialist curriculum will be nationalized.
* Always concerned that the Venezuelan public doesn’t get enough of him, Chavez has a Sunday television show called “Hello, President” that can go on for hours, frequently orders television and radio stations to air his speeches (threatening to close them down if they don’t comply), and now has a new radio program called “Suddenly Chavez,” where radio broadcasts can be interrupted by Dear Leader at any time, day or night, in a bid to “serve to define the lines of communication of the Bolivarian Revolution.” Oh, and just a couple of weeks ago, Chavez himself was the victim of his own bad policy when his live television broadcast was briefly cut off due to a loss of power.

Meanwhile, when George W. Bush was president, Sean Penn had plenty of unflattering things to say about that elected leader, including saying Bush was our country’s “most devastating enemy,” calling for the impeachment of Bush and Dick Cheney, and calling Bush, Cheney and Condoleezza Rice “villainously and criminally obscene people, obscene human beings.”

Then there were the countless references to Bush as Hitler. What did Sean Penn think about those? Ah well, they were indulging in freedom of speech, so it’s okay.

[COLOR=#ED1C24]I wonder what would have happened to our dear friend Sean if he’d said the same things about Chavez that he did about Bush were he a citizen of Venezuela. Never mind; I think I know.[/COLOR][B][/B]
[B]
I could call Sean Penn the most brilliant thinker of our time, but according to the standards set by Penn himself, I should go to prison. So scratch that.[/B]

Birds of a feather stick together- Sean is plain stupid, Chavez is smart and crooked - which makes him more dangerous!

Sean is a hero to expose the lies that the US public is exposed to. Substantial sections of the economy are in private hands including the major part of Cargill.
Near destitute people who before had nothing, no doctors, no schools etc. etc. under US supported administrations now have something. The groundwork has been laid. Throughout Latin America even conservative contedners for office are promising that the social programs started by the socialists will continue should they win office.
Agreed its a long tunnel but there is light at the end perhaps even for the miserable people of Colombia where the the poor of this US supported regime subsisting on a dollar a day are the poorest on the continent.
It is great that Chaves has at least some intelligent people in US public life to support him in the difficult path he treads.
S.

Are you really as stupid as you look?

Are you a green eyed monster from outer space?

Yep. Him and Oliver Stone are cool. Have you seen "South of the Border" yet?



"The U.S. can again have a military base in Ecuador if Ecuador can have a military base in Miami."
-Rafael Correa

All I'll say is this:

If Sean Penn is so " concerned" about ANYTHING American, let him move to Venezuela!.

Btw, he is the same lunatic who use to beat the hell out of photographers for taking his pictures....

YEAH, a real role model....NOT!.

Excellent commentary Poopi .....Tell it like it is .....Right on !