Dr. Rice and Chavez
By Alexandra Beech | www.sixthrepublic.com
25.01.05 | After writing a piece on President Chavez’s statements regarding Dr. Condoleezza Rice, I received emails from readers who were upset that I had characterized Chavez’s comments as “racist.” They were willing to concede on the “sexist” front, but wrote that he had not demonstrated racism.
Below is Chavez’s full statement on Dr. Rice. It is important to note that President Chavez would never call Senator Hillary Clinton an “illiterate”. In the past, he called Dr. Rice both “illiterate” and “ignorant”. His sexist, denigrating tone towards Dr. Rice is very directly connected to her race.
Rather than elaborate more on the subject, I would like to leave you with the exact words of the president of the nation which provides the US with 13% -14% of its oil. These words refer to the future Secretary of State of the United States – a position established in 1789 and first held by Thomas Jefferson.
“Give me the method so I can send it to Condolence, who keeps demonstrating complete illiteracy. It seems that she dreams with me. I can invite her on a date with me to see what happens to her with me. She said that she was sad and depressed because of Chavez. Oh Daddy! She should forget me. What bad luck this lady has. I don’t make that sacrifice for my nation. Let another do it [with her], Cristobal Jiménez, Nicolás Maduro, Juan Barreto, who is single.” – President Hugo Chavez, Sunday, January 23, 2005
Once sworn in, Dr. Rice will become the fifth most important political leader in the United States, after the President, the Vice President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. It is unacceptable that no US political leader has responded to Chavez’s comments, made before millions of his followers in person and on national television. It is time that the US government demonstrate the values of integrity, self respect, and respect for women which it is trying to instill in other nations.
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