Questionable probity of the leftist intellectuals
By Aleksander Boyd
Leftist regimes of the totalitarian type and its respective leaders have enjoyed the open support of some intellectuals of renowned stature. As a case study one should point out the warm relationship between Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Garcia Marquez, commonly known as "Gabo", has expressed in numerous occasions his sympathy towards Castro, although the most recent attacks on political dissidents and writers in Cuba make clear that had intellectuals taken an anti-regime stance even in its literary form, they would be mercilessly prosecuted and imprisoned.
Similarly, when those same intellectuals play public administration roles, the public psyche rather promptly dismiss the possibility of them being involved in scandals and corruption owing to their probity -prime example of it at a Venezuelan level was the second term of Rafael Caldera, who was considered by many as the impersonation of erudition-. Alas history has shown us differently, such individuals not only have the same defects as any other person furthermore they can be as inept in the presence of power as the most amoral and uneducated citizen.
European intellectuals with leftist tendencies have been flirting with Hugo Chavez in a rather grotesque manner. The Creole pariah buys their support and they readily offer their services and expertise to con the public opinion taking advantage of their moral stature and utilising their tribunes to entangle the less educated souls that pullulate this planet. In mild terms, such behaviour is despicable. One can almost pardon similar attitudes if they were to be assumed by people whose credentials fell not on the intellectual side, however when enlightened individuals take side with terrorism, human rights abuses, crime, poverty (referring to the mind type) and the most appaling disrespect for democracy they ought to be condemned immediately by society and stripped of their not well deserved adjective of intellectuals.
Gruesome behaviour can be expected from individuals like Hugo Chavez who has not been graced with enough intelligence to understand the enormity of his failure and the repercussions of his actions, although when it comes to justify the stance of his international pundits one runs out of pretexts. To manipulate and to tergiversate realities have been common practice amongst politicians since immemorial times, alas in the Venezuelan case such actions might prove disastrous for the little faith in democracy that may be left in the public consciousness. If Hugo Chavez' regime represents a true participative democracy -in the eyes of most of his sycophants- what can one expect from a democratic system of the non-participative kind?
There's a question for the lettered defenders of the ruffian president. I am
absolutely convinced that a response should spring considering the wealth of
knowledge possessed by them.
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