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• [1] rafael from merida, mexico, July 05, 2009 - 08:23PM

  I have to post this in several parts because of the 2000 k character limit

  Part 1

  Sorry for the post outside your topic but there is nowhere else to add info.

  Recent reports this Sunday (07-05) report clashes between supporters of Jose Manuel Zelaya against government troops loyal to Roberto Micheletti. But there is a problem with the news media account of this matter.

  The democratically elected Zelaya is milking the goodwill of freedom lovng peoples all over the world to further his own personal lust for power.

  Recently Mr. Zelaya tried to pull a fast one over the people of Honduras by changing that country's constitution in order to further his own political ambitions (probably coached by by that other democracy loving head of state, Mr. Chavez).

  Is'nt anyone aware that the Honduras supreme court told him he could not do this.

  The armed forces at the behest of the Honduras supreme court acted in accordance by sending Mr. Zelaya out of the country (alive and kicking) in order to prevent another Venezuela.

  In my book, that is really bending over backwards to be nice. Mr. Zelaya should have taken the message and withdrawn somewhere nice in Costa Rica and write a book or two about his experiences.

  However, due to inappropriate attention the world media (and WNYC in particular) he is attempting a confrontation which will get him and many other innocent peoples killed.

  Are you, biased media, happy now?

  My point is that it was irresponsible on your part not to have given equal time to the other part of the news story.

  The coup did not suddenly happen from one day to the next.

  Mr. Zelaya took deliberate steps to defeat the existing laws in order to further his own political ambitions.

  None of this is mentioned in your coverage (or very little) or in the the rest of USA media.

  Even Wikipedia has a better handle that of the US media (WNYC included):

  
  
• [2] rafael from merida, mexico, July 05, 2009 - 08:25PM

  I have to post this in several parts due to 2k character limit

  Part II

  SNIP/

  Referendum

  Main article: Honduran constitutional referendum, 2009

  On November 11, 2008, Zelaya announced that he is seeking a fourth ballot box to be installed at polling places on November 29, 2009 (alongside presidential, congressional and local elections) on holding a National Constituent Assembly to draft a new constitution and allow him to run for reelection.

  Then on March 24, 2009, Zelaya issued executive decree PCM-05-2009 for the National Statistical Institute to hold the national referendum by June 28, 2009.[29] Zelaya has refused to publish the full text of PCM-05-2009.

  Using congressional majority, the president can amend the constitution without any referendum. However, eight articles can't be amended. These include term limits, system of government that is permitted, and process of presidential succession. Because president can amend 368 of 375 articles without any constituent assembly, Zelaya's true intention appeared to be extending his rule.

  
  
• [3] rafael from merida, mexico, July 05, 2009 - 08:27PM

  I have to post this several parts due to 2k charachter limit:

  Part III

  The Supreme Court in Honduras ruled that the referendum would be unlawful because of the constitutional ban on reforming some of its clauses. Zelaya rejected the ruling and dismissed Romeo Vásquez Velásquez, chief of armed forces of Honduras, as he had refused to help with the referendum because he did not want to violate the law of the land. Both the Honduran Supreme Court and the Honduran Congress deemed the dismissal of Velásquez to be unlawful.

  Not only the Supreme Court but the Congress of Honduras, the attorney general of Honduras, and the top national electoral body declared Zelaya's proposed referendum to be illegal. Congress began to discuss means to impeach Zelaya. On June 27th and again on June 30, 2009, thousands of protesters opposed to Zelaya's rule marched through the capital city.

  The Supreme Court, the Congress, and the military have recommended that voters stay home because the referendum would be neither fair to nor safe for voters. The National Human Rights Commissioner, Ramón Custodio, said, "I would tell the people to stay calmly at home in order not to get involved in any incident or any violence by going to vote 'no,' because they might be assaulted by these mobs," referring to Zelaya's supporters. However, unions and farm groups supported the referendum as a necessary precursor to economic reforms favoring Honduras's poor majority.

  Zelaya has supported Patricia Rhodes as the next president. Critics believe Rhodes would have become Zelaya's puppet until Zelaya's re-election in 2013.

  End of Wiki Snip

  
  
• [4] rafael from merida, mexico, July 05, 2009 - 08:28PM

  I have topost this in severalparts due to 2k character limit:

  Part IV

  NEWSFLASH: most of Latin America does not support left wing ideology. Most of Latin America does not support right wing ideology either. What everyone supports is a chance to have a home and a family, and support them through decent work. Ergo the immigration to USA, land of the free (and I use the term freely).

  In the past the USA support for military coups was understood because of the necessities of the cold war. The peoples south of the Rio Grande put up with this (even in Argentina and Chile) because the specter of Communism was a far worse solution.

  Let me tell you how the left wing in Latin America works in order to for you to understand:

  They go to the most marginalized people in society and promise the stars and heavens to them in order to gain their support. After the they (the left wing) get into power they kidnap the government and refuse to release power when their promises cannot be kept (multiple examples, but most recently Bolivia, Venezuela.) Then they stay in power by means of brutal police force and intelligence apparatus.

  Why is USA media supporting this tale of unjustly ousted presindent? Is it because this is a tried and true method of selling the American audience? (a.k.a. yellow journalism).

  Personally I think the governments (left or right) in Latin America could do a much better job at making life better for all of us in general. But at least with the guys on the right you get a chance to make your feelings known via some kind of freedom of expression.

  
  
• [5] rafael from merida, mexico, July 05, 2009 - 08:29PM

  Sorry for multiple pstings but 2k character limits force me otherwise:

  Part V

  Personally I think the governments (left or right) in Latin America could do a much better job at making life better for all of us in general. But at least with the guys on the right you get a chance to make your feelings known via some kind of freedom of expression.

  My last comments (before this post) were not published in your web page. Even though I am used to this kind of suppression, it saddens me to see it happen in a news program I respect a lot because of its (supposedly) unbiased reporting. But I understand, in the end it is the almighty decision of an editor (should this get that far) or more likely a crazed left leaning staffer if the truth is posted or suppressed for the world to know.

  To sum up, you (WNYC) and the USA media should look before you gaily jump on the bandwagon poo poo a news item based on your personal distastes and biases. The armed forces of any country have a basic precept of defending said country's integrity with life and limb above all else against any aggressor, with in or from with out its borders. That at least counts for one or two paragraphs in my stories anytime.