September 20, 2006

Chavez Recommends Chomsky’s Hegemony or Survival

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President Chavez of Venezuela spoke to the UN General Assembly earlier today.  During his remarks he held up a copy and recommended that everyone read Noam Chomsky’s Hegemony or Survival.  Here is the transcript of his comments.

"Representatives of the governments of the world, good morning to all of you. First of all, I would like to invite you, very respectfully, to those who have not read this book, to read it. Noam Chomsky, one of the most prestigious American and world intellectuals, Noam Chomsky, and this is one of his most recent books, ‘Hegemony or Survival: The Imperialist Strategy of the United States.’" [Holds up book, waves it in front of General Assembly.]

"It’s an excellent book to help us understand what has been happening in the world throughout the 20th century, and what’s happening now, and the greatest threat looming over our planet. The hegemonic pretensions of the American empire are placing at risk the very survival of the human species. We continue to warn you about this danger and we appeal to the people of the United States and the world to halt this threat, which is like a sword hanging over our heads. I had considered reading from this book, but, for the sake of time," [flips through the pages, which are numerous] "I will just leave it as a recommendation.

It reads easily, it is a very good book, I’m sure Madame [President] you are familiar with it. It appears in English, in Russian, in Arabic, in German. I think that the first people who should read this book are our brothers and sisters in the United States, because their threat is right in their own house. The devil is right at home. The devil, the devil himself, is right in the house.

"And the devil came here yesterday. Yesterday the devil came here. Right here." [crosses himself]

"And it smells of sulfur still today."

Join the conversation! 7 Comments

  1. This was simply wonderful, wasn’t it? Chomsky’s book going from #20,000+ to the top ten overnight. What’s great to watch is how the media haven’t gotten into the substance of it at all. The way they’ve presented it is to try and make a link between their already incorrect perception of Chavez as another “anti-American” “Hitler” (It’s only okay if we call folks names remember), and the even more naive perception which a few of the more naive illiterates in society think of as Chomsky’s “anti-Americanism” which is equally non-existent. One thing is for certain. They will probably NOT allow Chomsky on the tube, or anyone familiar with his works anyway, who can point out that most of the substance which Chomsky writes about, and which Chavez, along with most of the rest of the world already know, is, in fact, accurate. It will probably get about as deep as allowing some pseudo-patriotic Oliver Kamm-type liar on the tube to try and discredit both Chavez and Chomsky simultaneously, thereby, and ironically, re-confirming most of Chomsky’s theses about the media anyway. The more they attack Chomsky, the more his writings will be confirmed. Let’s sit back and watch. By the way, notice how when the media keeps repeating the “Chavez continues to believe that the U.S. was behind the coup…” they never give any reasons why this might be considered a plausible notion. I mean, only the entire history of the U.S. intervening in South and Central American coups wouldn’t be any reason to consider this as plausible. Must just be a mixture of irrational machismo and paranoia. Hmmm…. Just where IS that “liberal media” which I keep hearing about? I smell sulfur, too!KB

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  2. Mr. Chavez got it wrong. Our beloved president isn’t the devil. Satan is much more intelligent and subtle. Poor “W” is Faust, having made a bargain with the forces of evil, he have his day of reckoning. I would not like to be in his shoes in January of 2009. If there is justice on earth he will find himself a guest at the Hague one day.

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  3. I have been reading Mr Chomsky’s books for many years now, starting with “World Orders; Old and New” and “Necessary Illusions; Thought Control in Democratic Societies”.
    All his works are immaculately researched and documented, and supported with factual data from all sources. Chomsky is a leader in modern day political economics, and human rights issues.
    Those who think that he is wrong – mostly the neo Nazis in Wall Street, The Whitehouse, The Pentagon AND in the mainstream Western media (as they like to call democratically elected leaders like Chavez “Hitlers”) – should at least have the decency to debate Mr Chomsky, and prove him – WRONG – which they of course cannot do.
    I command Mr Chavez for raising avareness of Mr Chomsky’s fantastic book, but at the same time would like to recommend his latest masterpiece “Failed States – Abuse of Power and Assault on Democracy” to all those readers who have not had the opportunity to review it, especially those who are based in the USA, UK, Australia or any of the other “coallition of the willing” partner states who are still left in the current imperial oil war.
    Chomsky’s tactical analysis in “Failed States” shows masterfully beyond any doubt (amongst many other issues) that unlike in Indochina, the Latin Americas, and more recently in the former Yugoslavia the US has NO possibility of an exit strategy out of Iraq or the Middle East; leaving behind devastation of all aspects of civilian life like in the previous instances, due to to the fact that the US cannot let the massive oil fields fall into the hands of the Shi’ite majority in Iraq. The US of course will not rebuild Iraq – as they are obliged to do, only the oil wells subcontracted to Cheney’s friends at Halliburton – IF they get the chance.
    Meanwhile hundreds of civilians die horrendous deaths every day, and the geniuses in the Pentagon only a couple of weeks ago admitted what every 10 year old child around the Globe knows already; that the US has a civil war on their hands in Iraq, alongside Al Qaeda/Taliban revival in both Iraq AND Afganistan. What will they dream up next I wonder? Maybe bring back Sadam whom the US and Europe has funded and supported before his fall from grace to restore order in Iraq?
    Places to watch are obviously Iran, Syria, Lebanon and and Palestine, and whether a complete Shi’ite unity is ever achieved, to challange the US hegemons, with disasterous consequences for any unaligned civilians in the region left, if not in fact for the whole World if a nuclear exchange between Iran and Israel/US eventuates down the track.
    I can’t wait for Mr Chomsky’s next book!

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  4. Chomsky is great and Chavez is something of a hero of mine. I’m always surpirsed to go to a book store and find books by Chomsky that I have never heard of before. It never fails. How many books has the man written? He’s like a machine. I’m planning to go to the books store in the next few days…. I wonder if I will find any other Chomsky books that have escaped my notice?

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  5. Happy Oct 1,06 everyone. I read all of your posted comments on this site & want you folks to know how proud & refreshed I feel at this moment, your words aligned me back to faith. Chavezs global comments about Bush I, did not find offensive at all it deepen my respect for Mr Chavez. That took a lot of Spine something Bush is missing.I will get Mr Chumsky new book, I too am a fan of his & its people like this & you folks who have helped me to-
    “Think out side the Box” !
    You couldnt post how I really feel about Bush on this site. I question if he & his Buildenburg commrads are actually human.
    Bush & his cabinet I feel should be brought up on charges of Treason not only to the USA but the world & publicly “HUNG” on the All White House lawn. Perhaps we have forgotten that as Americans we do have the right to our own country & Least we forget Prescott Bush & his connection to HITLER nor his Skull & Bones secret society in which he founded. It will be a happier Planet when we the people take back our GOD given right to live in Harmony with each other.
    I SMELL SULFER TOO MR CHAVEZ!
    Lets all “STOP the BUSHIT”

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  6. i am not an American. i am an Arakenese, living in Burma. i am not pro-american.The book mr.Chavez recommended is good and interesting.
    But i don’t like mrChavez comments oc that. He is a leader of a country. He should be civilized. But i think the comment he made as he put it devil_ is very uncivilized and coward.
    If he says like that i would also say that a wild animal is on the stage of the United Nations , barking his personal antigonism and hatered against the United States.
    The United States may have committde some mistakes yet he has no right to say like that. Remamber The United States is the most generous country in the world. Your country
    (Mr.Chavez) is just shouting _ and how much do u care about the world.
    It is sad that a wild animal like Mr.Chavez hiomself is a devil.

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  7. Well said Pat Luppens. If you read Chomsky, and read the mostly excellent comments above, do not feel powerless! Start taking action, however small. A quote from Arundhati Roy:
    “There’s only one institution in the world today more powerful than American government, and that is American civil society.”

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