[Mb-civic] Japan Times: Pat Robertson gives religion a black eye

[Jef Bek]

THE JAPAN TIMES: Aug. 29, 2005

Pat Robertson gives religion a black eye

By CESAR CHELALA
Special to The Japan Times

NEW YORK -- Statements broadcast last week by television evangelist and
former U.S. presidential candidate Pat Robertson throw a disturbing light on
the influence of religion in American politics. Robertson told his audience
that American agents should assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to
stop his country from becoming a "launching pad for communist infiltration
and Muslim extremism."

Talking on the Christian Broadcast Network, Robertson remarked that the
United States doesn't need another $200 billion war to get rid of a
strong-arm dictator; some covert operatives could easily do that job.
"This," he said, "is a lot cheaper than starting a war."

In the past few years Chavez has become one of the most outspoken critics of
U.S. President George W. Bush's policies, and has accused Bush on repeated
occasions of trying to assassinate him, a charge that U.S. officials call
ridiculous. By contrast, Robertson said the Lord has blessed Bush, and "it
doesn't make any difference what he does, good or bad. God picks him up
because he is a man of prayer and God is blessing him."

Robertson has made equally dangerous and irresponsible remarks in the past.
In 2003 he suggested that the State Department should be blown up with a
nuclear device, and stated that feminism makes women "kill their children,
practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians."

Who is Chavez and what has he done to incur Robertson's wrath? Although one
may dislike his vociferous and authoritarian style, it is obvious that
Chavez has more support from the poor and dispossessed in his country than
any other Venezuelan president in recent memory. After clearly winning his
re-election, he embarked on a pro Latin-American crusade that won him
popular support in several countries on the continent.

Although one may dislike his strident behavior, he has carried out important
economic cooperation agreements with Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, among
others.

Venezuela is the world's fifth largest oil exporter, with the U.S. market
absorbing almost 60 percent of Venezuela's exports. Chavez has taken
advantage of his country's enormous oil reserves to improve the economic
status of the poor in his country. Chavez's government is the only one in
Latin America pursuing an ambitious land and agrarian reform program.

Chavez is as disliked by the elites in Venezuela as by members of the Bush
administration, many of whom have been favorite targets of Chavez' scorn. At
her Senate confirmation hearings in January, U.S. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice accused Chavez of meddling in the affairs of Venezuela's
neighboring countries, a charge recently repeated by U.S. Secretary of
Defense Donald Rumsfeld during his visit to Latin America.

Although Chavez is not exempt from charges of economically favoring his
allies, he has used oil revenues to finance infrastructure development,
conduct literacy programs and create scores of small-scale workers'
cooperatives in agriculture and other sectors.

Venezuela's state oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela, spent more than $3.7
billion in 2004 in housing for the poor, free medical clinics, schools and
literacy programs. More than 1.2 million adults have learned how to read
since Chavez came into office, and the country now has one of the highest
literacy rates (93.4 percent) in the hemisphere.

Dislike for Chavez among Venezuela's elites has to do with his curtailing
their benefits. It may also be due to his being of a darker color (he has
been called by them "monkey" or "Negro") than the ruling classes, who are
mainly white. Chavez's concern for the poor is obviously ignored by
Robertson, who claims to be a defender of Christian values. His statements
that Chavez should be assassinated are not only unworthy of a religious
person; they also give religion a bad name.

Cesar Chelala, a medical doctor, is an award-winning writer on human rights
issues.