THE EDITOR, Sir:In what the image makers may call 'damage control', Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has 'turned the screw' on U.S. hardline policy, to reveal the softer side of global politics.
Mr. Chavez has endorsed a move by Venezuelan oil company CITGO to send funds to the excess of US$1 million to hurricane victims in New Orleans. Of course, this comes shortly after the U.S. media had Christian leader Pat Robertson, an advocate of President Bush's hard regime, calling for Chavez's assassination.
When I compare the two attitudes and comments as a result, I see despairing contrasts. Robertson called Chavez a 'danger' to the U.S.A. and that he should be assassinated before spending another $200 million on a war against him. Chavez, in turn, is showing that war is not on his mind with words to the tune, "It's a terrible tragedy that our North American brothers are living through ..."
In what is truly humanitarian, Chavez is also planning to send 2,000 soldiers, firefighters, volunteers and other specialists to assist in the recovery of this would-be adversary. This whole episode reminds me of the story where a young David, after being marked by King Saul for death, relinquished his own chance to kill his would-be assailant.
To the man Chavez, I say well done. Yours is a lesson in humility and forgiveness but mostly, "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". It is also the truest model of what modern democracy and globalisation should be.
I am, etc.,
NICHOLAS ALEXANDER
nic7lex@hotmail.com
