From: Marina Brown <catskillmarina@gmail.com>
Because you are deliberately misrepresenting my characterization of those targets. Suggesting that I was indicating that they were exclusive, rather than inclusive of many others. (Had I listed every nation that I thought was actually a problem, I would have been listing over 190 nations. You cannot fault me for listing a few prominent ones, unless I stated or implied they were the only problems. Not only did I not do that, I specifically mentioned otherwise. )
Jim Bell
Kind of surprised you listed Venezuela and not places like Myanmar, Saudi Arabia or even Kazahkstan and Uzbekistan.
You too?!? Look, do you actually think that the Western audience has been "primed" to learn about the human rights abuses of every nation on earth?!? I occupy reality, and part of that reality is the biases that have already been built in the system. My goal is to convince a substantial part of the public that there are plenty of reasons to adopt and use an AP-like system. Citing a virtually-unknown country, for obscure rights violations, does not maximize my effectiveness.
VZ is a mess but as far as human rights horrors it hardly even ranks near the ones i mentioned.
To me, Venezuela is obviously an example of a country that pretends to be run by means of a 'democracy', but where the will of the people has been thwarted by the illegal actions of the government. It is heading in the direction of becoming a totalitarian state, in large part because it thwarted a LEGAL effort to recall the presidency in late 2016. I mention Venezuela because its problems have been rather well-publicized in the news that I read. I invite you to mention other countries, which you have done. But don't criticize me for merely failing to list every nation you might happen to like to see listed. Are you trying to thwart progress by bogging the rest of us down in details?
It is, however disliked by the US government for messing up the flow of oil
That the US government may "dislike" Venezuela is little or no concern of mine. Don't try to defend the Venezuelan government (Maduro) merely based on the idea that the US government "dislikes" it.
where Saudi Arabia is a great friend while torturing and killing opponents of the corrupt regime.
So, where is the criticism of Saudi Arabia by the American's MSM? You would have a point, like Juan fails to do, if I somehow thought Saudi Arabia's government SHOULDN'T be overthrown. But in fact, I believe ALL governments should be overthrown as soon as possible. Including Saudi Arabia. Jim Bell