Letters from Our Readers

Jahan Chowdhry, BAR Comments Editor

27 Feb 2019

This week the coup in Venezuela attracted the most attention from commenters and letter writers. Strong letters came for “US Aggression Against Venezuela is a Crime Based on Lies,” “How to Answer Trump? Make America a Socialist Country,” and “Venezuelan Coup Democrats Vomit on Green New Deal.”

In the radio segment “US Aggression Against Venezuela is a Crime Based on Lies” Ajamu Baraka and Dan Kovalikpoint out the falsehoods behind the US attack on the Latin American nation.

Reader P. writes:

“Excellent commentary on Venezuela. The broad support in the US for regime change in Venezuela is indicative of the lack of any fundamental antiwar constituency. From my perspective, with the exception of a few websites like BAR, Counterpunch, Center for Research on Globalization, there is virtually no effective “left” or progressive opposition in the US. The US is an Empire in terminal economic decline which has no respect for international treaties or law. Their goal is to control energy and other strategically important resources. As your guest Ajamu Baraka correctly points out, very dangerous times ahead.”

In “How to Answer Trump? Make America a Socialist Country” Danny Haiphongpoints out the failure of social democrats like Bernie Sanders to defend socialist nations like Venezuela.

Beverly Rice writes:

It's time to wake up and smell the reality of Bernie Sanders. Sanders' failure to support Venezuela's democratically elected leader has nothing to do with fear of being ostracized by the powers that be. Even during Chavez's admin, Sanders called Chavez a "tinpot dictator." Sanders role for the DNC is to herd the sheeple into the Democrat camp but when it comes time for action, Bernie aligns with the neoliberal/neoconservative warmongers and globalists. During 8 years under a Democrat president, including the first two with a congressional majority, how much legislation did Sanders push? How many town hall meetings and protests did he lead to force any change to benefit the masses? Socialist or not, how could Sanders call Chavez a dictator when the man was elected in an election that was by all accounts far cleaner and fairer than anything seen in the U.S.? Bernie can't have it both ways. He can't make rousing speeches denouncing the large U.S. military presence worldwide and then support continued U.S. warmongering. As for new It Girl Cortez, she's just a younger, female, p.c. darling (Latino is the new Black) version of Sanders. Talks a good game but ain't going to do shit.”

In “Venezuelan Coup Democrats Vomit on Green New Deal” Patrick Walkerargues that social movements and NGOs such as the new Poor People’s Campaign and the Sunrise Movement need to challenge Democrats on issues like the Venezuela coup attempt.

Elizabeth Cook writes:

“Depending on the Poor People's Campaign, driven by the nonprofit mentality and structure, and supportive of the Democratic Party, is ridiculous. Likewise of the Sunrise Movement. Both movements do some good, but are steered by that nonprofit, largely authoritarian mentality. They are not democratically run movements, which is what the U.S. is desperately lacking, along the likes of a working-class party.”

Jahan Choudhryis Comments Editor for Black Agenda Report. He is an organizer with the Saturday Free School based in Philadelphia, PA.

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