Ramblings about democracy as a political marketing tool
Al’s Loupe
Ramblings about democracy as a political marketing tool
By Alvaro F. Fernandez
alfernandez@the-beach.net
I suppose democracy in the 21st century does not necessarily recognize the opinion (by way of the ballot box) of the poor and working classes from around the world. In Latin America, for example, persons who have been elected fairly and have attempted to put in place a strategy of relief for the oppressed are labeled populists and demagogues and, of course, under the influence of communists and their 21st century disciples. These (elected) leaders are not fit to govern, we are too often told.
In the case of Venezuela under Chavez, money spent in an attempt to alleviate hunger, illiteracy and a lack of medical attention to a majority of the population is referred to as “money wasted.” But the minority — who in the past enjoyed unprecedented access to the fruits of Venezuela’s wealth — complain that Chavez is helping the poor in order to control them politically; they accuse him of “buying their votes” with his grandeur. This is the same minority, may I remind you, who conveniently forgets who really blew Venezuela’s wealth in orgy-like fashion while disregarding the misery that is hard to ignore when you look up at the hills in places like Caracas, its capital city.
Now we face the case of Honduras, a poor Central American country in the throes of a government by force composed of persons who spew the word democracy simply as a 21st century marketing tool, but who refuse to live by its principles. They are only interested in partaking in a democracy that serves their purpose. A world where the rich get richer, the powerful more powerful and those not as fortunate should know their place.
This attitude perfectly described in a quote in a France Robles’ piece for The Miami Herald which we reproduce in Progreso Weekly this week. (Part of the reason for the reproduction is that the Herald interestingly did not translate to its Spanish readers maybe the only balanced report from Honduras from the Herald in nearly two weeks.) In it a wealthy Honduran businessman arrogantly states, “These people do not have the education level or the intellectual capacity to understand what is going on.” I suppose that to his way of thinking and under these circumstances a coup is perfectly democratic.
Such is also the case right here in Miami where a vocal minority dominates air waves and how they want people to think and express themselves… or else suffer the consequences. Their influence so great it has managed to even subjugate the city’s only major newspaper, which often vows to their wishes, while slowly losing its influence and that word “major”, before newspaper, its luster.
That vocal minority understands (and backs) what is happening in Honduras today. While abusing the word democracy and using it as a marketing tool, these folks manage to shepherd out a few hundred Hondurans to Miami’s Calle 8 in front of… the Bay of Pigs monument. I know, I know… I shrugged and wondered why too. Deeper thought, though, led me to suspect unseen faces behind that crowd. There are almost 50,000 Hondurans in Miami. The largest demonstration in the city drew maybe several hundred of them out. Shouldn’t we be asking: who do these several hundred work for? Or, at least, who do they answer to?
I know I’ve rambled and jumped around, but let me end with something I’ve imagined for Miami. I’ve often wondered what would happen if the next mayor of Miami, for example, decided to concentrate his or her efforts in helping the needy help themselves while revitalizing downtrodden neighborhoods in the city like Liberty City or Overtown, putting aside projects to help baseball team owners or to repave and re-sod the rich neighborhoods. The results, I’ve also imagined, would have Miami police going in and taking the mayor away in the early morning on a Sunday, in underwear, put him or her on an airplane, flown to Georgia and warned not to return.
Many in Miami would understand such action, I am convinced. And some would even back it. That is why, here in my city, so many appear in favor of the Honduras coup d’état. Remember, for them, democracy is a word styled for the fortunate.
