Why Chavez embarrasses me.

While many of my fellow left-wing liberals have great things to say about Hugo Chavez, I am less enthusiastic about him. Most of their excitement seems to come from the lone fact that Chavez is very obviously opposed to US foreign policy in general,and this administration in particular. While I may share this very broad stance of his, the affinity ends there, and it just isn't reason enough for me to hold up the Chavez banner.

The incessant meddling of the United States in matters that do not concern them for an invariably self-aggrandizing purpose riles me to no end. However, I defend my indignation by attempting nuanced, reflective and well-though out critical discourse, as much as it is within my capacity. And I make sure that any point I make against any country's government, its foreign policy or its leaders is not a blind indictment, but a considered critique.

And this is exactly where Chavez and I part ways. There is no complexity in his stance, no nuance in his statements. His worldview seems to reflect a notion that American politics and its current administration is inherently evil, hence the references to Bush as the devil. Taking recourse to the discourse of evil does not solve any problems, nor does it clearly define these very urgent and pressing issues of global importance. He also seems to be of the firm belief that his enemy's enemy is his friend. Thus, the extremely poor human-rights record of the Iranian government notwithstanding and regardless of the truly reprehensible statements that Pres. Ahmedinejad is in the habit of making, Chavez chooses to make displays of friendship and heartfelt camaraderie towards Iran and its figurehead leader.

Chavez takes all the intelligence out of the Left, and it embarrasses me to be assigned the same political labels as he.