It is amazing how bad the coverage has been of the protests in both Iran and Hong Kong in conventional media. In one case, people are asking for more democracy, in the other people are defending what they have. Remarkable how little the world cares. In fact, to follow it well you have to read blogs where the coverage is excellent and complete. You can read about both at GlennReynolds.com and follow the links. Doing exactly this, I found an open letter to the Iranian people which contains a paragraph which applies to my country and reflects one of my biggest concerns about Venezuela in a future without Chavez:
Here is the key to making a stable democracy: the losers have to know that they will be safe. Those on the losing side of a liberal revolution or on the losing side of a democratic election have to understand in advance that they will not be killed. They must know their views will be respected. They must believe in their bones that their rights will be protected by the victorious majority.
That will indeed be the key to success if and when we get rid of Chavez. We have to have a Government that includes all people, that it does not exclude anyone. This will be the only way to make a true democracy for all Venezuelans. The future can not be about revenge or making the chavistas feel as threatened as we do today, it has to be about the laws and the Courts deciding who committed crimes and the Government making life better for everyone. It has to be about the Attorney General and the people's Ombudsman doing their jobs of defending the rights of everyone. Otherwise, our future and our democracy will be as compromised then as they are today.
9:06:24 PM 
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