Capitalist 'democracy'
"Venezuelan democracy is no longer threatened by a would-be dictator [now that power has] passed ... to a respected business leader." — New York Times editorial, April 13, welcoming the installation of bosses' federation chief Pedro Carmona as Venezuelan president by the April 12 military coup, which (for 48 hours) ousted popularly elected Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
Only 'overtones'?
"[The Venezuelan capital of] Caracas became the scene of an extraordinary social conflict with sharp overtones of class struggle." — Los Angeles Times, April 13, reporting on the April 12 coup organised by Venezuela's capitalists against Chavez and the mass protests by working people against it.
Is there any such day?
"It's not every day that a democracy benefits from the military's intervention to force out an elected president." — Chicago Tribune editorial, April 14, welcoming the military coup against Chavez.
Minor oversight
"Chavez['s] forced departure last week drew applause at home and in Washington. That reaction, which we shared, overlooked the undemocratic manner in which he was removed." — New York Times editorial, April 16.
Accessible to anyone (except 3.7 million Palestinian refugees)
"People tend to forget where this conflict comes from. The result is that a democratic nation with an open society accessible to anyone is being put on an equal footing with the most brutal regimes in the Middle East." — Israeli consul-general Effi Ben-Matityahu addressing a Zionist rally in Sydney, April 21.
Too honest
"Larsen has disqualified himself from continuing to be an honest broker between Israel and the Palestinians." — Israeli trade minister Dalia Itzik, commenting on UN special envoy to the Middle East Terje Roed-Larsen's statement that conditions in the Jenin refugee camp after Israel's military assault were "horrifying beyond belief".
Two-star hotel
"They are not inhospitable environments. They have a very high degree of amenities in them. A Senate colleague described Woomera [detention centre] as the equivalent of at least a two-star hotel." — Immigration minister Philip Ruddock responding from London to criticisms of conditions in the refugeee detention centre following ABC TV's screening on May 22 of a video showing guards mistreating refugees in the Curtin detention centre.
Labor policy review I
"There are some people who are at risk of absconding, some people who need to be kept in highly secured facilities because they've exhibited behavioural problems, security problems, and in those circumstances you might need electric fences or even razor wire." — federal Labor spokesperson on immigration Julia Gillard, speaking to Channel Nine after inspecting the new Baxter detention centre in South Australia on April 13.
Labor policy review II
"I agree with protecting our borders, I agree with John Howard's statement from the last election that we, and only we, should decide who comes to this nation." — Gillard, again, indicating one of Labor's (many) points of agreement with the Prime Menzies John Howard.
From 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly, May 1, 2002.
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