<<Ah yes, Chavez is starting to look like just another tin horn dictator who thinks he has the right to tell his people how to live their lives. Now he's adopted a position roughly similar to the American religious right which also wants to kill Halloween. >>
I dont think I would go this far. First of all, something like St. Valentine's Day, which from my understanding is just a vulgar fabrication of Hallmark cards would deserve this type of criticism. However, there are two sides to globalism, one positive and one negative. Sharing cultural traditions is a positive one. Yesterday, some new Indian immigrants with whom I work celebrated Halloween with me. Today I am celebrating Diwali with them. What's the problem with that?
So, unless there is something that I dont know about, Chavez seems to be resorting to knee-jerk anti-americanism (EVERYTHING AMERICAN IS EVIL) or left-wing provincialism.
Halloween is a really fun holiday. Of course it is going to be exploited for marketing purposes, but what isn't? That does not diminish its true appeal. Chavez' statement is ridiculous. That doesnt make him a bad leader (after all, he did not make a law against Halloween, just a recommendation), just stupid in this particular instance.
-Thomas
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