you forgot to mention Uruguay, run by former Tupamaro leftist guerrilla terrorist assassin José Mujica.

 

OK. I forgot a minor leftist outfit, but I was ignoring the small Jim-Jones-sized players. And I know nothing about Paraguay, other than it minds its own business and hasn't pissed anyone off recently.

 

I could have thrown in Brazil as a marginal case, but the leftists running it have so far had high respect for the rule of law. They know on what side their bread is buttered, and that it isn't enhanced by tearing down the private sector.

 

Not something anyone can say about Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Ecuador or Argentina. And Uruguay, as you pointed out. All of whom are busy building socialist houses-of-cards which will at some point fail spectacularly, as they always do.

 

Chile has the only solvent national (privatized, if you want to opt-out) pension system in the entire world.

 

Honduras was saved by its own court system, no thanks to us in the US, in fact in spite of us.

 

Autocracy is simple -- el Presidente decides that he knows best, all others be damned, and rules by fiat. Central and South America have had a lot of caudillos, but they're mostly a thing of the past, except in the countries I mentioned, all of which are nominal "democracies."

 

Chavez, Ortega, Kirchner, Morales, etc. have nothing but contempt for democracy, they pay it lip service and jam through or decree whatever they want. Sort of akin to what's been going on here for the last few years.

The US is the wealthiest nation on earth

 

I could have swore we were trillions in debt ... >_>

In spite of the debt, we're the wealthiest nation on earth.

Chavez, Ortega, Kirchner, Morales, etc. have nothing but contempt for democracy, they pay it lip service and jam through or decree whatever they want. Sort of akin to what's been going on here for the last few years.

 

 

Oh.

Man this city is overreacting like crazy... I'm worried for Friday

DON'T FIRE OZZIE

Guys I've met Ozzie, he is a clown, take what he says with a grain of salt, he is just pure comedy and means no harm. I'm tired of this. Like I said, I'm cuban and i'm not offended, and whoever is needs to grow the ******* up. It's like people trying to always find excuses for their mishaps by calliing out the race card. The year is 2012 and not 1950 and below. Freedom of speech is in order. ALL I CARE ABOUT IS WHAT HE CONTRIBUTES TO THIS TEAM, I'M A MARLINS FAN. Again, PLAY BALLLLLLLLLLL

W

I wonder what percentage of the people in Miami outraged over this actually planned on attending a single Marlins game this season.

Ohh this is hilarious. I would like to share this on my facebook, but would not like to add fuel to the fire.

Guys I've met Ozzie, he is a clown, take what he says with a grain of salt, he is just pure comedy and means no harm. I'm tired of this. Like I said, I'm cuban and i'm not offended, and whoever is needs to grow the ******* up. It's like people trying to always find excuses for their mishaps by calliing out the race card. The year is 2012 and not 1950 and below. Freedom of speech is in order. ALL I CARE ABOUT IS WHAT HE CONTRIBUTES TO THIS TEAM, I'M A MARLINS FAN. Again, PLAY BALLLLLLLLLLL

 

 

Because you're not offended, no one else can be?And I have no idea what the "race card" has anything to do with here, aside from being a buzz word.

I don't have any problems with Cora managing a couple of games, but I think that this suspension is idiotic.

 

 

This suspension is only about one thing... money

 

The Marlins aren't suspending Ozzie to punish him. They are suspending him to create an illusion that they care about what he said. This way they can protect the "Miami Marlins" product and not alienate part of the fan base.

 

If he was the manager of the White Sox and said this, nothing would have happened. The White Sox were not going to lose any fans by employing someone who says he loves Castro. The Marlins do have something to lose.

I just don't see what a 5 game suspension does. Who are they trying to appease? MLB? Because these Cuban groups probably don't give a flying crap about a 5-game suspension.

I'm starting Ozzie chants friday at the game, whos with me?!

I definitely agree there should be Ozzie chants at the game Friday. Send a message to the world that Miami isn't as dumb as some people are making it out to be. He's our manager and did nothing wrong, he was misquoted and has the right of freedom of speech. Complete BS if you ask me

I just don't see what a 5 game suspension does. Who are they trying to appease? MLB? Because these Cuban groups probably don't give a flying crap about a 5-game suspension.

 

 

It buys time. Ozzie can be hidden for a week or so.

I just don't see what a 5 game suspension does. Who are they trying to appease? MLB? Because these Cuban groups probably don't give a flying crap about a 5-game suspension.

 

 

It buys time. Ozzie can be hidden for a week or so.

 

To hide from what, pots and pans being thrown at him?

Old, angry Cubans.

So has anyone pointed out the hypocrisy that Tony LaRussa had a DUI (which means he broke the law) and got no suspension and limited media attention, but Ozzie gets 5 games for pretty inocuous comments?

So has anyone pointed out the hypocrisy that Tony LaRussa had a DUI (which means he broke the law) and got no suspension and limited media attention, but Ozzie gets 5 games for pretty inocuous comments?

 

I don't see what one has to do with another.

We knew and management knew going in that Ozzie came with a case of foot-in-mouth disease.

This is hopefully the worst thing he ever says to piss off the most amount of people....but I sorta doubt it...he has a problem with speaking his mind in that he's done it over and over.

.

This particular case is a tricky one for ownership as the offending statements directly conflict with that effort that's being made to build and grow a fanbase with a new stadium in a new location.

.

I think at this point it's clear that they'll be some fans that boo Guillen till they die...but how many of these fans are there?, and how many buy tickets, or will stop watching TV(if only to curse at Guillen while rooting for the team)? I don't think there's that many, and I would think it's counter-productive to start with pro-Guillen chants at games. This is baseball, not politics, and this too shall pass.

I just don't see what a 5 game suspension does. Who are they trying to appease? MLB? Because these Cuban groups probably don't give a flying crap about a 5-game suspension.

 

The Marlins did a cost-benefit analysis on what would placate the most people with the least cost to the team. They figured 5 games was better than doing nothing at all. The apology and suspension should appease most except (mostly) those who want nothing short of Ozzie's firing.

So has anyone pointed out the hypocrisy that Tony LaRussa had a DUI (which means he broke the law) and got no suspension and limited media attention, but Ozzie gets 5 games for pretty inocuous comments?

 

I don't see what one has to do with another.

Where was the media then? I don't remember anyone calling for LaRussa to get suspended, or fired, for doing something dangerous. The same goes for MLB as a whole, since neither the Cardinals nor the league office did anything about it. He basically apologized and that was it. But God forbid you say something with 'Castro' in it, you're done.

So has anyone pointed out the hypocrisy that Tony LaRussa had a DUI (which means he broke the law) and got no suspension and limited media attention, but Ozzie gets 5 games for pretty inocuous comments?

 

I don't see what one has to do with another.

Where was the media then? I don't remember anyone calling for LaRussa to get suspended, or fired, for doing something dangerous. The same goes for MLB as a whole, since neither the Cardinals nor the league office did anything about it. He basically apologized and that was it. But God forbid you say something with 'Castro' in it, you're done.

The nature of those incidents is radically different so I don't know why you expect the media responses to be the same.

 

I mean, the similarities end beyond the fact that La Russa and Guillen are both managers.

fidel castro is the true villian ..not ozzie guillen..

 

the exiles came to america for freedom and equal rights..ozzie exercised his first amendment right..it doesn't have to be nice...but it's allowed..

this is america..

ozzie apoligized and is being disiplined for it..

 

castro did the real hurting here..not ozzie..

Some people who do not have Cuban roots just don't get it!

 

They don't get it because either they don't know the details about the horrors of the Castro regime or because deep down inside they don't give a damn. Some don't want to get it because they, for whatever reason, dislike, and some strongly dislike Cuban-Americans in general.

 

So basically, if you can't understand why Cubans have an issue with Ozzie's statement, it boils down to ignorance, lack of empathy, dislike or hate.

 

As an American citizen that came from Cuba as a child over 50 years ago, I was disappointed that Ozzie, the manager of my Marlins, said he "loved Castro" but reportedly meant to say something else.

 

I am not sure if I believe his explanation but I do accept his apology.

 

Maybe now Ozzie has realized why people of Cuban origins feel so strongly against the Castro government.

 

Perhaps, hopefully some of you that believe that older Cuban-Americans always overeact can view their situation with the understanding that they deserve.