The People United Will Never Be Defeated

The world is finally rid of Augusto Pinochet.

And how does the Washington Post react? By publishing a literally stomach-turning eulogy for a dictator, in which they blame the democratically-elected president Salvador Allende for "creating the conditions for the 1973 coup." I mean, didn't you see how he was dressed? Flaunting that social justice all over the place. He was totally asking for it.

Glenn Greenwald dissects the Post's revolting sophistry. And Hilzoy handles the Pinochet necrophilia that's all the rage in the fever swamps of the right-wing blogosphere. (Did Rob call it or what?)

UPDATE: Oh, boo fucking hoo. As a great man once said:

Well I hope you live long now, I pray the Lord your soul to keep
I think I'll be going before we fold our arms and start to weep
I never thought for a moment that human life could be so cheap
'Cos when they finally put you in the ground
They'll stand there laughing and tramp the dirt down

Comments

[godoggo]

1.

Marc Cooper would seem to be the go-to blog for all this.

[godoggo]

2.

Also, I think it's important to debunk the "Pinochet economic miracle" apologetics:
Greg Palast
a better WoPo article, via econblogger maxspeak
a parable, via econblogger Angry Bear

trolled out, bye

[godoggo]

3.

Also, this page from the old Liberalism Resurgent site covers much the same ground as the Palast, but more thoughtfully.

[Seth Gordon]

4.

I think it's completely irrelevant whether or not Pinochet had anything to do with Chile's economic resurgence. He could have been single-handedly responsible, and I still say good riddance. There's a point at which a man's deeds outweigh any good he may have been responsible for.

I suppose I should be used to it by now - historical amelioration always goes on after someone passes. Hell, they did it for fucking Mussolini (he did fix the train system, after all!) they'll do it for anyone.

Sometimes it's just harmless embellishment - say, Princess Diana wasn't a bad person by any stretch, so histrionic exaggerations of her saintlihood weren't particularly offensive. But in other cases... say, Che - let's just say I'm on Paquito's side there, even if I like Charlie Haden's music more.

Anyway, I doubt Pinochet (or Castro, who's waiting on the next elevator to hell) will reach t-shirt levels of adulation. Just another bump in the road.

[godoggo]

5.

"He could have been single-handedly responsible, and I still say good riddance"; Hilzoy, for example, made the same point, and I agree up to a point, but I'm still not satisfied with just noting that it's a contentious point and moving on, as so many have done. It's worth debunking, just as is the suggestion that Allende was going to be another Castro, etc. These might be irrelevant from a moral standpoint, but I not from a practical standpoint. T-shirt level of adulation or no (regarding which, you might want to check Marc Cooper), he is admired by people with influence and big guns.

As always, my main reason for posting anything is because I think it's interesting.

[godoggo]

6.

...and the historical amelioration was going on long before he died.

[godoggo]

7.

...you know what, never mind the economic stuff; it's complicated...

[Antonio]

8.

“La historia los juzgará…”

His family decided that the profoundly catholic dictator would be best of cremated in a secret location – like a leprous heretic. They reasoned and cleverly so that his grave would be the object of constant desecration by the relatives of those whom the Pinochet regime made to disappear without a trace. By those who have grown old in a state of chronic torture waiting for their disappeared loved-ones to resurface.

But let us not shift the blame from many onto one man, behind Pinochet are the likes of Henry Kissinger, Bush II, and the Chicago Boys.

In the world today there are avenues named in honor of Allende in Russia, statues to honor Allende in Australia, parks and streets in honor of Allende in Germany, monuments to honor Allende in Cuba, Chile, France and Spain and so on.

Pinochet doesn’t even have a gravestone!

In 20 years time Pinochet will only be remembered for the number of people he murdered.

“…history will judge them…” – Allende’s last speech