¿Por qué no te callas?: German Cardona

It’s been several months since we lasted named our figure to our “¿Por qué no te callas?” hall of shame. (Named after this 2007 squabble between Spain’s King Juan Carlos and Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez). But we cannot ignore an exaggerative comparison made by Colombia’s transportation minister German Cardona.

Colombian tuckers have been on a national strike for over two weeks in protest against government plans to remove “minimum freight rates”. Truckers set up blockades in several major cities including Bogota where tractor-trailers have impeded some traffic since Monday.

Government and truckers’ union reps are at this time discussing a solution ahead of tonight’s government-imposed deadline to end the strike. Before that, however, there was a war of words between transportation minister German Cardona and Bogota mayor Samuel Moreno over the role of the federal government in the strike. This led Cardona to make the following comments to the press on Wednesday:

(Moreno’s call to dialogue) was insufficient for the minister who compared the strike with the attacks on New York’s World Trade Center ten years ago.

“It’s as if the mayor of New York would have said at the time that the attacks were the responsibility of the U.S. government. Here it’s everyone’s responsibility. I was mayor of a major city and I had to assume those responsibilities”, said Cardona.

Cardona’s comparison of the truckers’ strike to the incidents of 9/11 was silly and uneccesary. It’s insensitive to compare a work stoppage that may be a major invencience to Colombians with brazen attacks that killed at least 3000 people. While there have been minor incidents in Bogotá and other parts of the country they pale in comparison to the wanton destruction and loss of human life nearly a decade ago. His point may have been to criticize Moreno but he instead sounded juvenile by bringing up the 9/11 attacks.

Cardona thus joins the likes of Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (who claimed that illegal immigration was causing “terrorist attacks” in her state) and Colombian soccer coach Jorge Luis Pinto (who compared his suspension from the touchline to being imprisoned in Guantanamo) to our list of dishonor.

Why don’t you just shut up Mimister Cardona?

Image- AP via semana.com
Online Sources- semana.com, El Espectador, Reuters, The Latin Americanist,

¿Por qué no te callas?: Archbishop Dadeus Grings

The Catholic Church has been rocked this year by allegations of child abuse across world and Latin America has been no exception. From Mexico to Chile the Vatican has come under intense scrutiny not only over accusations of abuse but also purportedly trying to cover-up accused clerics. The Pope’s recent takeover of the scandal-plagued Legionaries of Christ was a small step in repairing the deepening distrust by Catholics against the Vatican. Yet some Church officials unfortunately prefer to play the blame game and issue wild and shameful statements.

Brazilian Archbishop Dadeus Grings is no stranger to making terrible remarks; as we mentioned in March 2009, he came under fire for trying to downplay the millions of Jews killed during the Holocaust. This month Grings made his way back in the headlines with his comments at a Brazilian bishops' annual conference to O Globo:

"We know that the adolescent is spontaneously homosexual. Boys play with boys, girls play with girls," he said. "If there is no proper guidance, this sticks. The question is — how are we going to educate our children to use a sexuality that is human and suitable?"

Grings also said the acceptance of homosexuality in society could pave the way for the acceptance of pedophilia.

"When sexuality is trivialized, it's clear that this is going to affect all cases. Homosexuality is such a case. Before, the homosexual wasn't spoken of. He was discriminated against.

"When we begin to say they have rights, rights to demonstrate publicly, pretty soon, we'll find the rights of pedophiles," he said.

Though Grings would also condemn abuse by priests, his slippery slope-style logic does nothing to repair the deep wounds within the Church. Reform is needed and the Vatican must be more transparent in the investigation of alleged wrongdoings. Grings’ search for scapegoats is an unwanted distraction and a slap in the face not only to the gay community but to Catholics worldwide.

Why don’t you just shut up Archbishop Grings?

Image- daylife.com
Online Sources- PRESS TV, AP, MSNBC, ABC Online, The Latin Americanist

¿Por qué no te callas? – Gov. Jan Brewer

The recently signed immigration law in Arizona has inflamed passions in the already tense debate over immigration. Hence it should come as no surprise that there have been plenty of asinine, juvenile, and nonsensical rants related to the controversial law.

Several exaggerative statements have been made comparing immigration in Arizona to other far worse situations. As we briefly mentioned last week, Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahoney referred to “German Nazi and Russian Communist techniques” in his scathing critique of the Arizonan edict. His comments were derided by some conservatives including one who deemed it as “frankly bizarre.”

Mahoney’s remarks was inappropriate but not as bad as this week’s ¿Por qué no te callas? “award” recipient, none other than Arizonan Gov. Jan Brewer. One week after signing SB 1070 into law, Brewer said in a TV interview that Arizona had been under “terrorist attacks” due to illegal immigration. Her unbelievable comments must be seen to be believed:

There are plenty of valid points on illegal immigration and its affect on border states. But to compare undocumented immigrants to murderous thugs who unashamedly use violence for petty political purposes is an undeniably stupid thing to say. Especially if one is the leader of a state thrust into the national and international spotlights over immigration.

Gov. Brewer, why don’t you just shut up?

Online Sources- Think Progress, YouTube, The latin Americanist, UPI, Los Angeles Times

¿Por qué no te callas? – Chilean "Piñerías"

It has been a while since we’ve last bestowed our dishonor on those who have made ridiculous remarks. There have been several recent candidates considered for our hall of shame including Cardinal Roger Mahoney’s inappropriate references in criticizing Arizona’s immigration law and Sen. Lindsay Graham’s flip-flop on federal immigration reform. Steve Forbes’ recent Chicken Little-like worry of a “Chavez-style media crackdown” in the U.S. and Evo Morales’ unscientific views on chicken were two other choices. Today, however, we’ll take a look at the lighter side of life with the "Piñerías".

Named by a Chilean journalist, the "Piñerías" describe the mental and physical gaffes committed by Chilean president Sebastian Piñera. His mistakes have apparently become too prevalent according to the EFE news agency including nearly falling into the Mississippi River on a trip to New Orleans and almost getting hit by a car while jaywalking in Santiago. Chilean poet Nicanor Parra may be 95-years-old but Piñera erroneously thought he was dead. Perhaps his biggest mistake was during a visit to the Juan Fernandez archipelago:

“Robinson Crusoe lived on this island for many years and his story not only fascinated the world but also put on the map this island inhabited by 800 Chileans,” said Piñera…

In reality Juan Fernandez is an archipelago consisting of three main islands including one where Scottish mariner Alexander Selkirk was shipwrecked for four years. It was his adventures in the 17th-century that inspired Daniel Defoe to write his fictional masterpiece “Robinson Crusoe”. – [ed. Translated text]

Let’s hope that Piñera keeps his future "Piñerías" to a minimum despite their silliness.

Image- Times Online
Online Sources- El Espectador, UPI, Gawker, Fox News, Los Angeles Times

¿Por qué no te callas? – Anonymous Jose Feliciano harasser

It has been a while since we last bestowed our “¿Por qué no te callas?” nomination in recognition of idiotic and out-of-bounds remarks by public figures. Previous honoree (so to speak) Tom Tancredo nearly became a second-time “winner” after his remarks at last week’s Tea Party Convention. However, we’re going to tweak the rules a bit and highlight a moron who decided to pick on Jose Feliciano:

Grammy-winner Jose Feliciano has filed a report with authorities in southwest Florida stating he and a caregiver have received a series of harassing phone calls.

Feliciano, who composed the popular Christmas song "Feliz Navidad," met with a deputy from the Lee County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday. According to an incident report, Feliciano said he had received two calls on his cell phone in which a muffled male voice told the singer he had to "get out"…

No arrest has been made and the investigation is ongoing.

Feliciano made headlines in December after a pair of right-wing humorists skewered Yuletide classic "Feliz Navidad” into an anti-immigration satire. Feliciano consequently condemned the “highly offensive recording” that was done in order to push a “bigoted political agenda.”

Image- CBS News
Online Sources- Miami Herald, Latina, The Latin Americanist, CNN

¿Por qué no te callas?: Connecticut debate hecklers

It’s been a while since we last inducted anyone into our hall of shame for outrageous and stupid remarks. There have been several worthy candidates not related to Latin America such as the asinine controversy over President Obama’s “stay in school” speech earlier today. This week’s “¿Por qué no te callas?” honors goes to some attendees of a recent town hall debate on health care.

Throughout the summer, numerous forums on the proposed health care reform have turned into shouting matches and at times forums for ugly slurs. Unfortunately things got a little testy at a Norwalk, Connecticut forum last week when a Peruvian-born bishop walked up to the mic and spoke Spanish:

Amidst the heckling and jeering over the clergyman speaking in Spanish where a few some other taunts like “just give him the country, give it to him.” His legitimate concerns over health care (he lost his insurance after his wife was laid off from her job) were overshadowed by the boorish behavior of some louts in the audience.

Yes the bishop could have spoken in English yet he preferred to comment in the language where he could best express himself. He did not speak in Spanish in order to harangue or tease or insult but rather to provide a legitimate opinion. To his credit, the bishop calmly continued with his remarks and did not apologize for his actions. His civil behavior and civic duty are lessons that we should all learn whether we speak English, Spanish, Hungarian, Mandarin, or any other language. Pity it’s a lesson that most of the hecklers will probably never understand.

Why don’t you just shut up Connecticut debate hecklers?

(Hat tip: Wonkette).

Online Sources- Wonkette, Think Progress, YouTube, Gawker

¿Por qué no te callas? - Jorge Luis Pinto

We’ll return over the weekend with a few news and notes. But first, let’s see who earns this week’s “¿Por qué no te callas?” honors.

There were numerous nominees this week such as this silly comment comparing Sonia Sotomayor to Jennifer Lopez. But this week’s recipient is soccer coach Jorge Luis Pinto who couldn't handle a touchline ban:

Jorge Luis Pinto, coach of Colombian first division side Cucuta, has described his 10-match stadium ban for indiscipline as a breach of human rights.

Pinto, suspended after being sent off and insulting the fourth official 10 days ago, watched Sunday's home game with Atletico Junior from the office of a sports institute…

"I felt like I was in Guantanamo prison and that I was the object of a total disrespect towards human rights," the former Colombia and Costa Rica coach told the Futbolred website (www.futbolred.com).

Do you want to know what “total disrespect towards human rights” really is, Jorgito? Try asking the hundreds of your countrymen that are still held captive by guerillas. How about talking to the families of those kidnapped of innocent civilians by the military and killed as “false positives”. If you emerge from your cocoon, you might notice the millions of displaced Colombians forced to flee brutal violence.

Get the idea, Jorge? So why don’t you just shut up?

Image- futbolred.com
Online Sources- Wonkette, The Latin Americanist, Colombia Reports, CNN, BBC News

¿Por qué no te callas? – Tom Tancredo

NOTE: Every so often, people make public remarks that are so out of bounds that one wishes they would just be quiet. Therefore, we welcome what may be a weekly feature named after this 2007 squabble between Spain’s king and Venezuela’s president.

Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination to the Supreme Court has been the subject for debate this week among her supporters and detractors. Unfortunately, some of her opponents continue going off the deep end by making increasingly more silly statements.

So far we’ve covered unusual remarks made on her selection as being similar to affirmative action and insinuating that her food preferences cloud her judgment. But that’s small potatoes compared to what emerged from the mouth of Rep. Tom Tancredo yesterday:

Yes ladies and gentlemen, he called the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) "a Latino KKK without the hoods or the nooses." (Sotomayor is a member of NCLR). Even if you disagree with the NCLR’s position on issues like affirmative action and immigration, there is no doubt that Tancredo’s mudslinging and inflammatory remarks were unnecessary.

Why don’t you shut up Tom?

Update: Here's the response from NCLR Janet Murguia; note the calm and rational tone of her comments and Rick Sanchez' sympathetic ear.

(Hat tip: this post from Guanabee. Kudos to that blog for its numerous posts blasting the outrageous critiques of Sotomayor).

Online Sources- Gawker, The Latin Americanist

Today’s Video: Enjoying the “Chiki-chiki”

The latest edition of the Eurovision Song Contest is being held this week in Moscow, Russia. Odds are some god awful ballad or a nauseating pop song will win though there have been a few recent exceptions. (One entry caused controversy before the contest began since it features an Arab-Israeli duo).

Several of last year’s entries emphasized humor over the mock pomposity and seriousness of the competition. One of them came straight from the mind of David Fernandez Ortiz under the guise of faux-argentine singer Rodolfo Chikilicuatre. "Baila el Chiki-chiki" (“Dance the Chiki-chiki”) parodied reggaeton music and poked fun at the 2007 “¿Por qué no te callas?” incident.

One word: genius!


Online Sources- YouTube, Wikipedia, New York Times, The Latin Americanist, NPR, Reuters

Spanish king witness to a “¿Por qué no te callas?” moment

In 2007, the infamous “¿Por qué no te callas?” incident happened when King Juan Carlos of Spain ordered Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez to shut up during a summit. The two leaders have since patched up their differences yet his Highness witnessed a somewhat similar occurrence last week.

The King and Queen Sofia attended a South Beach Wine & Food Festival dinner during their visit to Miami. Celebrity chef Mario Batali appeared at the $1,000-a-person gala to say a few words. Much like the King two years ago, Batali ad-libbed his remarks:

After stepping up to the microphone, he swore and sarcastically asked the audience if they could spare him a moment.

"All you weasel f***wads in the back corners, can I have ten seconds of your time?" said the chef, who appeared intoxicated.

He then swore again in front of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia when introducing chef José Andrés, who runs the Los Angeles restaurant, The Bazaar.

Mr. Batali said his friend had received: "The most mother-f***ing stars of any
Spanish restaurant in the US." He finished by grabbing Andres' bottom.

According to the Times Online, Batali’s choice comments made the Queen turn white while “Gloria Estefan, the singer, started giggling.” Other celebrity guests including Julio Iglesias and Florida Governor Charlie Crist were reportedly “shocked” by what happened.

It’s unknown if the King and Queen publicly replied to Batali, though Andrés jokingly told the audience that "this is what food and wine from Spain will do to you."

Image- BusinessWeek
Online Sources- The Telegraph, LAHT, Times Online, AP, The Latin Americanist

Hugo Chavez Gets His Hug From the King

Spanish King Juan Carlos and Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez have hugged and made up. The two met in the King's summer home in Mallorca for breakfast this morning.

As you can see the two were all smiles. It's being reported that no one was told to shut up and rather a trip to the beach was proposed.

The best part is that in this encounter, instead of a "Por qué no te callas?!" there was a "Por qué no vamos a la playa?" The president and the king joked around as Chavez proposed a jaunt to the beach.

The Spanish media is also reporting that el Rey gave Chavez a special gift: one of those famous "por qué no te callas?!" t-shirts!!!

Source : VivirLatino