Sean Penn...
 

Over-rated actor? Useful idiot?
I happen to think both.
He's spent the last few days making friends with Hugo Chavez. Apparently, he's spent a lot of time and effort praising Chavez for doing the same things that would have Hollywood apoplectic if it were happening here.
Human Rights Watch, not exactly a group fond of Bush and/or Cheney, are saying pretty much the same things they are in regard to Chavez's consolidation of power since the failed recall election in 2004. He claims that he's only trying to bring stability and prosperity to Venezuela and the region.
Playing it straight out of the totalitarian playbook, he has...

• Clamped down severely on the press. Pretty much anything written/said on air that doesn't toe the Government's line is deemed dangerous to "national security". And, the definition of such is rather hazy.
• Enacted a law which requires only a simple majority to appoint Supreme Court justices and increased the number from 20 to 32.
• Renamed Congress.
• Renamed the Supreme Court
• And...renamed the country itself. Venezuela is now officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
• Also, in less than a year his regime will take over a majority stake in 32 previously privately held oil fields.

In addition, he is changing the flag and coat of arms of the country to suit his tastes better. Hmmm, this all reminds me of another fella some years back who made a lot of similar changes...Adolf something or other.
:icon_err:
And now, Sean Penn is actively engaged in a little mutual masturbation with Chavez. Apparently, human rights are only important when there's a political axe to grind for Mr. Penn. Or, maybe he really is as stupid as his Jeff Spicoli character, and cannot discern fact from fiction.

Oh, and I thought he sucked in Mystic River. Tim Robbins was much better.

Hugo Chavez is silenting dissent, arresting, killing, exiling, etc... political opponents. He has closed all Anti-Chavez broadcasting companies, etc.. He is taking over private property, and is basically trying to be the next Castro.

Now Sean Penn, who, a nutty leftist, who I obviously disagree with on everything in the modern world, has gone over the line. He went from Bush Bashing, which is annoying, but legal, to treason. He was went to a hostile nation and is chumming with him. He is a traitor.