Barbara Gloudon

THE OUTBURST of US televangelist - erstwhile politician - Pat Robertson earlier this week advocating the assassination of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez could either be dismissed as the aberration of a man who has become known for bizarre statements or is symptomatic of the extreme right-wing conservatism which has come to the fore in United States politics.

Robertson's unsolicited and embarrassing advice to his country's government to "get Chavez" must be disturbing to well-thinking fellow citizens who no doubt cringe in embarrassment at the seeming lunacy of a man who once offered himself for high public office at the level of president.
However, Robertson, through his 700 Club televangelist ministry, is said to have an audience of over a million viewers worldwide. The man has influence.

His remarks should not be taken lightly. The White House has moved to distance itself from Robertson's remarks with a mere tap on the wrist. There are many people willing to believe that Robertson's remarks are not as guileless as others would suggest. That he offered some limp, pathetic attempt at explaining it away subsequently, is neither here nor there.

As far as Jamaica is concerned, the Robertson "elimination plan" for Chavez might have passed into oblivion as just another television fantasy, were it not for the growing closeness between the Jamaican government and the Chavez administration in our quest for relief from the global oil squeeze.

On Tuesday, while Robertson was up in Lala-Land "chawing fire" Chavez landed on Jamaican soil and signed a bilateral agreement for a new oil deal which should go a long way to easing the pressure in the prevailing oil crunch. Robertson's remark is hard to separate from the fact that it was only a week ago that Donald Rumsfeld, America's Number I Hawk, was on the hustings in South America inveighing against the Venezuela-Cuba alliance.

US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice has also made known her disapproval of Chavez and Fidel in no uncertain manner either. It comes as no surprise that "Rummy" Rumsfeld seems now to be excusing Robertson's gaffe as a remark by "a private citizen". Robertson's place in Republican politics is conveniently forgotten.

It is not only on the political scene that Robertson has caused offence. The fact that he has presided for many years over a Christian empire yet can be so crass in advocating taking the life of another human being, has other Christ-followers squirming. It should be interesting to hear the reaction of the many people right here who have supported The 700 Club with donations and more, no doubt in the belief that if the Message comes from abroad, it has got to be the real Gospel.

NOW, HERE'S ANOTHER THING, why would anybody want to be a politician in Jamaica? Is there any other place where people who put themselves forward for public office run the risk of ending up battered, bruised, stepped on, made a poppyshow and, if they're lucky, sent off into oblivion?

Right now, JLP politicians and supporters are rejoicing in the beating which the PNP side is taking as the public "rail-up" over bus and taxi fare increase. Then, there is the annual back-to-school war, the unremitting rampage of the killers, the disaffection over post-hurricane roads and bridges still to be repaired, plus the various and assorted scandals. All things being equal, any/all of them could bring the government to its knees.

It was not so long ago that the PNP was laughing at the JLP's untidy and acrimonious leadership struggle. Now that that hurricane has blown over, the shoe is on the other foot. The PNP's leadership race is beginning to register on the political Richter scale, with contenders lining up like Derby Day at Caymanas. Knowing all that we know, why are they so eager to be battered by a cynical electorate?

Some politicians do manage to survive after the race is over. I was at the theatre the other night and there was Mr Seaga looking relaxed and refreshed. It was hard to believe that this was the same man who, a year ago this time, was the butt of every joke, every cartoon, every jibe and jest which media and political adversaries alike could serve up.

Freed now of the yoke of leadership, he appears rejuvenated and clearly enjoying his new life. However, I would not doubt that if the bell was to ring for him again, he would stand up and head for the starting gate. I don't believe any politician ever retires fully.

Soon it will be Mr Patterson's turn to find a way of living outside the glare of the spotlight. Meanwhile, his recent decision to delay (again), his departure from the leadership of his party seems to have goaded his opponents into new resolves "to mad him" most of all by casting doubts on his legacy before history has even acknowledged it. Being one who plays it close to his chest, however, we may never know his private thoughts on the public attempts for his abasement.

Time and again I've heard people ask why would any man, any woman in their right mind, willingly take up the mantle of political representation in this country. Some people are convinced it is a lust for power why there will always be lambs to the slaughter. Few seem to believe that there are those among us who have a genuine desire to serve.

I MET A MAN THE OTHER DAY who has lived a remarkable life. Abandoned as a child, he was adopted twice. The first arrangement did not work out so he was given to another family. Luckily, the second adoption, as he described it, was better than the abusive situation in which he first found himself. With time, he seemed to thrive except for one thing. He could neither read nor write. Nobody found out until he was 11 or12 when he was forced to learn and learn fast. The first book he read was the dictionary.

His life continued to be a tangle of problems. He said he tried to commit suicide twice. He's doing much better these days. He has his life in control, so now he wants to pursue his ambition - which is - to enter representational politics. Whatever for? Because, he said, as somebody who has felt it, who knows it, he is the right person to represent others who have known the pain.

ONE POLITICIAN who has sufficient occasion to contemplate the "pain" is education youth and culture junior minister Dr Donald Rhodd. Media juxtaposition of his name and photograph with the announcement of a parliamentary committee's intention to debate the issues of prostitution and homosexuality in the wake of the HIV/AIDS epidemic has led to attacks by opponents in his East Portland constituency, questioning his sexual orientation and bringing great distress to his family and associates.

A poignant letter by his wife in the OBSERVER on Tuesday, provided a glimpse into the burden borne by families of the men (it is hardly ever the women), who have stepped into the political arena and soon discovered what it is like to walk into an ants' nest.

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