We only buy gas from Citgo...

Steve sent this: He said that no matter where you go for gas, you're going to get ripped off and you're helping pollute the Earth. But at least when you buy gas at Citgo, it goes back into the Venezuelan treasury, much of which is used for positive programs that Hugo Chavez is doing for his citizens. I think I sent you that "buycott" (the opposite of a boycott) notice on Citgo, right? Here it is: http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0516-25.htm

Plus, it's the only nation with a major source of oil that is a real democracy (where the election was stolen or a leader who gained power through violence). I haven't bought gas anywhere else for over a year. Just think, with that one small, simple act I'm doing, I'm am doing more to "promote democracy" in the world than our own government!
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Then my thoughts ended up being sent to a sweetheart of a guy named Grant. Here's his response:
----- Original Message -----
From: Grant

Don't send me any more crap with that guys name on it!!!!

You people are really mis-informed. This guy Chavez robs from the rich and steals from the poor. He talks a good game but he always loses. He is a dictator with a smiley look on his face. Thats why he's kissing Fidel's A__ right now. One communist to another. He wants to wipe us off the map just like the terrorists. My suggestion to you is watch FNC instead of CNN. At least you can get both sides of the story there.

DO NOT BUY CITGO GAS.
==================== my response to Grant's eloquent argument: ============
Mr. _________, though his opinion differs from mine, does nonetheless offer a persuasive argument. Let's go through it point by point, shall we?

1) Grant ________wrote: "Don't send me any more crap with that guys name on it!!!!" Hard to argue with that. He doesn't want to receive any alternative viewpoints. In fact, Mr. ________has quickly relegated the alternative viewpoint to simply being "crap." And as we'll soon see, he certainly offers much evidence to back his assertion--and he wraps in pure eloquence befitting of such a scholarly mind as his.

2) Grant ________wrote: "You people are really mis-informed." Hmmm. No evidence presented as to why the authors of the series of emails are "really mis-informed." Surely he sent that evidence in a separate email. I'll just wait here until I receive that from Mr. ________ Ta da dee..., dumpty doo..., la de dah de doo..., Hmmm..., I'm still waiting.

3) Grant ________wrote: "This guy Chavez robs from the rich and steals from the poor." I see, Chavez robs from the..., I mean..., um..., he steals from the..., wait, he's robbing his citizens on BOTH sides of the economic spectrum? Man, that sounds like a retarded version of Robin Hood. But who am I to jest like a merry man? Certainly your evidence of this is..., um..., is..., around here somewhere. Tell you what. Maybe you need some help with presenting an argument. Let's start with some articles I found while doing a Google search for a couple of minutes.
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/05/08/Worldandnation/Venezuela_s_oil_wealt.shtml
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-coops21aug21,1,3609004.story?coll=la-headlines-business&track=crosspromo
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20050411/parenti
http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2006/680/680p18b.htm

4) Grant ________wrote: "He talks a good game but he always loses." Yeah, that's what everyone says about Chavez. He always loses. That's a great point. As a matter of fact, I was--wait, what did he lose again? I must have missed that intensive documentation you provided to back up your point, right? I mean, you wouldn't just be talking out your ass, right? Not that your ass doesn't have some credibility compared to serious investigative journalists who I've been quoting throughout this email. I mean, maybe your cute little ass has won a Pulizer Prize, but I just haven't found out yet. But then again, you conservatives are famous for mixing up what journalistic awards you've won. After all, Bill O'Reilly said he won a Pulitzer. Oops, he meant a Peabody--not a Peabody, but a Polk award. Wait, he didn't even win a Polk award--O'really, O'Reilly?

Anyway, I'd just like to find out what Chavez "always loses." Let's see. He won, not lost, two elections. The second one in 2004 was considered a landslide victory of 58%. Evidence? We don't need know stinking evidence! This "talking out my ass" thing is fun. If I can't lick your ass, I'll join it, Grant! I can say whatever I want and think I'm right, even though I have no idea what I'm talking about. I don't need to actually be right--it just feels good to SHOUT my opinion. I feel that adrenaline flowing from the reptilian part of my brain. For this moment, Grant, you and I are brothers. Aw, shucks. I can't stay mad at you, cutie-pie. Here's some documentation: http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0817-01.htm

5) Grant ________wrote: "He is a dictator with a smiley look on his face." What a cute idea. A dictator with a smiley look on his face. But hold on--to describe a leader of a nation as a "dictator" is quite serious. Let's look up that word and make sure that we really understand our terms here. The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary's definition for the word "dictator" is: Pronunciation: 'dik-"tA-t&r, dik-'Function: nounEtymology: Latin, from dictare1 a : a person granted absolute emergency power; especially : one appointed by the senate of ancient Rome b : one holding complete autocratic control c : one ruling absolutely and often oppressively

Hmmmm, that doesn't sound at all like how Hugo Chavez governs Venezuela. But that definition does ring true with another leader of a nation. Man, it's on the tip of my tongue. Let's see, who's that guy who stole two elections (one potato, two potato, Dan Quayle's potatoe), has signed over 800 statements claiming that he is above the laws passed by the legislature and continues to want to operate outside the law even when it's condemned by the judiciary? His name escapes me at the moment, but I'll bet you know, right, Grant? I'll bet you voted for him--TWICE, didn't you? I'll bet you're still in that 30% who still doesn't regret it, huh? Man, that graphic looks just like a slide on a children's playground. Weeeeeee!

6) Grant ________wrote: "Thats why he's kissing Fidel's A__ right now. One communist to another." Ooooooh, Grant said the "C" word. What is this, freakin' 1958? Are we still supposed to be scared of those big, bad Reds? By the way, I think Chavez considers himself more of a socialist. But to people like you, socialist and communist are both dirty words, aren't they? And so are words (and human beings) like gay, lesbian, single mother, liberal, immigrant, Arab, Muslim. Come on, Grant, join in! Who else to you hate? Who else has Karl Rove brainwashed you into hating? Lay it all out there, baby! Use the words you and your buddies ACTUALLY use behind closed doors when you talk about those "other people" who aren't like you. Come on, Grant, whaddya call them: towelheads, dot heads, sand niggers? One of your buddies, Virginia Senator George Allen (Republican, of course!), called the only non-white member of his audience a "macaca," which is known to be a racial slur meaning "monkey." Come on, we all know what you right-wingers are REALLY all about. I want to hear all the hatred in your heart come spewing forth. Come on, I'll bet you're a good Christian. Church ain't for a few more days. Let it all hang out, baby!

7) Grant ________wrote: "He wants to wipe us off the map just like the terrorists." And which quote would that be? Certainly you have some evidence to back up this inflammatory assertion that Hugo Chavez wants to wipe the United States off the map. Maybe you're confused and you're thinking about when another good Christian named Pat Robertson suggested that our government should assassinate Chavez. Or when the CIA participated in a coup to overthrow Chavez. And Chavez is trying to wipe us off the map? Are you sure you're not a little confused and misinformed yourself, Grant?

No! Not you! You've obviously studied this issue, so I'll have to defer to your more in-depth analysis of the situation. Oh, say, Grant--I got a question for you. Does someone who wants to destroy the United States normally offer up to 10% of its heating oil and gasoline to be sold directly to hospitals, nursing homes, schools and organized poor communities in U.S.at a 30% discount? Oh, and if your eyes go bad and if you're a poor American without health insurance (something those commies don't have to worry about with their whacky nationalized health care plans), Chavez will have a Venezuelan doctor perform any needed surgery for free! And you are dead right because Chavez is, as you said, "just like the terrorists." You remember when al-Qaeda made the United States the same offer to provide our poor people and non-profit organizations cheap energy and free health care, don't you? Yep, just like those damned terrorists.

Dude! You were so right! Chavez is really out to get us! Hey, Grant. You're the guy who still lives in the 1950s, right? I'll bet you have a bomb shelter in your backyard. Go in there quickly--don't ask questions (that's right, be a good little Republican). Take all of your conservative dittohead friends in there with you. Quick! Now! Go! The Chavez bogeyman is coming at ya! Lock yourself and your fifty of your favorite fascist friends in there with you. We'll come knock on your twelve inch thick titanium alloy bomb shelter door when it's safe from the commies! Make sure you take about 80 years of supplies in there with you. And please, Grant: pray for us. It's a dangerous world out there. Chavez' terror squads have already destroyed three neighborhoods in my quiet little town just this week. Go, man, go! I want to hear that bomb shelter door clang!

8) Grant ________wrote: "My suggestion to you is watch FNC instead of CNN. At least you can get both sides of the story there." Fox News, eh? Now that's one respected institution of journalism. That's where you get your news!?!? They tell BOTH sides of a story?!?!? Fair and balanced!?!?! Oh, man, Grant--that explains a lot about where your head is at. But thanks, I needed a good laugh after reading your kind, loving, caring email. Dive into this, I dare you:
http://mediamatters.org/issues_topics/outlets/foxnewschannel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outfoxed
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/08/16/148232

9) Grant ________wrote: "DO NOT BUY CITGO GAS." Hmmm. Just a piece of advice to Mr. ________ When trying to persuade people to take some action, it can work against your argument when you simply make a declarative statement such as "Do not buy Citgo gas." Actually, it sounds more like an order. But then again, I'm not being fair. Right-wingers are used to shouting orders instead of constructing intelligent arguments. Might makes right, eh, Grant? Why think through an issue when you can just yelp out your uninformed opinion, like your buddies Oxycontin Rush and O'Shithead O'Reilly?