March 31, 2013

"15 People Who Think Google Is Honoring Hugo Chávez."

"Hugo Chávez was the socialist president of Venezuela; Cesar Chavez was a labor leader and civil rights activist. See the difference?"

ADDED: "But to a small minority of conservatives thumping away at their keyboards on Easter Sunday it was something more sinister. It was a slight on Jesus. Worse still, it was a slight on Jesus directed by the White House, and in particular Barack Obama, America's Kenyan-born Muslim leader, probably."

71 comments:

Dr Weevil said...

If you're going to ask a rhetorical question, you should make sure it has an obvious answer. Personally, I'm kind of torn between 'yes' and 'no' on this one.

Gahrie said...

Yep, pretty stupid.

But not as stupid as honoring Chavez instead of Easter on Easter Sunday.

Kevin said...

Both Latino, both male, both communists, both named Chavez, both worm food.

I couldn't give two figs about the difference between them. If the only good communist is a dead communist, then these hosers are equally good.

Kevin said...

So funny as well that the people who would so quickly lecture you on the difference think Prehistory is a study of shows that were on the Disney Channel before Hannah Montana.

edutcher said...

And I'm supposed to be destroyed by this...why?

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

One Guys Mexican hero boxer is another ones Marxist hero farmer.

Who is Hugo?

bagoh20 said...

It's behind a pay wall, but if you have an account at HellTwitter you'd see that it fooled Hugo Chavez himself, where he HellTweeted: "Thanks for the props, Google. Tell Bush that I'm sorry about that sulphur comment. Turns out it was me."

And Yes, I have an account. They have the most extensive group of experienced political insiders of any source anywhere.

Gene said...

I think most of bloggers who called Cesar Chavez "Hugo" still had the farm leader in mind. They just misrembered the first name or were misled into calling the United Farm Workers leader Hugo by reading a story that got the first name wrong. Many Americans are dumb but we are not that dumb.

bagoh20 said...

And I'm sure it was only conservatives who made this mistake, but I guess the assumption is that only conservatives hate lousy thieving communist dictators enough to jump on it. That's probably true.

The Godfather said...

What Gahrie said.

Chip S. said...

Why is it worth the minimal effort necessary to differentiate b/w two largely irrelevant dead guys w/ the same last name?

bagoh20 said...

"I think most of bloggers who called Cesar Chavez "Hugo" still had the farm leader in mind."

I've caught myself doing the opposite a couple times and calling the dictator Cesar. I remember one time having to think about it for a minute, as I could not remember the name Hugo. I knew Cesar was wrong,but it was so stuck in my head it wouldn't change. As I've said, I've always had Alzheimer's.

madAsHell said...

Didn't he make grapes and lettuce more expensive?

bagoh20 said...

"Didn't he make grapes and lettuce more expensive?"

Only for Americans and their poor immigrant neighbors. "Minorities hardest hit."

tim maguire said...

It's ok that google prioritized a somewhat obscure labor organizer over the most important religious holiday of the year for two billion people because a handful of conservatives made a mistake about the identity of the obscure labor leader.

Sounds about right for liberal logic.

Anonymous said...

Cesar was against wage lowering illegal immigration by people he called 'wetbacks'. Hugo, not so much.

And yes, I knew him in Delano...

BaltoHvar said...

Google is trying to put it's best Socialist foot forward. They read the tea-leaves and know they are the next Microsoft. MS didn't play nice and shareholders got socked by Big Gubmint. And their products, although sadly universal, largely smell of farts.

Google is trying to Win the Hearts and Minds of the Occupiers/Hipsters even though they (it?) is vulgarly well capitalized. I just checked the stock price and it Jesus Christ!! has arisen to $794!

Robert Cook said...

"Many Americans are dumb but we are not that dumb."

Yes, we are.

Robert Cook said...

"It's ok that google prioritized a somewhat obscure labor organizer...."

Perhaps you're considerably younger than I, but Cesar Chavez was hardly a "somewhat obscure" labor organizer.

Unknown said...

Chavez may not have so obscure, but he needs to be remembered ahead of the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Only in a lberal's dream....

ricpic said...

What upset me was conflating Jesus with a mestizo.

Robert Cook said...

As for those who take issue with Google honoring Cezar Chavez rather than Easter, can't you be satisfied with the churches all over the world, as well as the many televised pastors who honor Easter and Jesus Christ? Must everyone behave according to the wishes of a subset of humanity who are Christians and bow to their deity?

Given that Chavez worked to help the poor and downtrodden who labor for our palates, it's appropriate he be honored on Easter.

Unknown said...

Yea , Chavez sure influenced a *whole* lot more people than Jesus. Anyway, I use Bing for search anyway, since Google also decides not to highlight Memorial Day or Veterans Day.

Robert Cook said...

"Cesar was against wage lowering illegal immigration by people he called 'wetbacks'. Hugo, not so much."

This seems a complete non-sequitur, unless Hugo Chavez is on record as advocating for Mexicans and the poor from other countries below the border to flow northward over our borders to assimilate into our country.

Did he?

Robert Cook said...

"Yea , Chavez sure influenced a *whole* lot more people than Jesus."

I didn't say that, but they both worked for the benefit of the poor and ignored, those seen by the larger, more affluent society as disposable, their humanity denied.

bgates said...

can't you be satisfied with the churches all over the world, as well as the many televised pastors who honor Easter and Jesus Christ?

Can't you be satisfied with the few remaining Communist hellholes that are trying to create your version of the ideal society? Why you gotta live here?

ed said...

@Robert Cook

"Must everyone behave according to the wishes of a subset of humanity who are Christians and bow to their deity?"

Yes.

If you don't like the answer then you shouldn't have asked the question. If you're not serious about the question then don't ask it.

I'm not a Christian but it's Easter Sunday. You don't have to participate but a little respect goes a long way.

Unknown said...

The only reason there is a controversy is that Chavez's birthday falls on Easter this year (or the other way around). So Google made a choice - and the choice was to honor a socialist over the Savior. Just as I've come to expect from Google...

Sydney said...

I was a little put out by it, but only because it brought to mind a woman I once knew who used to work with him. She talked about her days with Cesar incessantly. She was a most disagreeable woman. Ruined my Easter having her in my head again. Must think forgiveness.

Robert Cook said...

"You don't have to participate but a little respect goes a long way."

And Google chose "not to participate." Do really mean what you say or are you just blowing smoke? Is it disrespectful, by definition, if an entity does not make a reference to Easter on Easter Sunday?

ed said...

@Robert Cook

"I didn't say that, but they both worked for the benefit of the poor and ignored, those seen by the larger, more affluent society as disposable, their humanity denied."

Right because America denies the humanity of the poor. Pity we don't have programs to offer low cost or free health care to poor people (Medicaid). Or a program of assisted nutrition (Food Stamps). Or help in paying rent (Section 8 housing). Or any number of other highly expensive programs.

And for the record, to preemptively cutoff any sort of nonsense, I grew up poor. I also arrived in America with zero English skills and had to largely teach myself English through mimicry using the radio and television.

So don't give me any bullshit. Whatever Cesar Chavez was he is largely now irrelevant. Jesus has always been relevant. Case closed.

ed said...

@Robert Cook

"And Google chose "not to participate." Do really mean what you say or are you just blowing smoke? Is it disrespectful, by definition, if an entity does not make a reference to Easter on Easter Sunday?"

It is disrespectful. If Google had chosen to highlight nobody then that would be a neutral position. But they did not take a neutral position and instead took a position that Cesar Chavez was worthy of note while Jesus was not.

How is that not disrespectful?

Robert Cook said...

"Case closed."

So you say, but for many the case is still open. You were very fortunate in that through hard work and fortitude--and good luck--you were able to improve your conditions of life. Have a little heart for those still struggling and for those, such as Chavez, who endeavored to help them. I'm not a Christian, but I know where Christ would stand.

Robert Cook said...

"Right because America denies the humanity of the poor."

To a great extent, we do. But this is not unique to America: it is a constant of human societies. The poor are always seen as suffering the just deserts for their moral baseness or sloth or innate lack of character or intellect and the affluent always comfort themselves that they enjoy the just fruits of their labors and the (literal or figurative) blessings of God.

The poor are viewed as innately "unworthy," the rich innately "worthy."

In truth, circumstances and luck have more to do with those who find themselves in either circumstance than the more fortunate wish to admit.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Joe said...

For all of you that are upset, why are you searching Google instead of worshiping your Lord?

Unknown said...

"You were very fortunate in that through hard work and fortitude--and good luck--you were able to improve your conditions of life."

I love the way liberals always add *luck* to the reason that someone is successful or not. People make their own luck.

Deb said...

Tuesday March 26 was the first day of Passover and the doodle was Bangladesh Independence Day. March 25, erev pesach, the doodle was Adalbert Czerny's 150th Birthday. Perhaps they're just trying highlight more obscure (not that Chavez is that obscure) events , because everybody already knows when it's Easter and Passover, right?

It's just a theory.

Robert Cook said...

"People make their own luck."

Sometimes yes, but sometimes a person's luck is made for him--good or bad.

bagoh20 said...

I bet the vast majority of the poor and most migrant workers would choose to celebrate Jesus today over Cesar Chavez, and do, but what do they know? What the billionaires at Google think is what matters. I bet if asked, most migrant workers today would assume "Chavez" means Hugo. And I'm certain they would all know who Jesus is. Besides today is a celebration of the living, which leaves the day to Jesus.

bagoh20 said...

"For all of you that are upset, why are you searching Google instead of worshiping your Lord?"

I'm not a Christian - I just don't like socialists. They want me enslaved, and I take that personal.

Mark said...

Render unto Cesar what is Cesar's.

Also why are people on Easter morning looking to Google and not their church? Would Google doing eggs or rabbits be so much better?

bagoh20 said...

You need to consider, Cook, that you agree with the incredibly wealthy and arrogant capitalists at Google more than the poor Christians of the world, including those who work the fields. They honor Jesus today. Like Google, you wish to tell them what they should value - "for their own good" I'm sure.

Dr Weevil said...

You know the decisionmakers at Google were disappointed that Cesar's parents didn't think to name him Jesus/HeyZeus - that would have been the icing on the cake.

Diamondhead said...

Google can't add to or subtract from the risen Savior.

Gahrie said...

In truth, circumstances and luck have more to do with those who find themselves in either circumstance than the more fortunate wish to admit.

Being born in the United States in the last part of the 20th Century? Yeah, that was luck.

Working hard, being financially responsible, engaging in delayed gratification....that is effort and good decision making.

The beauty and wonder of the United States is that until very recently luck had less to do with your success than any other civilization or economic system on the planet.

bagoh20 said...

In fact, it is mostly luck: where you are born, how you are raised, your values, your aptitudes, your drive, etc., but what leftists foolishly believe is that those lucky enough to have those attributes that make them successful are no better qualified to use capital than political hacks who owe their position to who they know, who's ass they kissed, and often who they managed to politically destroy or kill to get where they are. They believe that somehow corrupt political maneuvering by intellectuals jockeying for power will better use resources than those "lucky" enough to have already proven and exceptional level of competence with using money.

Sure, my surgeon may have been lucky to have ended up a doctor, but that doesn't mean it makes sense now to let a DMV clerk do my surgery just to make it more fair.

n.n said...

The question is what do Hispanics and Latinos, who are predominantly Catholic, think about Google's premeditated slight.

Was this conceived as a social experiment to observe and exploit a juvenile effort to provoke a reaction? Does this grade school taunt represent the extent of Google's ambition?

Pathetic.

Unknown said...

Heck people used to get Obama and Osama mixed up. On the air. It happens. Cesar/Hugo both Chavez, it happens. Probably on the air.

We are unforgiving considering how vulnerable we all are to being observed/recorded/tracked every day in every way. Watch how you take that drink of water.
Be careful you don't appear to be breaking and entering your own home.
You don't want to have a similar address to the local drug pusher.
A buckeye leaf can get you arrested.
We're all just an unguarded moment away from being George Zimmerman or Trayvon Martiin.

RonF said...

Why would Google put the picture of some nondescript Hispanic male up on the most sacred day of the year to Christians?

PianoLessons said...

Chavez was a devout Catholic who would have been deeply offended to have a tribute to him on Easter Sunday.

Known Unknown said...

Now, a picture of Julio Cesar Chavez would have been OBSCURE.

jr565 said...

Robert Cooke wrote:
And Google chose "not to participate." Do really mean what you say or are you just blowing smoke? Is it disrespectful, by definition, if an entity does not make a reference to Easter on Easter Sunday?

kind of, yeah.

jr565 said...

Also, this is not the first time that Google has snubbed Easter (while honoring things like "Ghana Independence Day").
Back in 2000 Google had easter eggs on their logo, but hten for the next 4 years snubbed easter.

And this was asked about as far back as 2005:
http://www.tommcmahon.net/2005/03/google_why_no_e.html

So, nothing new. Google will simply not change it's graphic for Easter.
I've already switched my search engine to Bing. I hope others do the same.

Heres Bings' site:
http://www.bing.com/

Here's dogpile:
http://www.dogpile.com/

Here's Ask Jeeves:
http://www.ask.com/

All of them seem to have gotten the memo about easter.

Seriously stop giving your business to Google.

jr565 said...

Google also seems to have a problem with Memorial Day:

http://www.searchenginejournal.com/why-doesnt-google-honor-memorial-day-in-the-us/6967/

Meanwhile that same year Google honored the Chinese New year and Earth Day. Not that Google shouldn't honor those days, but it's kind of telling what days Google honors and what days it doesn't.

Howard said...

Google does it to make you sniveling bitches get off on your Cadillac oppression.

Unknown said...

Google does it to stick it to religion and everyone knows it.
No surprise.

DEEBEE said...

Always reminds me of a research proposal made by the Journal of Irreproducible results (paraphrase) -- "In any sub-group of the human population the ass-hole quotient is constatnt"

Robert Cook said...

"You need to consider, Cook, that you agree with the incredibly wealthy and arrogant capitalists at Google more than the poor Christians of the world, including those who work the fields. They honor Jesus today. Like Google, you wish to tell them what they should value...."

Again is displayed here the arrogant notion that if some person or entity chooses to not accommodate one's own belief system as one prefers or assumes is mandatory that they are the ones trying to tell everyone else what to believe or value. This is why Christians, who have all the freedom in America they could ever want to pray and worship and associate freely with like others can make ridiculous assertions that, because schools may not lead students in morning prayers, the Christians are being "oppressed" and their rights abrogated.

Fernandinande said...

I thought it was Cesar Millan.

Phil 314 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Phil 314 said...

My 1st thought when I saw it:

“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.

“We have no king but Caesar,”

lemondog said...

I dunno....what does justin bieber say?

Amartel said...

Wow! 15 conservatives got their socialist Chavezes mixed up while pointing out Google's radical chic.* What a stinging indictment of the conservative movement!! That's Raaaacism since both Chavezes only ever had the best interest of Brown People, themselves, in mind.

Meanwhile, in Washington DC, Vice President Joe Biden is saying something galactically stupid RIGHT NOW. Story at never.

*Radical chic: the painless indulgence of someone else's dangerously radical agenda. Terrible words spoken from a comfortable couch in an ivory tower.

traditionalguy said...

Migrant workers are usually abused. Who cares what happens to them? The local farmers don't. They are rootless drifters.

This has never been a racial/Hispanic problem. It has been a human abuse problem whether the workers were blonde blue eyed poor or short Hispanic poor.

Caesar Chavez took the heat for the poor. He earned respect for courage, if for nothing else.

Amartel said...

"In a statement emailed to the Guardian, the internet giant acknowledged that there had been a "lot of angry user emails" but only a couple of press inquiries."

What a surprise.

Aaron said...

Yes, well when a headline reads "Google Ignores Christ on Easter, Honors Chavez" some people naturally will assume its about the famous guy who recently was in the news, and not some old-timey guy with the same last name.

Anyways, I am hoping we can find a titan of industry to revere on Labor Day or some white person on MLK day so we can see this same reaction in reverse.

Ink Monkey Magazine said...

Not to state the obvious, but GOOGLE IS A PRIVATELY OWNED WEBSITE, and they can post about whoever the heck they want to. For the Christians who think it's an Anti-christian plot, for the love of Gods (yours or mine) get over yourself. Sometimes a doodle is just a doodle.

I sumbled across a blog post today that isn't mine. It's really interesting. http://mycropht.wordpress.com/2013/04/01/google-does-us-a-favour/

Amartel said...

Thank you for stating the obvious and going above and beyond to both miss and mischaracterize the point.
Congratulations on being lazy, stupid, and dishonest. Well done.

Clyde said...

Oh, please. Anyone with a shred of awareness knows the difference between Cesar and Hugo Chavez.

It's not about either of them, but it's about the fact that on a major holiday for a lot of people, the people at Google chose to honor something completely tangential. That is their right, of course. It's their site. However, it's disingenuous for them to say, "What? What did we do?"

It's like the chuckleheads at the TV show that chose to use a crashed B-52 in Vietnam as a backdrop, and then take a week's worth of backlash to apologize. Somewhere, there was a TV gomer who was saying, "What? What did we do?" And if they have to be told, then there's no hope for them.

ed said...

@ Robert Cook

"To a great extent, we do. But this is not unique to America: it is a constant of human societies."

Complete and utter bullshit.

A lot of people in America have experienced poverty in one way or another. Many of us have living relatives who lived through The Great Depression.

And yet we Americans are somehow disdainful of poor people?

You are looking into a mirror of your own soul.