Wednesday, September 11, 2013
September 11, Business, and Politics
Today is September 11. Chile commemorates the most tragic day of its modern history, culminating a week of remembrances dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the most brutal military coup. Forty years ago, democratically elected President Salvador Allende was toppled by general Augusto Pinochet, earlier chosen by Allende to lead the Chilean army.
The videos and pictures of that September 11 are startling. The whole Chilean army, with the support of the CIA and DIA, against a defenseless old man and 22 followers. Declassified documents related to the military coup (they were declassified during the Clinton administration) have shown the involvement of the CIA and the USA Defense Intelligence Agency. Allegedly, the CIA and DIA secured the missiles used to bombard the La Moneda Palace (the Chilean White House). Yes, the Chilean Air Force bombarded the La Moneda palace with Allende and his 20 supporters inside!
The declassified documents also show that powerful American business leaders like David Rockefeller were active supporters of the military coup. Indeed, according to Edward Korry, former U.S.A. ambassador to Chile in 1973, Rockefeller and other prominent business leaders from the copper industry, played a key role in the military plot with the collaboration of the USA President Richard Nixon and his Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. More than 3,200 people - not only political dissidents and Allende's supporters - were killed or disappeared between 1973 and 1990. 40,000 Chileans survived political imprisonment and torture. At least 262 people have been sentenced for human rights violations in Chile, according to figures from Amnesty International.
Americans have other, strong reasons, to commemorate September 11. But we should not forget the other, the first, September 11. And the role of business in it. The "Chilean economic miracle", announced and praised by the Wall Street Journal at the time, was only possible through brutal political repression and massive human right violations.
Just prior to the capture of the presidential palace, President Allende made his famous farewell speech to Chileans on live radio (Radio Magallanes). The president spoke of his love for Chile and that he would not take an easy way out or be used as a propaganda tool by the traitors. That he would pay with his life the loyalty of the Chilean people. The radio address was made while gunfire and explosions were clearly audible in the background. Right after, reportedly, he shot himself. But he did not surrender the government elected by the Chilean people.
His last words:
"Workers of my country, I have faith in Chile and its destiny. Other men will overcome this dark and bitter moment when treason seeks to prevail. Keep in mind that, much sooner than later, the great avenues will again be opened through which will pass free men to construct a better society. Long live Chile! Long live the people! Long live the workers!"
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIt is easy to say how disgusting and unethical these prominent Wall Street business leaders were in their roles in the Chilean military coup because of our own distance from the event. Yet, I can only assume the distance was how these business leaders stomached their own involvement in this devastating event. This is not an excuse; it is my assumption on why I believe the leaders could go on living normally. As I read more I pondered how another human being could inflict such horror on others for professional gains and I believe that it was the distance. That these professionals adopted the motto “out of sight, out of mind” completely removing themselves from the situation and responsibility for it. Also, it reflects the Milgram experiments where the teacher was willing to go to the highest voltage when they believed they held no responsibility to the learner’s welfare. Rockefeller and the other business leader distance from the event, I believe allowed them to believe that they were not the cause and held no responsibility for Chile and its people. I think this is a good example to learn from for confronting ethical issues as we must always take an active ethical role in all our decisions and realize that we can be held responsible no matter the degree of separation from the actual cause.
ReplyDeleteI am posting this on behalf of Geriann Capasso:
ReplyDeleteI think it is pretty remarkable that the homeless man returned the wallet. When he returned the wallet he did not want a reward nor expect one. He simply returned it just because he knew that it was the right thing to do. He definitely could have used that money but instead decided that it was more important to do the right thing. It truly shows his character that he is a good person and an honest man. There are probably people out there that are not homeless and would have chosen to keep the wallet instead of returning it.
Upon reading this blog post, I must say I was surprised that I had never even known of the September 11th Chilean military coup, as this is most often overshadowed in the US by our own tragic day in history. However, this tragedy deserves just as much attention and remembrance as any other attack. I find it very disconcerting that the US, in particular the CIA and DIA, had knowledge of these attacks and condoned this military coup. It is even more disturbing that US business leaders, like David Rockefeller from the copper industry, played a role in the plot. I can only assume that they did so for business reasons, most likely to gain profits from doing business with the military planning the coup. To justify their actions, I agree with the comment above: their distance caused them to not think of the repercussions of their actions. Overall, I think that this clearly shows that ethics does have a place in economic and political activity. However, ethics and morality were clearly ignored during the September 11th Chilean military coup.
ReplyDeletePosted by Christina Reyes
This sounds like a terrible tragedy and it is discomforting to hear that our own government would willingly partake in such things. What is equally, if not more, shocking is the Wall Street Journal headline the day after: The "Chilean economic miracle" . A headline like that perpetuates the marketplace as a morally free zone and I doubt that the Journal reported the "brutal political repression and massive human right violations". This is a great example of people, such as David Rockefeller and the Wall Street Journal, treating business as nothing more than a place to make the most profits and brushing morals aside. Thankfully I don;t believe that most business leaders think this way or corporate sponsored military coups in favor of economic reform might become the norm (while I'm not denying something similar may have happened elsewhere). I wonder how these people involved are able to sleep at night with those kind of casualties a direct result of their actions, and I can only hope that people learn from this terrible event.
ReplyDeleteIt is certainly unsettling to hear about our own government being involved in such a brutal and inhumane affair. What is perhaps more unsettling is to hear the praise coming from the Wall Street Journal; what goes on behind closed doors is difficult for Americans to combat but one of the most prestigious sources of news in America praising the affair for its economic impact is shocking. That kind of journalism perpetuates the marketplaces as a morally free zone and encourages similar behavior. One might wonder how an individual like David Rockefeller sleeps at night knowing that he caused these kind of hardships on the people of Chile, yet when he sees that headline in the Wall Street Journal it's basically a pat on the back.
ReplyDeleteWhile the line between profits vs. morals may be blurred, I have a hard time imagining how anyone could make that case in this situation.