Venezuelan—born champion baseball manager for the Chicago White Sox, Ozzie Guillen, likes to shoot his mouth off and then blame the ensuing controversy on his Venezuelan "heritage." He's lately taken to calling a baseball rival impolite forms of the word 'homosexual,' and when he was called on it, said it was not his own fault but the fault of his Venezuelan culture.

Given that Venezuela, at least before the ultra—vulgar Hugo Chavez was elected, was very little known in the U.S., and given the obsequiousness most of the U.S. mainstream media give to the idea of multiculturalism. Guillen probably would have gotten away with it a decade ago. And everyone would have assumed that it was just natural for Venezuelans to make anti—gay statements all the time.

But that was before the blogosphere.

A Chicago Tribune sports writer who's been following the Venezuelan blogs contacted blogger Daniel Duquenal in Yaracuy state and asked if it was true what Guillen said and just ordinary culture for Venezuelans to be constantly hollering about gays. Daniel gave him the view from Venezuela and told him normal people didn't do that, although among the Chavistas, there were exceptions.  Besides, Daniel pointed out, Guillen has been in the U.S. for 20 years, and he knew better.
 
It's a smaller world now with the blogosphere — especially the well—developed Venezuelan one. Guillen hadn't counted on that.
 
Ozzie got found out.
 
A.M. Mora y Leon 06 26 06