a) One Man one vote for
b) Leaders boycott only to the Opening Ceremony in
c) Because it's inevitability for the moment, can the "war against terror" be moved to bring Human Rights for regions like
d) With
I just think it would be fair to add:
1- The State is arguably the biggest and more pernicious in the entire world – at least proportionally. Specially about disrespecting Human Rights in marginalized communities.
2- Inequality as big and as old as anywhere in the planet, some say ahead of any major economy.
When Brazil stops the crime it will be the best place on earth to live. The crime and violence holds Brazil back from its full potential" - Janice, SAN FRANCISCO
As of now, Brazil is not a paradise but a living hell for its citizens" - João Henrique, BRAZILIAN @ VIRGINIA, USA
3- The country has a very diverse range social challenges and unique demographics that can inspire and help development of public policies around the world, especially Latin America and
4- A quarter of the country is ruled by Heavily Armed Trigger Happy Militias, which are in the process of having even more political influence on the other ¾. Rural and urban violence combines for 45.000 homicides per year, on the rise. Just for comparison, with 110 million more people, Americans kill 34.000 less.
Poverty + bad education + abandon = violence. If you don’t do anything at the beginning of the problem, so you might have to resolve the consequences, right?" - Maria Clara, RIO DE JANEIRO
Social and economic reforms, public coperation (...), but if gangs enjoy protection, there is little the government can do" - Abdelilah Boukili
5- If
6- There is no clear path for relevant change in the human development – plus, there is a Big Crisis Scenario – if huge reforms in the State don’t come up in the next couple of years. This crisis could not only jeopardize the relevant progress Brazilian economy has been doing, but drag other regions with it.
7- From water to food, mid class consumers, main commodities, oil, endangered rain forest, entrepreneurial youth, democratic elections… you name it!
The population have already see how deep are the problems and a VAST MAJORITY of the population DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS SOLUTTION AHEAD" - Diego, SPAIN
But the very sad part is that Brazilians gave up on effective change and almost everyone is cynical. They need to see change around the world to stop beeing cynical"- Helena, MULTICULTURAL & CONTINENTAL
It’s very clear that
Those are seven points. Because we have a small number – and maybe symptomatic – of Brazilians participating, it will be a clever idea to invite them to post comments and collaborate with the debate.
No matter how imperfect they are, elections – the cornerstone of every effective change in a Democracy – around the world can help
15 comments:
Inequality and the injustice which is embedded into the Brazilian system is at the root of the problem. Crime in Brazil is a way of income distribution. Crime is a way of living for many who does not have any other way of existence. In other words, today's prisons are no difeferent than the slave ships of the past.
Brazil seems to be in decline. Although naturally a beautiful country, in Sao Paulo and Rio its not safe to walk about freely even in daylight. Old buildings that should be preserved are left to rack and ruin and the town of Sao Paulo is incredibly ugly with shanty towns, skyscrapers, busy motorways and underpasses where many of the poor live. I saw a dead man lying beside a river whilst driving past on one motorway. There are tourist trips to some favela in Rio but relatives who live in Brazil advised strongly not to go. One hotel guest was robbed at gunpoint on the beach just outside the hotel were I stayed. These are a few small examples. The country is so huge it seems unmanageable. Even San Paulo is so big it could be a country in itself. I can't imagine that these organised crime gangs are susceptible to counselling or community initiatives. What might be needed is a ruthless and tough clampdown on crime and at the same time a program for much greater distribution of wealth, and potentially the building of better housing to rehouse the city-dwelling poor in the hope that the next generation might benefit. Surely no short term fix is possible.
It is not the size of the country that is the problem. The problem lies in a very unequal society that has made no effort to level the playing field. I'm Brazilian, and I was lucky enough to be born to a family that escaped poverty before the system got absolutely rigged to keep the poor down. By the time I reached school age, my parents had money to send me to private schools - as most of middle and upper class do - because the public school system would have given me no chance in life. Today, I live in the USA.
Lack of a decent common education system is the root cause of everything. If you are born poor, you have no access to a decent education, and you will live around criminals that can make in a week what an honest poor worker makes in 6 months - the void of decent perspectives leaves you with no visible alternative.
No one in power there is interested in an educated society (would make it harder to steal from them and get elected again and again), so public education is not a priority.
Meanwhile, the population in jails keeps growing (when they are not illegaly executed by the police, that happens to be as poor as the criminals and usually very badly trained). And no program to recuperate those people is available, they leave jail and actually learned more about the trade of being a criminal - and they also learned that jail is hell, next time they may very well kill the victim rather than leave them alive and possibly be identified...
Granted, there is much more problems and just investing in education will not solve the immediate crisis - one, that, by the way, did not start yesterday. I left Rio 6 years ago and things were already dire...
I agree with Maria Clara about education, something Brazilians talked to me about when I was there - specially Dear Mr. Editor of this fine publication.
In no other country I've visited have my hosts warned me contantly not to walk freely about outside during daylight hours.
When I saw why they happen and how, I understood the warnings were all worthy.
But I completely agree that believing that change is possible is the key in Brazil at this time.
- But I completely agree that believing that change is possible is the key in Brazil at this time. -
From the standpoint that I saw Brazil I which now seems to me very simple, I COMPLETELY AGREE!
Mee too!! Mee too!!
It's the main element.
So do I. But the question is how? The population is lethargic. Change would take generations.
Brazilians from all origins must see the world.
The main population of country is isolated and the media diversity is only not worst than Russia or China. Bizarre. I understand they are in very short numbers, but the connection must come from them. This here is a great way, although I believe all trigger happies must be silenced.
It's great to find a concensus!!
The problem is that poor people don't have acess to hear this stories. I once went to Brazil and people were so interested about race in America. In the second week I'm in the country I realize that the GAP between whites and browns (and poors and riches, per se) is ahead of the US. I get shocked because a majority of the population believe racism is simply offense and hate. But Brazilian racism is very sophisticated.
I agree with the point that it's even more sophisticated than India and SA.
And I also agree with the concensus.
It remains one of the greater western conceits (and very importantly an american one in particular) that democracy is the cure of many societal ills, and thus an end in itself. as the current brazilian experience demonstrates, civil society, a precursor to democracy, is ultimately more important than democracy itself. but what creates a civil society--or in brazil's case, doesnt--is, i would suggest, the most interesting part of this issue. blogers rightly point to extraordinary levels of income inequality, of gun ownership, of lack of opportunity for youth, of racism: surely these are all part of the equation. perhaps the presence of all these factors in one society is enough to drive it over the edge. perhaps, there is a missing cultural factor of some sort?
I agree with the consensus!
I believe I can only go home when there are enough Brazilians writing here to spread this concensus.
Brazilians must be aware that because of the extreme social relations conditions, wating for some effective change in the long range can be very dangerous.
And the only way to change the pace of change is by international dialogue in order to stimulate people in Brazil to commit to doing something.
I believe that Rio and the Bay Area have a lot in common, in many senses. Very interesting to see how this is playing here. This kind of connection is the only way people can believe change is possible. That's how you can have full motivation, even in places where the sorroundings attract no inspiration.
I believe the consensus fits for the whole Latin America, although no place I know needs more cultural and political reforms and exchange than Brazil, at least in the West.
I totally agree with you guys, the way we live here are getting worse and there is no expectation of changing for now, it's what most of people think, but if we start to think this way as a real and fixed situation and that we can't do anything for help, it'll become worst. I think that a process of changing should start by restructuring the whole Education system which is one of the pillars of the society, I studied in public schools until the secondary school and it was the main reason that I didn't managed to get into a public university, so I had to pay to do my graduation. I believe a good base is the key to form good citizens and good citizens can't promote grate changes. I also believe that it can be reach by exchanging experiences and cultures among the countries.
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