The political arena is one of the few places in common social life where ideas and words really matter.
So the GLOBAL EXCHANGE POST could never lose the opportunity to look into a core problem in Brazilian society which a core moral issue for the Humanity.
-- Rodrigo Silva de Paula, Editor
In a country where national congressman still have slaves – one speaker of the House of Representatives had slaves in one of his million acres of tax free lands – a imprecedent debate about race and post slavery policies is taking place.
Specially because some will have a real argument by saying that things were better for a seven digit number of people during slavery times.
At porpoise, there is nothing funny about his first name being “Innocent”. Mainly because he still in power and is key part of the Government’s “rainbow” coalition.
It’s understandable that many Brazilians feel humiliated about celebrating the last 120 anniversaries of the end of the slavery. Even considering that the vast majority of them don’t know that Haiti celebrated 120 years of the end of slavery in 1924 and the United States did it 1985.
Specially if the bondage itself is far from ending and its results still barely untouched.
"Todos Negros", Luiz Morier - 1980
The huge effort by the 95% of the media groups to promote the date and bash the Black (or slave descendent, as it should be called in Brazil) Conscience Day is symptomatic of a great evil, that can blow out of proportions if there is now urgent action.
The consequences of the misinterpretation of the term Freed Slaves (that might mean turn them into full citizens, or not) is a challenge that almost every sectors of Brazilian society still have to realize.
Most of Brazilians still see racism as a synonym for bigotry and violent intolerance and only. Reducing the gap between slaves owners descendants and slaves descendants is not a REAL goal in the society.
And, so as sexism and other kinds of discriminations, haven’t seen SIGNIFICANT change results so far. (And the tide against seems to be very powerful).
In the land where an incomparable illegal slave trade system and inequality still corrupts the government, legislation and most important Justice System only intense contact with reality and intelligent look at some numbers can show the BIG PICTURE.
No matter how much under educated Brazilians use the “half full” theory to live through barbaric routine it’s very necessary to survive trhugh the days.
But how is it possible to happen when most of the country consider the reversion of slavery baseded society:
- Job done
- Not so important
- Impossible
How can we do that?
HAVE YOUR SAY: The change in Brazilian society in the last 120 years was SIGNIFICANT? Can we say that the glass is half full?
24 comments:
A true shame. No rule of law when one has money. Corruption to the highest levels
Impunity is almost in the constitution, same for corruption, otherwise many should be in jail by now.
Even worse that a landowner who used slavery, cannot even go in jail because there is no law on this subject. The only thing that happens is that the landowner get a fine, not even very often, then he he is on a black list, he will get more or less a few visits from officials looking if he doesnt have slaves again, he cannot sell his products to the government and he cannot borrow money at favored rates through the BNDES. BUT THIS IS ONLY FOR 2 YEARS.
J U S T 2 Y E A R S !!!!!!!!
THEN HE CAN START ALL OVER AGAIN WITH SLAVES, GETTING LOANS FROM THE BNDES (CONTROLLED BY THE GOVERNMENT) and even sell his products to the government !
THAT IS AN INSULT TO DEMOCRACY, DEVELOPMENT AND TO HUMANITY.
I understand Adriana's rage. It's amazing how Brazil has everything to become a powerhouse but fails on the basic. I've lived in the country for 8 years and what I saw was that even the most educated part of the population don't realize:
1) That some problems the country has
2) Being optimistic is almost always good. The problem is when the its makes you don't fight for what it's right.
Unfortunately, despite of being a wonderful people, Brazilians don't unite to solve the problems and. Maybe because they don't believe there is a way to solve them. But the world has many examples of how some kinds of mobilization can make the difference in problems just like Brazil's.
The news I have from Brazil is that this is just the tip of the iceberg. The mere thought of people believing they need to use others as slaves to enrich themself fills me with dread and just shows how incompetent they are in their business practice.
Few people have been showing me how Brazil has probably the most impressive slave based social problem (which some countries like the US call "racial") in the modern world. I always doubted them, specially because I understand that the vast majority of Brazilians believe that the problem is not so big. Then I went to Brazil (and not only to Corcoivado and Pau de Azucar and Ipanema) and saw how the big challenges the country has are all related to slavery. I was really chocked, because this belief from the citzens (with honourable exceptions that just seems to confirm a rule) IS EXACTLY WHAT MAKES THE PROBLEM SO UNCHANGEABLE!!!
I read a book that shows that the racial gap in Brazil are in some cases higher than in apartheid South Africa and the Jim Crow south. How accurate is this info in you Brazilians oppinion? How is living in this sort of situation? What has changed?
I couldn't agree more with Anthony's picture. I think all African Americans should travel to the real Brazil (not to Ipanema and not only for sex) and see what we scaped from. Things here in the US are not perfect but the way they are static in Brazil is just revolting.
I went to Brazil in 1999 and somehow I thought this describe by Anthony and Tammy was a possibility. The superficial relations between people suggested me something the exact opposite. But you cant' understand this by walking in Copacabana or parading at the Sambadrome. But Looking at the numbers I can see how genious this Eurocentrism strategy is in the country and how perfect the results to prevent slaves descendents to move socially has been.
People who operate like this are entity's who are causing untold damage to the reputation of Brazil. This practice must be outlawed with huge fines and long prison sentences of no less than 10yrs minimum.
In Nicaragua it works, why can't it work in Brazil???
Brazil is still a medieval country on some issues. And then Lula wants a permanent seat at the UN! The world is not united with Brazil! Brazil doesn't deserve a permanent seat at the UN but deserves rather to be expulsed from it. Brazil has archaic laws. Brazil has not and will not end slavery.
If the government really wanted to eradicate this practice....this could have been achieved years ago but it choose to ignore this like almost everything else because.
Brazil has no doubt far more slaves that the faked and manipulated estimates. On purpose, obviously. Brazilian governments and political leaders are not people the world shall trust and we shall not even deal with them. The exeptions are rare. They betray everyone, starting with their own citizens. They just promise, promise, promise, promise. But commitments and will, there are none. Brazil even do forums to explain the world how to reduce and eliminate... slavery, poverty, hunger etc, etc!!!!!! Noooooooooo! Just a bunch of crooks and liars these Brazilian politicians are! Brazil society deserves a much better future. Anyone in the world who complain about its politicians should look at Brazilians. Just for clarification of the term "worst kind of political leader".
You know what? I've travelled almost the entire Planet and what I saw in Brazil in terms of race, ethnical, class, gender, regional world class segregation has no comparission WITH ANYWHERE in the Planet. ANYWHERE!!
It's sad because almost everybody from the dominated has no idea that it could REALLY be different and the country is lovely with so much potential.
A huge part of the population is "blindfooled" for international communication.
For them, world news are: CATACLISMIC DISASTERS around the globe, some USA/EU shallow politics (without the political agenda), more disasters, strange crimes that happens 2 times more in Brazil's main cities' streets - but becomes headlines when happen in rural USA or Austria.
I can do nothing but phraise this publication for doing the right thing about trying to open minds.
But you see my point right above me. Even with the inteligent presence of Maria Clara and Marcela (who seems to be proving the exeptions of the rule): There is never a Brazilian participating when you talk about the descive things about Brazil.
But what's the solution? Speaking about the 20% of the population who live in slums, I went to Brazil in 1972, comming bakc 21 times for the following years and back now in 2008:
1) Violence has soared even more
2) A very thin increase on the income
3) No participation on the political process
4) The only solution for Education in process is racial quotas (and they didn't even talked about affirmative action, which I favor)
5) No major (urgent) investiment in basic and high education
Where are they going? And yes, the place and some people are really, really, really AMAZING!
Is Brazil one of those things that are so increadible because they're doomed to be spoiled? I don't belive so!!!
Mick said it all!!! Almost impossible to find a Brazilian who cares about important issues and barely writes in English.
PS: Neither do I, Illana!!!!
Fully agree with Mick!!
Couldn't agree more with Mick too!!!!
Way to go Mick. This is a very interesting discussion about Brazil. It's crazy to see how the country is closed to foreign debates - not by law or restrictions but by the point of view of the minority in power combined with a low mobilization of the powerless majority. Most folks around the world still see Brazil as a racial democracy. What ever this is...
Brazil is the country in the western world where more gays are killed by hate crimes.
Doesn't that shows us something about where the country should start to look for change?
Brazil is an amazing country and this here seems to be a great debate about it. I fully agreen with the argument that it's very hard to see average Brazilians involved on debates related to inequalities. They hardly ever talk about it on parties (and they have so many of them) and other social encounters.
Is that the key for Brazilian problems? Not talking about it make you feel better, but also makes the problem grow bigger?
It's to blow your head the fact that Brazil has worse racial indicators than the USA and South Africa.
It's a world issue!!!!!
Interesting debate. Americans are normally very fluent about their problems related to race/etnicity and gender which I'm starting to believe is the opposite in Brazilian society.
Because most americans are so concerned with their own bellies this make the global debate very complicated - but interesting enough they are improving the problems related to race is a imprecedent speed.
The rest of the Diaspora community must be able to involve americans on the solutions and learn from their progress.
The stats about Brazil are very ridiculous. But in the other hand I think the world can learn from the country. They are no Racial Democracy, but at leats most of their population want to be such a thing one day if it's possible, and that's very nobel.
It's increadible how estereotypes about countries are the best way to not understand an entire people.
I thought black and whites live in perfect equality in Brazil just beacuse some white friends told me.
By the way, long life for this blog, it's one of the SMARTER THINGS I'VE READ ON THE NET LATELLY!!!
Ryanna
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