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Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Carta Capital & Mino Carta
To my dear English-speaking readers, the following blog's in Portuguese. Once again, for translations, try out Foxlingo.
* * *
Falo, já há algum tempo, para quem quer e não quer ouvir, que a única revista semanal que presta neste país é a Carta Capital. Digo isto por algumas razões. Primeiramente, parece-me ser a única cuja eminência parda, Mino Carta, aparenta preocupar-se com Jornalismo. Em segundo lugar, trabalham na revista jornalistas de verdade (Phydia de Athaide, Leandro Fortes, Ana Paula Sousa, et al.), pessoas que investigam e cumprem aquilo que é, ao meu ver (de leigo), o dever de todo indivíduo que pratica tal profissão: buscar a maior aproximação possível da verdade. Em terceiro lugar, em nenhuma parte da revista encontra-se um português massacrado por pseudo-jornalistas aparentemente semi-analfabetos.
Mais importante, talvez, seja o fato de que, apesar de saberem que não podem visar, como público-alvo, mais do que a classe média, a classe média-alta e a classe alta, aqueles que trabalham na Carta Capital aparentam demonstrar genuíno interesse no Brasil inteiro como assunto, não apenas no Brasil que serve à cobiça daqueles que, por sorte, ganância, ladroagem, trabalho ou uma mistura destes, ganham mais de R$800 por mês.
A revista em questão não é perfeita, de maneira alguma, e não concordo com tudo que ela fala e faz. Ao meu ver, sua posição quanto a política econômica do governo Lula não é correta; acho que a revista errou feio na sua reportagem quanto ao filme Tropa de Elite; e acho um violento equívoco o fato de a Carta Capital nunca entrevistar o corpo do contingente das Polícias Militar e Civil -apenas Capitães, Coronéis e Delegados, e isso só de vez em quando.
Mas continua a ser uma revista semanal honesta: sempre foi pró-Lula, e assim nos conta, desde sempre. E quando discordou do mesmo; de seu governo; ou daqueles proximos do presente presidente, assim notificou ao seus leitores. Mino Carta é uma pessoa de esquerda; todos na revista, aliás o são (ou pelos menos o aparentam ser). O foda aqui no Brasil, já que este é um país francamente de direita (entre, claro, as pessoas que ganham mais de R$800 reais por mês, que são os únicos que realmente têm voz na Grande Imprensa) é que ter uma revista dessas já faz a muitos chiarem, chiado esse que ouvi quando, na banca da Nove Julho, próxima à entrada da FGV, sugeri ao meu amigo Eitan comprar a Carta. Disse-me ele que ela era "tendenciosa". Sim, por que a Veja não é. Nem a IstoÉ, nem a Época, nem a Veja.
O problema é que aqui, em Terra Brasilis, aquilo que não vem ao encontro da opinião de certo sujeito (Eitan, neste caso) é tendencioso(a). Imagino que muitos partidários do PCdoB devem achar a Veja super tendenciosa e a Caros Amigos a nona maravilha do mundo moderno, especialmente aquela edição especial que, se não me engano, intitulava-se "Cuba, Sempre" (foi após esta edição, diga-se de passagem, que deixei de ler a revista).
Muito mais interessante, talvez, seja as pessoas primarem por duas coisas: a procura do bom jornalismo (seja ele de direita, esquerda, centro, da casa da minha avó) e o entendimento de que tudo que há em termos de jornalismo e informação, mesmo agências de notícias (Reuters, Efe, etc.), é tendencioso.
Por último, vale mencionar que a Veja e a IstoÉ viveram seus melhores momentos de jornalismo quando Mino Carta era chefe de suas respectivas redações. Provavelmente saiu por suas posições, mas isso é conjectura minha.
Aqui vai, então, em três partes, uma entrevista que Carta deu ao jornalista esportivo Juca Kfouri no programa "Juca Entrevista", da ESPN. É um programa esportivo e um dos principais focos da entrevista foi, ou era para ser, os jogos Pan-Americanos do Rio de Janeiro, onde houve uma roubalheira por parte dos organizadores (Arthur Nuzman e Cia Ltda.) incrível. Como caveat, menciono que Juca também é de esquerda e muito provavelmente votou para a Heloísa Helena na eleição de 2006 pois, em sua entrevista para a revista Caros Amigos em Junho do mesmo ano, apresentou certa preferência por esta candidata.
Entrevista, Parte 1
Entrevista, Parte 2
Entrevista, Parte 3
* * *
Falo, já há algum tempo, para quem quer e não quer ouvir, que a única revista semanal que presta neste país é a Carta Capital. Digo isto por algumas razões. Primeiramente, parece-me ser a única cuja eminência parda, Mino Carta, aparenta preocupar-se com Jornalismo. Em segundo lugar, trabalham na revista jornalistas de verdade (Phydia de Athaide, Leandro Fortes, Ana Paula Sousa, et al.), pessoas que investigam e cumprem aquilo que é, ao meu ver (de leigo), o dever de todo indivíduo que pratica tal profissão: buscar a maior aproximação possível da verdade. Em terceiro lugar, em nenhuma parte da revista encontra-se um português massacrado por pseudo-jornalistas aparentemente semi-analfabetos.
Mais importante, talvez, seja o fato de que, apesar de saberem que não podem visar, como público-alvo, mais do que a classe média, a classe média-alta e a classe alta, aqueles que trabalham na Carta Capital aparentam demonstrar genuíno interesse no Brasil inteiro como assunto, não apenas no Brasil que serve à cobiça daqueles que, por sorte, ganância, ladroagem, trabalho ou uma mistura destes, ganham mais de R$800 por mês.
A revista em questão não é perfeita, de maneira alguma, e não concordo com tudo que ela fala e faz. Ao meu ver, sua posição quanto a política econômica do governo Lula não é correta; acho que a revista errou feio na sua reportagem quanto ao filme Tropa de Elite; e acho um violento equívoco o fato de a Carta Capital nunca entrevistar o corpo do contingente das Polícias Militar e Civil -apenas Capitães, Coronéis e Delegados, e isso só de vez em quando.
Mas continua a ser uma revista semanal honesta: sempre foi pró-Lula, e assim nos conta, desde sempre. E quando discordou do mesmo; de seu governo; ou daqueles proximos do presente presidente, assim notificou ao seus leitores. Mino Carta é uma pessoa de esquerda; todos na revista, aliás o são (ou pelos menos o aparentam ser). O foda aqui no Brasil, já que este é um país francamente de direita (entre, claro, as pessoas que ganham mais de R$800 reais por mês, que são os únicos que realmente têm voz na Grande Imprensa) é que ter uma revista dessas já faz a muitos chiarem, chiado esse que ouvi quando, na banca da Nove Julho, próxima à entrada da FGV, sugeri ao meu amigo Eitan comprar a Carta. Disse-me ele que ela era "tendenciosa". Sim, por que a Veja não é. Nem a IstoÉ, nem a Época, nem a Veja.
O problema é que aqui, em Terra Brasilis, aquilo que não vem ao encontro da opinião de certo sujeito (Eitan, neste caso) é tendencioso(a). Imagino que muitos partidários do PCdoB devem achar a Veja super tendenciosa e a Caros Amigos a nona maravilha do mundo moderno, especialmente aquela edição especial que, se não me engano, intitulava-se "Cuba, Sempre" (foi após esta edição, diga-se de passagem, que deixei de ler a revista).
Muito mais interessante, talvez, seja as pessoas primarem por duas coisas: a procura do bom jornalismo (seja ele de direita, esquerda, centro, da casa da minha avó) e o entendimento de que tudo que há em termos de jornalismo e informação, mesmo agências de notícias (Reuters, Efe, etc.), é tendencioso.
Por último, vale mencionar que a Veja e a IstoÉ viveram seus melhores momentos de jornalismo quando Mino Carta era chefe de suas respectivas redações. Provavelmente saiu por suas posições, mas isso é conjectura minha.
Aqui vai, então, em três partes, uma entrevista que Carta deu ao jornalista esportivo Juca Kfouri no programa "Juca Entrevista", da ESPN. É um programa esportivo e um dos principais focos da entrevista foi, ou era para ser, os jogos Pan-Americanos do Rio de Janeiro, onde houve uma roubalheira por parte dos organizadores (Arthur Nuzman e Cia Ltda.) incrível. Como caveat, menciono que Juca também é de esquerda e muito provavelmente votou para a Heloísa Helena na eleição de 2006 pois, em sua entrevista para a revista Caros Amigos em Junho do mesmo ano, apresentou certa preferência por esta candidata.
Entrevista, Parte 1
Entrevista, Parte 2
Entrevista, Parte 3
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Our Favorite Uncle, at it Again
So the US got censured by the UN again; this time, the big no-no was waterboarding. And, as usual, it is highly likely the US government, a large portion of its population, and an even bigger swath of its political class don't give a flying fart. After all, we're talking about a country that has sent it's foreign prisoners to Egypt and Syria (yes, Syria) to be "questioned". Human Rights Watch just stated on 1 February that the US and Britain were being hypocritical when it came to dictators, despots, flawed polls, and sending prisoners and such to be tortured abroad. In the meantime,these two bastions of freedom and liberty hear of allies like Russia and Israel doing similar things and turn a blind eye.
No news here, of course, we've known this forever. But not always all of it. So, in the spirit of public service -and isn't that what blogs are supposed to be about- I've posted here a few more sites for my few?/sole?/inexistent? reader(s) to check out. All, of course, with the best intentions. PG-13 stuff, you know...
First up is Rebel Resource, which always has some interesting reading here and there. More interesting, though, are the links to other sites, like the Norman Finkelstein archives. Then there's LeftWatch, which is precisely what one needs when reading not only Rebel Resource but the links located in it as well. It's a good site, well researched, and most of the stuff is thoughtful and well-written.
More important, though, is If Americans Knew, which has been around for some time, now, and been doing, from what I understand, a fairly good job of amassing a substantial amount of information concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Worth a look.
* * *
Carnaval's over. May this have been the last one.
No news here, of course, we've known this forever. But not always all of it. So, in the spirit of public service -and isn't that what blogs are supposed to be about- I've posted here a few more sites for my few?/sole?/inexistent? reader(s) to check out. All, of course, with the best intentions. PG-13 stuff, you know...
First up is Rebel Resource, which always has some interesting reading here and there. More interesting, though, are the links to other sites, like the Norman Finkelstein archives. Then there's LeftWatch, which is precisely what one needs when reading not only Rebel Resource but the links located in it as well. It's a good site, well researched, and most of the stuff is thoughtful and well-written.
More important, though, is If Americans Knew, which has been around for some time, now, and been doing, from what I understand, a fairly good job of amassing a substantial amount of information concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Worth a look.
* * *
Carnaval's over. May this have been the last one.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Brilliant!
One of the best Onion articles I've ever read. Thanks, Marcos, you're a sweetheart.
World Leaders Gather To Roast Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
World Leaders Gather To Roast Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Super Tuesday
It's now 17:31 here in Brazil. Which means Larry King will soon begin his masturbatory session on CNN as he and his team of "analysts" spend hours and hours predicting who'll win the Democratic primaries. Millions'll watch. Fox News will pretend not to care. MSNBC will pretend they're actually competition. Jon Stewart will make fun of the whole thing. I'll miss it.
Super Tuesday. I bet even folks at MoveOn.org think today's ballot casting is meaningful. I bet even third-party activists think there's a choice to be made. I'll bet even the most cynical have stopped comparing Super Tuesday to the Super Bowl (you know, commercial breaks that cost millions, yada yada yada).
That's cute. It must be feeling good right now, them butterflies, the cheering, maybe some are comparing it to The First Time. Maybe the more informed are making comparisons to moments like Luis Inácio Lula da Silva's election. That's adorable, probably makes people think the US has a functioning democracy. Here, let me pinch your cheeks you cute little thing you...
But then again, you all know it don't mean shit. You all know our buddy Barack and our Sista Hillary work for the same people that crazy nutjob McCain works for. You know, donors and such. Did you donate money to their campaign? No? Hmm, guess you're shit outta luck, then.
But more than that, maybe their message really touched your heart, a message I'll bet my left testicle you can't even repeat, unless you look it up or Ctrl+C Ctrl+V that shit. The two candidates from the Democratic party with actual messages, whether you agreed with the messages or not, are gone or never had a chance. Ending poverty? Pfffft. Make the US a non-belicose state? Pffffft.
No, fuck that. Better to go for PR campaigns. After all, that's what American democracy has been about since the Cold War. The fact that Obama '08 folks actually believe Barack Obama was ALWAYS against the war should have George Orwell smiling right now. And to know that so many wish to turn a blind eye to the fact that Hillary Clinton is a crazy belicose "let's bomb the Persians NOW" bitch who is so corrupt she would fit right in in Brazil and vote for her because she's a woman and "stood by her man"... it all boggles the mind.
It'll make absolutely no difference if Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama make it to the White House (after George Bush's presidency, it's doubtful John McCain can win). Hillary and Barack belong to a tainted party, one that is just as corrupt, just as sold out, as the Republicans. Both candidates have spent millions upon millions of dollars saying nothing for the better part of four years (remember Obama at the Democratic Convention that chose John Kerry?), tricking people with well-made speeches and carefully placed editorials by Joe Klein. People should know better by now, especially those who follow politics, who know American history, and who are fully aware that marketing is a derivative of propaganda.
Lexington or Charlemagne, one of the three editorial pages in the Economist (I forget which one exactly), commented, about a year after the onset of the Second Iraq War, that, had Al Gore made it to the White House, he'd have made the exact same decisions after 9/11 that G.Bush made. I wholeheartedly agree.
Super Tuesday. I bet even folks at MoveOn.org think today's ballot casting is meaningful. I bet even third-party activists think there's a choice to be made. I'll bet even the most cynical have stopped comparing Super Tuesday to the Super Bowl (you know, commercial breaks that cost millions, yada yada yada).
That's cute. It must be feeling good right now, them butterflies, the cheering, maybe some are comparing it to The First Time. Maybe the more informed are making comparisons to moments like Luis Inácio Lula da Silva's election. That's adorable, probably makes people think the US has a functioning democracy. Here, let me pinch your cheeks you cute little thing you...
But then again, you all know it don't mean shit. You all know our buddy Barack and our Sista Hillary work for the same people that crazy nutjob McCain works for. You know, donors and such. Did you donate money to their campaign? No? Hmm, guess you're shit outta luck, then.
But more than that, maybe their message really touched your heart, a message I'll bet my left testicle you can't even repeat, unless you look it up or Ctrl+C Ctrl+V that shit. The two candidates from the Democratic party with actual messages, whether you agreed with the messages or not, are gone or never had a chance. Ending poverty? Pfffft. Make the US a non-belicose state? Pffffft.
No, fuck that. Better to go for PR campaigns. After all, that's what American democracy has been about since the Cold War. The fact that Obama '08 folks actually believe Barack Obama was ALWAYS against the war should have George Orwell smiling right now. And to know that so many wish to turn a blind eye to the fact that Hillary Clinton is a crazy belicose "let's bomb the Persians NOW" bitch who is so corrupt she would fit right in in Brazil and vote for her because she's a woman and "stood by her man"... it all boggles the mind.
It'll make absolutely no difference if Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama make it to the White House (after George Bush's presidency, it's doubtful John McCain can win). Hillary and Barack belong to a tainted party, one that is just as corrupt, just as sold out, as the Republicans. Both candidates have spent millions upon millions of dollars saying nothing for the better part of four years (remember Obama at the Democratic Convention that chose John Kerry?), tricking people with well-made speeches and carefully placed editorials by Joe Klein. People should know better by now, especially those who follow politics, who know American history, and who are fully aware that marketing is a derivative of propaganda.
Lexington or Charlemagne, one of the three editorial pages in the Economist (I forget which one exactly), commented, about a year after the onset of the Second Iraq War, that, had Al Gore made it to the White House, he'd have made the exact same decisions after 9/11 that G.Bush made. I wholeheartedly agree.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Mediocrity Through the Ages
Brazil, my friends, has VH1 Classic. Which means that, more than ever, we're that close to reaching our potential, the one we've been talking about since 1822. Who knows, maybe Sting'll even drop by to remind us yet again about The Rainforest.
So, whilst enjoying a segment VH1 calls "Música Mais Música Menos", I happened upon Will.i.am's "I Got It From My Mama" video (2007) and Gerardo's "Rico Suave" (1991). It's stupendous: sixteen years separates two incredibly mediocre, dull, unbelievably poorly written and terribly produced tracks detailing nothing.
But at least these two treasures, brought to me by Brazil's recent economic advances, point to the benefits of globalization. Ecuador got to have it's moment in the sun with this bright shining star it called Gerardo, and Brazil got yet more notice for it's almost century-old battered cliché of hot mulatas dancing 'bout the beach telling some rich foreigner their body is a precious gift given to them by their dear mothers.
Maybe I'm being reductionist; after all, Brazil is certainly a better country for having internationalized itself. Maybe my criticism would be better directed at something else, say, the people who listen -and memorize- this crap; then again, I've seen Chuck Norris' entire oeuvre.
But, again, I rant. Here are the videos:
So, whilst enjoying a segment VH1 calls "Música Mais Música Menos", I happened upon Will.i.am's "I Got It From My Mama" video (2007) and Gerardo's "Rico Suave" (1991). It's stupendous: sixteen years separates two incredibly mediocre, dull, unbelievably poorly written and terribly produced tracks detailing nothing.
But at least these two treasures, brought to me by Brazil's recent economic advances, point to the benefits of globalization. Ecuador got to have it's moment in the sun with this bright shining star it called Gerardo, and Brazil got yet more notice for it's almost century-old battered cliché of hot mulatas dancing 'bout the beach telling some rich foreigner their body is a precious gift given to them by their dear mothers.
Maybe I'm being reductionist; after all, Brazil is certainly a better country for having internationalized itself. Maybe my criticism would be better directed at something else, say, the people who listen -and memorize- this crap; then again, I've seen Chuck Norris' entire oeuvre.
But, again, I rant. Here are the videos:
Carnaval
So this is my blog. It begins now, 3 February, 2008, and I'm 26. It's 23:26 and I've a veritable boner. My blog!!!!!
First off, to those Brazilians still reading this and wondering why I'm being so fucking pretentious as to write in English... I'm pretentious, I intend this blog to be... yes... for FOREIGNERS!!! I actually think people of other nations, individuals other than my closest of friends, will read this. I also believe in the saci pererê, but only on leap years.
In any case, if you're having trouble with the English thing, you can translate this with Foxlingo, a Mozilla Firefox extension. But if my blog interests you that much, just fucking buy me a drink and let's go have sex already.
* * *
The latest edition of Carta Capital (which, for those not in the know, is Brazil's only decent weekly) featured an article on a recent wave of protests that took over parts of the Pela-Porco favela (slum, or shanty town) in Salvador, the capital of Bahia, due to the assassination, on the part of the Bahia Military Police, of four young black males. The article is certainly revealing as inside much information can be gleaned, especially the fact that there are actually protests, not just episodes of crying in front of television cameras at the four mens' funerals. The situation is so fucked-up, so ridiculous, that several people have manifested themselves in all sorts of very unBrazilian ways (one of the boys' mothers, a handicap mother of 3 -now 2- is in hiding for fear of retaliation, since she has spoken to the press).
But, alas, this isn't what the current post is about. I got really interested in a YouTube post the article mentioned, entitled Carnaval 2007 - Salvador Negro Amor??? It reminded me exactly of why I hate (and I'm using the word hate, not detest or anything like that) Carnaval. It reminded me of why I sometimes (but only sometimes, mind you) hang my head when walking the streets of São Paulo (or any Brazilian city, for that matter).
The video, as one can see, details police acting during one or more Chiclete com Banana (a Brazilian axé band) shows in Salvador. More than that, it details the entire social dynamic of these concerts. What happens is that, to "jump" behind one of these shows during carnaval in Salvador (the band is playing atop a moving truck), you have to buy a shirt (an abadá) that could cost several hundred reais, maybe upwards of one thousand. A rope is then set around the people who have the abadás (the green and blue shirts in the video) and anyone without them cannot come inside and "jump" along with the band.
Typical Brazil, in other words: black people create something -axé, the moving truck business, Carnaval- and only white people doing ether get to enjoy it. Part of what's seen in the video is this: blacks and pardos, the vast majority of Salvador's population (83%, according to the Brazilian Geography and Statistics Institute), attempting to enjoy something they're not allowed. However, as other blacks noticed, people of color can serve as protection for whites inside the ropes and sell 100ml cups of water.
Or better yet, they can go work for the Bahia Military Police and beat the shit out of other black people.
The reason I liked this video is not it's message, which I wasn't too hot for (the guy who edited the video seems to think everything in Brazil comes down to race when, in fact, problems are much deeper-seated. I would reckon a guess he just got into a Federal college and finished reading Marx.). I liked it because it's funny... in a sadistic way. You could show this shit to most of the white people I know (reactionary Jews, quasi-fascist Christians, etc.), and they would not only find it normal (a regular complaint from the video's editor), they'd find it amusing. Brazilians these days, especially the rich ones, dig violence, the love it, they get off on it; many only wish they could make sure the State could monopolize power just to make sure poor people would "stay in their proper place" (hence the ignorant and misplaced nostalgia for the 64-85 dictatorship, one of the principle reasons we've such rampant violence these days).
But my hatred of Carnaval is much deeper. Pray tell: do people even know what they're celebrating? Is it Ash Wednesday, the religious component of the holiday? If it is, it's funny, cuz that's when everyone's back to work. Are we celebrating our joy as a people? Then do tell me, what joy this is? Is it the joy those people at the Pela-Porco favela are feeling? Maybe it's the joy the almost half-a-million people who died of violent crime in the past ten years felt.
"Oh, Rafael, you fucking pussy," is what you're probably saying, am I right? Really, am I right?
Then tell me, is Carnaval about this country, Brasil, the winner of five fucking MEANINGLESS World Cups? What fucking country, I ask you? You go to Belém, Pará, and come back to São Paulo, São Paulo, and it's like you've been to two separate nations. And it has nothing, NOTHING, to do with regional accents or any such thing.
Oh, I know, maybe its revealing thoughts by shit pseudo-journalists like Ali Kamel, from Globo (where else?): Brazilians are not racists. Yes, and then there's Veja Magazine, which I remember telling me about Brazil not being homophobic either.
I was once talking to a friend of mine, a guy who'd recently just returned from living abroad. He told me two things, one of which left me dumbfounded, the other which left me... I don't know... curious. The first one is that people don't have a class consciousness. The second is that I shouldn't pity poor people for being poor.
On account of the first argument, I don't even know where to begin. Maybe he was fucking with me. Maybe he wasn't himself that day. Hell, even a fucking Nazi can see that rich people are completely aware that they're part of an elite, and wish to remain so. What's so terrible about the Brazilian elite is that it not only knows it's a class of extremely filthy-rich white people but it has absolutely no conception of what it even means to be an elite.
As for the second argument, I don't pity the poor of Brazil for being poor; I pity them for having to deal with us, with people that read books that enlighten us as to our lack of racism and our acceptance of fags and dykes because (and I swear on my mother's eyes that this was Veja Magazine's central argument) São Paulo has a Gay Parade.
But I rant, as a certain comedian once said. I'll now continue to ignore this bullshit holiday.
Cheers.
First off, to those Brazilians still reading this and wondering why I'm being so fucking pretentious as to write in English... I'm pretentious, I intend this blog to be... yes... for FOREIGNERS!!! I actually think people of other nations, individuals other than my closest of friends, will read this. I also believe in the saci pererê, but only on leap years.
In any case, if you're having trouble with the English thing, you can translate this with Foxlingo, a Mozilla Firefox extension. But if my blog interests you that much, just fucking buy me a drink and let's go have sex already.
* * *
The latest edition of Carta Capital (which, for those not in the know, is Brazil's only decent weekly) featured an article on a recent wave of protests that took over parts of the Pela-Porco favela (slum, or shanty town) in Salvador, the capital of Bahia, due to the assassination, on the part of the Bahia Military Police, of four young black males. The article is certainly revealing as inside much information can be gleaned, especially the fact that there are actually protests, not just episodes of crying in front of television cameras at the four mens' funerals. The situation is so fucked-up, so ridiculous, that several people have manifested themselves in all sorts of very unBrazilian ways (one of the boys' mothers, a handicap mother of 3 -now 2- is in hiding for fear of retaliation, since she has spoken to the press).
But, alas, this isn't what the current post is about. I got really interested in a YouTube post the article mentioned, entitled Carnaval 2007 - Salvador Negro Amor??? It reminded me exactly of why I hate (and I'm using the word hate, not detest or anything like that) Carnaval. It reminded me of why I sometimes (but only sometimes, mind you) hang my head when walking the streets of São Paulo (or any Brazilian city, for that matter).
The video, as one can see, details police acting during one or more Chiclete com Banana (a Brazilian axé band) shows in Salvador. More than that, it details the entire social dynamic of these concerts. What happens is that, to "jump" behind one of these shows during carnaval in Salvador (the band is playing atop a moving truck), you have to buy a shirt (an abadá) that could cost several hundred reais, maybe upwards of one thousand. A rope is then set around the people who have the abadás (the green and blue shirts in the video) and anyone without them cannot come inside and "jump" along with the band.
Typical Brazil, in other words: black people create something -axé, the moving truck business, Carnaval- and only white people doing ether get to enjoy it. Part of what's seen in the video is this: blacks and pardos, the vast majority of Salvador's population (83%, according to the Brazilian Geography and Statistics Institute), attempting to enjoy something they're not allowed. However, as other blacks noticed, people of color can serve as protection for whites inside the ropes and sell 100ml cups of water.
Or better yet, they can go work for the Bahia Military Police and beat the shit out of other black people.
The reason I liked this video is not it's message, which I wasn't too hot for (the guy who edited the video seems to think everything in Brazil comes down to race when, in fact, problems are much deeper-seated. I would reckon a guess he just got into a Federal college and finished reading Marx.). I liked it because it's funny... in a sadistic way. You could show this shit to most of the white people I know (reactionary Jews, quasi-fascist Christians, etc.), and they would not only find it normal (a regular complaint from the video's editor), they'd find it amusing. Brazilians these days, especially the rich ones, dig violence, the love it, they get off on it; many only wish they could make sure the State could monopolize power just to make sure poor people would "stay in their proper place" (hence the ignorant and misplaced nostalgia for the 64-85 dictatorship, one of the principle reasons we've such rampant violence these days).
But my hatred of Carnaval is much deeper. Pray tell: do people even know what they're celebrating? Is it Ash Wednesday, the religious component of the holiday? If it is, it's funny, cuz that's when everyone's back to work. Are we celebrating our joy as a people? Then do tell me, what joy this is? Is it the joy those people at the Pela-Porco favela are feeling? Maybe it's the joy the almost half-a-million people who died of violent crime in the past ten years felt.
"Oh, Rafael, you fucking pussy," is what you're probably saying, am I right? Really, am I right?
Then tell me, is Carnaval about this country, Brasil, the winner of five fucking MEANINGLESS World Cups? What fucking country, I ask you? You go to Belém, Pará, and come back to São Paulo, São Paulo, and it's like you've been to two separate nations. And it has nothing, NOTHING, to do with regional accents or any such thing.
Oh, I know, maybe its revealing thoughts by shit pseudo-journalists like Ali Kamel, from Globo (where else?): Brazilians are not racists. Yes, and then there's Veja Magazine, which I remember telling me about Brazil not being homophobic either.
I was once talking to a friend of mine, a guy who'd recently just returned from living abroad. He told me two things, one of which left me dumbfounded, the other which left me... I don't know... curious. The first one is that people don't have a class consciousness. The second is that I shouldn't pity poor people for being poor.
On account of the first argument, I don't even know where to begin. Maybe he was fucking with me. Maybe he wasn't himself that day. Hell, even a fucking Nazi can see that rich people are completely aware that they're part of an elite, and wish to remain so. What's so terrible about the Brazilian elite is that it not only knows it's a class of extremely filthy-rich white people but it has absolutely no conception of what it even means to be an elite.
As for the second argument, I don't pity the poor of Brazil for being poor; I pity them for having to deal with us, with people that read books that enlighten us as to our lack of racism and our acceptance of fags and dykes because (and I swear on my mother's eyes that this was Veja Magazine's central argument) São Paulo has a Gay Parade.
But I rant, as a certain comedian once said. I'll now continue to ignore this bullshit holiday.
Cheers.
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