Brazzil

Just recently we remembered Zumbi of Palmares, on Black Consciousness Day (November 20). He did not fight for territory or glory, but in legitimate self-defense, for the right "to be," for the right to recover our dignity. Palmares and all other quilombos, today some even urban, discard this hypocritical and cynical society. which today sees the black race as something passive, trying to take away from the black person his or her pride in his/her blackness.

We honor the resistance of Zumbi of Palmares and countless unnamed ancestors and survivors of a war of terror and deception.

Dates like this one make me reflect and write on the roles that we Afro-Brazilians have in this great drama. In the end, we are the owners of our emancipation cards and we are coming out from behind the curtains not to clean the stage but to be the principal actors in this new millennium.

Does power have color? Where are the colors of Brazil at the desks of decision-making? The electoral process shows us the truth. The UN considers that a country has democracy when the racial breakdown of those in government positions is the same as the racial breakdown among the general population.

So, Brazil will only be a true democracy when at least 44% of authorities are black women and men. Municipal, state and federal governments are the mirrors in which we can see our face. There continues to be very few blacks in this mirror.

And we have called this country a racial democracy. The one thing necessary for the racial discrimination to continue is for all of us (blacks and whites) to remain passive. Our passivity is a form of approval, because to do nothing is to cooperate with racism.

What is it to be passive in the schools and universities? What expectations do teachers have in relation to black children and adolescents? Very low expectations there is a subtle message that if things get difficult, the black kids will quit.

And what about means of communication? The media, because of its power to influence public opinion, should be used in a responsible manner to promote respect among races.

To those who say that one century after abolition we are still unprepared for skilled jobs, we respond that blacks receive 30-40% less money than whites with the same amount of schooling and experience in performing the same jobs.

Dieese (a non-governmental research organization) conducted a study which demonstrates how racial democracy is not functioning in the Brazilian workplace. The worst place in the study was the city of Salvador where unemployment among blacks is 50% higher than whites.

In our daily experience, we have to "confront the lion." We have to use strategies to rest, retreat, advance so that we can remain in one piece.

At the time of Palmares, to flee was to be free. Not today.

Today's quilombo is to stay exactly where you are, resisting, organizing, demanding.

Today's quilombo is to know that the moment has come to turn the table, the table where we used to just receive scraps....

We must turn our eyes and hearts back to Africa, the birth of civilization, the drum that keeps us united. Our gods and goddesses dance and are very near to our joys and victories.

If we use our colored clothes, our hair in braids, it is not because we are exotic. It is because we are part of a history, a culture. We have roots.

We begin every new year at ocean's front, honoring our ancestors who came across the sea. We know that we must heal our pain, looking to children, women, our people.

Black is not only beautiful, but competent. We know politics. The quilombo experience, the Palmares school.

We pass our bigwig ring to the next generation. In spite of the strong winds of discrimination, the cold inequities we have suffered in all these years, we must do more than talk. We have little to commemorate and much to do.

Today, we more urgently need to denounce the veiled discrimination, this psychological aggression that we breathe.

The time for mountain-climbing has come! We are the heirs of Zumbi, Dandara, Luiza Mahin, Quintino de Lacerda, Esmeraldo Tarquínio, Lélia Gonzalez, Beatriz do Nascimento.

To resist will always be worthwhile.

Alzira Rufino is Director-President of Casa de Cultura da Mulher Negra, writer and editor for Eparrei magazine.

Casa de Cultura da Mulher Negra - www.casadeculturadamulhernegra.org.br

Comments (102)

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Right but....
written by Guest, January 02, 2006

...if the majority of the 44 % Blacks Brazilians
vote for whites, the problem is then within the blacks communities. It means that blacks dont trust blacks. Simple and unfortunate.

Complaining is one thing, a little bit easy, but action is what Blacks Brazilians are lacking.

Racism is the Problem
written by Guest, January 02, 2006

Not a lack of action on the part of black Brazilians. I am a black American, 40 years after the Civil Rights movement, America has still not honored her "debt" to blacks either.

After 400-500 years of "profiting" off of black misery and suffering these nations are not all that interested in pushing for racial equality. That is a struggle that will be ongoing for at least another century.

There is still a strong tendeny to deny that racism is the reason for black failure and lack of progress and blame supposed "lack of action" or "racial inferiority" instead.

Rewriting history
written by Guest, January 02, 2006

They say history not important then tout their history.
They say focus on the money and economics at the expense of family.
They say that black is bad and white is good no matter the actions.
They say prepare for the future at this, that or the other institution under their control.
They say that blacks are not as well educated within their ommipotent system(s).
They say that those who want to make more money and be more accepted should make a visit to the store and purchase blond hair dye.
They say that white people are happier, more fun loving, smarter, harder working, more dedicated, better with finances.
They say that blacks are more likely to commit crimes.

Who are THEY? Who are those that have the cultural habit of stepping on people based on their skin color? Where in sanity and history did white skin become better?

THEY are the people who created the nuclear weapon. THEY are the people who polluted the earth with impunity without regard for the only planet we know to sustain life. THEY are the people who say white is superior then lay under sun lamps/on the beach. THEY are the people who don't want YOU to read the history of the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Muslims, Africans. THEY are the people who will look you in the eye and lie because THEY have redefined what a lie is in the first place. THEY are the people who create confusion as a part of whiteness. THEY are those who have been, time and again, labaled as fake and untrustworthy. Yet THEY are who you follow. You seek THEIR approval then ask the STUPID question of how the world started in the irreversible demise it is headed.

To be educated is to be cultured. Culture was before anyone heard of white. The sickness of this world is to give credit where credit is NOT DUE. You dummy yourselves down, look to the stupid for guidance then ask why we are screwed. LOOK A RACIST IN THE EYE AND TELL HIM/HER TO KISS YOUR ASS AND LIVE YOUR LIFE, EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE, AS IF YOU MEAN THOSE WORDS ...

IT IS OBVIOUS WHO THEY ARE THE QUESTION IS ...

WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU FOR TRUSTING IN AND FOLLOWING THEIR PROMISES OF A FUTURE UNDER THEIR CONTROL ... STUPID!

this is a great article
written by Guest, January 02, 2006

the racist brazilian blanco/white oligarchy in cahoots with the racist and bigoted and white supremacist gringos, will not stop at nothing to deny the colored people (black, red, brown, and yellow) equality, land, dignity. they deny us, people of color, the land, resources, equality, weath, and education we deserve, and hog everything for themselves, because of their evil, greedy, selfish, self-centered, racist, and vile capitalist and hate filled nature.

unite you people of color, and take back your land, respect, and freedom from the racist, tyranical, oppressive gringo imperialists and the blanco/white racist and oppressive oligarchy. this applies not just to brazil to all of the americas, where the white man has oppressed the indigenous, the mestizo, the black, and mulatto people for too long over 513 years by now.

...
written by Guest, January 02, 2006

An interesting number, that "44%".

What I want to know is how Alzira comes up with it. Obviously, she counts "morenos e pardos" as negros. But if that's the case, many of her other stats fly out the window. Morenos e pardos, on the whole, do not make 30-40% less that whites.

While racism is indeed a fact in Brazilian society and needs to be combatted, the above article shows some quick and dirty uses of stats that are all too common in this debate. To wit, one counts every "non-white" as "black" when calling for reparations ("44% of elected officials need to be black"), but when one relates the stats which prove "black" exclusion, one pitches one's analytical lens to a much darker-colored group.

This kind of statistical hanky-panky does little to concretely address the concerns of Brazilians of color in a realistic manner, but my, it sure does make fine rhetoric and inspiring reading, doesn't it?

44%?
written by Guest, January 02, 2006

In a recent article I read about TV da Gente, it was stated that the number of "blacks" in Brasil was closer to 60%, if I recall correctly. I did a quick search for "TV da Gente" and found an article in the Chicago Tribune that states "Half of this country's 180 million people are Afro-Brazilian -- the largest black population outside Africa." In The Guardian, it states "Afro-Brazilians form almost half Brazil's 180 million strong population yet account for 63% of the poorest section of society." Not sure how such a thing is measured.

...
written by Guest, January 02, 2006

The article doesn't argue for "reparations." Rather, it speaks toward the issue of representation.

How\'s that ??
written by Guest, January 02, 2006

Afro-Brazilians = Criolo
There is NO such a thing as Afro-Brazilians.
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"The worst place in the study was the city of Salvador where unemployment among blacks is 50% higher than whites."

Of course, all the blacks are in the streets jumping up and down because they see each day as a festivity day (25%) the other 25% is in no mood for work.
Here you go, 50% accounted for.
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"Our passivity is a form of approval, because to do nothing is to cooperate with racism."
You hypocrites, the real racist is the BLACK and not the White people.
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"And we have called this country a racial democracy."

What the f**k is racial democracy ?
In which way democracy becomes racial issue?
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Here's another good one:
"At the time of Palmares, to flee was to be free. Not today."

If they don't see themselves free, then move to South Africa or any other place in Africa. That's where they come from that's the place they got to go .

From the CIA fact book (internet) we can read:
"Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the US who had been slaves....)

If things are so bad, then do what the US slaves did, they moved back to their own continent, made their own country and life's good.

Adios muchachos. Be 100% free AND you get 100% of democracy.
Go and be the King Of Congo.
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"We must turn our eyes and hearts back to Africa, the birth of civilization, the drum that keeps us united. Our gods and goddesses dance and are very near to our joys and victories..."

Here's one big proof of how stupid one can be. Never seen a History book?
Birth of the civilization? If you equate gorilas,orangutangs,apes then you're right.
The REAL birth of civilization started in Babilon well before you even started to speak. That's why you have to use the drum. To communicate. Apes don't drum and they understand each other
I rest my case.
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The drum that keeps you united?
Don't you even start me on that.
----------------------------------
Now this
"Black is not only beautiful, but competent. We know politics. The quilombo experience, the Palmares school."
Competent in WHAT? Getting jailed?
If you know all this then show competence in politics and even then using a 100+ year politics book - Palmares school.
I think you guys missed class to eat bananas instead of studying the Palmares (whatever that is)
----------------------------------
"Today, we more urgently need to denounce the veiled discrimination, this psychological aggression that we breathe."

Denounce What? Your competence? If not then your only way out is the INcompetece.

Veiled discrimination? You are yelling at us that there's is a lot of discrimination but it is veiled? By whom? In which way it is veiled?

You even have or had a black guy for minister of something. What about that jackass?
Racism ? Where?
----------------------------------

"So, Brazil will only be a true democracy when at least 44% of authorities are black women and men.
44%? Who is the Einstein who came up with 44%.
I wonder why it is NOT 43% or 45%.
44% is some kind of cabalistic macumba number I guess.
----------------------------------
No democracy? If 44% is democracy then imagine 100%? Would that be Mensalaocracy for the Afro a*****es in Brazil?
----------------------------------
“Very low expectations there is a subtle”. Nice shot.
Expectations there is?
What the English book you’re reading would that be the “How to get negative IQ in English?”

...
written by Guest, January 03, 2006

Whether we're talking representation or reparations here is not the issue: that 44% looks, smells, feels like and probably is an arbitrary number.

passivity or balance
written by Guest, January 03, 2006

Wanting to work all the time is trying to be white. Whites do not see family the same as non-whites. That's why we're different. Whites procreate and institutionalize their children (state run day-care, federal programs that require federal control, spend most of your time at work neglecting children and family). The white sees the world differently. They see it as institution, institution, institution and make babies for the institution. Other real cultures see family first and institution second. Being under their control you had better act like them DEDICATED TO THE INSTITUTION or be labeled as not as hard working as THEY. If this person of color is lazy for not dedicating every minute of his/her life to white institutions THEN THEY ARE LAZY WHITES WHEN IT COME TO TAKING THEIR ASSES HOME AND RAISING BETTER NON-RACIST CHILDREN instead of trying to run the world through institutional racism, institutions (they think) being their tool to conquer the world. INSTITUTIONS FAIL AND IN THE PROCESS DETROY FAMILIES. THIS IS THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORLD ... THANK 'EM

...
written by Guest, January 03, 2006

hey we are all equal !! egalitarians!! international!!! so it should not matter !!
BUT IT DOES!!!!!
all of the races will never get along!!! never have !! never will!!!

...
written by Guest, January 03, 2006

Hey we need to mix all of the races up so they kill each other!!!
Great idea!!!
Racism? or incompatability? You decide!!!
or be relgious and insult me personally

...
written by Guest, January 03, 2006

ATTENTION! WHITES OUT OF HAITI !!
ATTENTION! WHITES OUT OF HAITI !!

...
written by Guest, January 03, 2006

"There is NO such a thing as Afro-Brazilians."

You get even stupider after that.

Black Brazilians or Blacks Americans !
written by Guest, January 03, 2006

They have the same problem. So it is.
They vote for whites, unfortunately, instead of voting for their black leaders.
And if I am wrong, why Jessie Jackson did not have more votes in his favor when he was a candidate for the USA presidency ???????? Far less than 5 % ! And blacks are far more than 5 % in the USA.

Sorry, but numbers speak for themselves.

And it is the same in Brazil.

Black Brazilians or Americans should vote for their blacks leaders. It is the only way to have more attention given to you.
But you cannot complain as you do after having voted for a non black.

I agree that whites treat blacks unfairly, but blacks dont help themselves by voting for a non black !

Cheers !

Haïti, Ha¨ti
written by Guest, January 03, 2006

Haïti, Haïti !
written by Guest, January 03, 2006

But unfortunately who cares for them ?
Nobody. Not even Aristide, black, but only and he who quit the church to enrich himself.

And strange as it is, look at ALL black Presidents of a country : they are much wealthier, even in the poorest countries, than every single white Presidents in developed countries.

Quite a contradiction !

By default
written by Guest, January 03, 2006

In answer to the question from Black Americans/Black Brazilians it's simple. The Western system is set up that if you do not vote they control BY DEFAULT. The very same system is set up that if you do vote they will fake the results. Blacks see it as a waste of their time to vote because they will just change the rules and we'll have more of the same. Whites got in control by DEFIANTLY sticking to the white lies changing the rules no matter the confusion that results. Blacks simply feel that political back and forths are preferrable to an all out war, but more and more are reaching the point that they can no longer tolerate white oppression while the whites will continue to DEFIANTLY play the game (because that's how they got in control in the first place remember?) and the only outcome is a clash between those who WON'T play the game and those to will DEFIANTLY stick to the game with more schemes, divisionary tactics, brainwashing tactics, buying sell-outs, nothing is too low for them. NOTHING. When it all comes crashing down they will blame the blacks, mexicans, jews and foreigners as they historically have done not acknowledge the historical contributions of people of color and let the lies go. It won't happen. They will be defiant to the end and on the other side the disdain for their oppressive behavior will continue to grow and grown and grown to the breaking point where no one is listening to the other. Only fighting, fighting, fighting until the world collapses. Until the last persons last breath they will blame someone else for THEIR demise. THEY DO NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY THEY ONLY PRETEND TO. NO? WHY IS AMERICA FULL OF CITIZENS STEAPED IN DEBT LIVING ABOVE THEIR MEANS IF THEY ARE SO RESPONSIBLE? PEOPLE NEED TO GET REAL AND STOP TRYING TO BE *** LIKE *** THE FAKES.

...
written by Guest, January 03, 2006

"There is NO such a thing as Afro-Brazilians."

That may come as a surprise to the millions of Afro-Brasileiros. Try googling "Afro-Brasileiro," ya dope.

...
written by Guest, January 03, 2006

Whether we're talking representation or reparations here is not the issue: that 44% looks, smells, feels like and probably is an arbitrary number.

Christ, if you torture stats enough they’ll confess anything. Who really gives a rat’s ass if it is 44% 66% or 33%, the point is there is a great deal of inequity and under representation that needs to be dealt with. Here we have our new generation of wannabe eggheads fiddling with numbers as Rome burns. Just Great.

African Americans, GO TO AFRICA INSTEAD
written by Guest, January 03, 2006

why go to bahia?? go to Africa that where the real roots are! African-Americans are to hostile and racist. plus they are considerably fatter and uglier than blacks in brazil, please don't come to my country and mess up the gene pool with your over hostile mentalities and disfigured physical appearences.

before anyone labels me a racist, eu sou negro.

Reply
written by Guest, January 03, 2006

“You get even stupider after that”.

How come? Stupider?
Not fair, you’re peeking in the dictionary to find “hard core” words.

So I’m stupid. But I wonder who is more like that. Someone who sees miles ahead or just a bum that can utter (heroically I must say) a 6-word sentence.

So I’m stupid. Coming from you is a honor.

So I’m stupid. Could you elaborate a little bit more on this issue?

Thank you for the compliment. I’m much obliged.

You sucks, pal.

Re: Reply
written by Guest, January 03, 2006

Your stupidity speaks for itself very well. But thanks for elaborating.

Re: How\'s that ??
written by Guest, January 03, 2006

Man, you are one ignorant, racist jackass.

Mess Up Your Country?
written by Guest, January 03, 2006

You mean that sh-thole called Brazil. You Latin American whites are some dumb sh-ts. You are all living in the stone age.White Brazilians are butt assed ugly. Your gene pool is already messed up that is why Brazil is a third world sh-thole. Too many retarded stupid people who can't even clean up your stinking country. I would rather go to Africa than a 5th world sh-t hole like Brazil!!!

White Brazilians Are Stupid Backwards F-
written by Guest, January 03, 2006

Like the previous stated you are all a bunch of stupid f-cks! Clean up your own fifth world sh-thold of a country before you criticize. If I was a black Brazilian I would rather pick up and move to Africa because it looks a helluva lot better than Brazil. I went to Brazil in summer and it smelled like a toilet that had been backed up for 500 years which is what Brazil is.

You morons are still living in the 16th century. Brazil with it's stupid white people can't advance beyond that point. Keep on living in your third world toilet. Even if the white race is superior it doesn't apply to Brazilian white people who are as retarded as hell.

How in the f-ck did you let a country get in such sad shape? Maybe you need to let the blacks rule it for awhile. It may be an improvement over the turd world status it's in now.

White Brazilians are ugly f-cks who spend all their money on plastic surgery and still look like sh-t! Keep on going down the toilet like you've been doing for the past 500 years.

If I was a black Brazilian I would hijack the first ship sailing back to the old motherland and get out of that hellhole called Brazil. At least they got toilet paper in Africa. You won't have to use your hands like the retarded inbred white f-cks do in your toilet of a country!!!!

Turd World Status!
written by Guest, January 03, 2006

That's so true!. Brazil is a turd world country full of sh-t. Hey white Brazilian keep on sucking Uncle Sam's c=ck and bending over so he can give it to you in your flat, fat greasy Portugee arse!

One thing good you white Brazilians did is prove that white supremacy is a farce. It sure as hell is in YOUR case! White people are not superior to blacks you just proved that with the way you run the country!! Maybe you should let the blacks rule for a change. They can't do any worse. Hell even a chimpanzee can run the country better than the "white" leadership of the country.

Fly U Directly To Salvador!!
written by Guest, January 04, 2006

So we can avoid all of the UGLY white people in Sao Paulo. Black Americans can now fly directly to Salvador from the states and bypass Rio and Sao Paulo with all of the fugly white people, not ugly but fugly! The only attractive Brazilians are the black ones. The first time the plane landed in Sao Paulo I thought it had crashed and I had landed in hell the people were so ugly, scrawny and trailer trash looking.

Now we can fly directly to Salvador and bypass all of that ugly. The white people if that is what you can call the inbred mutant looking people that passed for "white".. are ugly as hell too but at least there are less of the ugly bastards in Salvador.

Yes we black Americans are fat. That is because we can afford to eat in America unlike most blackBrazilians. I see them watching us with envy as we patronize 5 star hotels and restaurants. We face discrimination in America but at least its from real genuine authentic white people not some fake assed white people that inhabit Brazil. Plus in America a black person has a chance to become a millionaire. He isn't forced to live his entire life in miserable hovels and shantytowns like black Brazilians. I bet it is hard to have to put up with racism from backwards mutants like your average white Brazilian and have nothing to show for it.

But what do you expect from Brazil? Portugual and Spain are two backwaters themselves so what can you expect from Brazil? No wonder millions of Brazilians of all races are risking their necks to live in the States. I would too if I had to live in such a primitive backwater with retarded oligarchs. No wonder your women ride the first gringo dick out of the country. I guess its better to live in an American trailer park with a baldheaded fat American than remain in Brazil and have 100 babies rammed up your ass by a retarded Brazilian man who looks like a cross between a monkey and a bulldog who loves wearing women panties and getting up the ass by the hordes of she-males roaming Brazil's streets. :grin

...
written by Guest, January 04, 2006

"Christ, if you torture stats enough they’ll confess anything. Who really gives a rat’s ass if it is 44% 66% or 33%, the point is there is a great deal of inequity and under representation that needs to be dealt with. Here we have our new generation of wannabe eggheads fiddling with numbers as Rome burns. Just Great."


I'm sure. Which is why so many "roots" Black Americans get their undies in a bundle over whether 10 or 12% of the U.S. is black.

The difference between 33% and 66% is quite considerable and only a moron with no math skills would consider otherwise. And s**t, if this isn't an issue, then why don't we make up our f**king numbers. The IBGE claims that only 6% of Brazilians are black. If any number'll do ya, why not take that one and then claim that the problem has been magically solved?

There Are No Whites In Brazil!
written by Guest, January 04, 2006

I don't know what Brazil classifies as "white" but I didn't see anyone over in Brazil that looked white by American standards. Like the previous poster said,most "white Brazilians" look like ugly,rough-haired,inbred mutants. They must be retarded because Brazil still can't pull herself out of turd world status and the white Brazilians look like the 50 year old turds that are in Brazil's old backed up toilets. It's a shame that Brazil can even get s**t bowls that flush for most of her population and yet want to look down her nose at Black Americans. At least Black Americans can afford toilet paper to wipe their behinds and a s**t bowl to throw it in. Black Americans may be big and fat but then so are our paychecks. We can afford a flight to Brazil and then sit on our fat black asses and enjoy 5 star restaurants and hotels that the average Afro-Brazilian can't. Afro-Brazilians have to suck white c*cks for nothing. At least when a Black American sucks a white c*ck there is a billion dollar pay off a la Oprah Winfrey,Bill Cosby and countless other Black Americans who have managed to get a foothold in America unlike the Afro-Brazilian who is still floating around in the s**t bowl of Brazil called favelas.

Brazil Will Always Be a Toilet!
written by Guest, January 04, 2006

As long as you have dumb sh-ts like the white Brazilians running the country. Black Brazilians will never advance because as long as they are depending on dumb white butt plug ugly a*****es to run the show. Your average white Brazilian can't even find his big wide ass in broad daylight with a floodlight much less be expected to run the country.

As for messing up the gene pool, any genetic contribution to the Brazilian gene pool would be an improvement even contribution from a fruit fly. Maybe then you could bring the toilet called Brazil out of the dark ages and into the light.

Hey White Brazilians!
written by Guest, January 04, 2006

Here is a message from the White House if you want to get your country out of Turd World Status straight from the mouth of President GW himself:

:grin "Howdy folks. If you want to learn how to drag your country out of toilet open wide your mouth like this :eek or like this :zzz and suck on the great white c-ck of Uncle Sam :p and maybe you can learn from some "real" white people how to run that toilet you call Brazil. Give my regards to Lula and tell him he can take the first lick off my magic d-ck! :grin

Brazil Won\'t Know Sh-T!
written by Guest, January 04, 2006

Until 100% of its people are pulled out of the toilet called Brazil and won't have to keep backstroking through liquid sh-t!!

...
written by Guest, January 05, 2006

"The IBGE claims that only 6% of Brazilians are black. If any number'll do ya, why not take that one and then claim that the problem has been magically solved? "

Can you read?

Here ladies and gentlemen we have proof of the complete and utter meltdown of education. What the above poster quite rightly (and quite easily and coherently) pointed out to you is that there is a very real and obvious problem affecting certain segments of the population and to squabble over numbers just gets in the way of addressing the issue. Play your number games if you think that makes you all the better for contributing to the debate – however, you’re doing little more getting in the way. Run along and play.

...
written by Guest, January 05, 2006

Bottom line in this world: if you can't quantify your argument, you don't HAVE an argument. What you have is political rhetoric.

So when folks start mouthing stupid, obviously falsifiable stats like "44% of all Brazilians are black", they are essentially putting themselves on the same moral plane as those idiots who claim that only "6% of Brazilians are black".

That is why the black movement should stay away from these numbers games. They simply don't have believable data and when they sort of randomly pick the num,bers they do spout, they come off looking like idiots to the very people they are trying to mobilize.

After all, if one can pick any number one wants, which should we believe, 6 or 66%? And if 6% is as morally justifable as 66%, because these numbers are made up anyhow, just choose the one you prefer, then Brazil's race problem can be seen as solved because there already are about 6% blacks in power.

So THIS is why this sort of "let's spout stats out our ass" strategy hurts the black movement here in Brazil. THERE SIMPLY ARE NO RELAIBLE STATS ABOUT RACE HERE. To base your argument on them is thus to give up the moral highground.

...
written by Guest, January 05, 2006

THERE SIMPLY ARE NO RELAIBLE STATS ABOUT RACE HERE.

So let´s all sit back on our hands and do nothing! Gotta love it.

...
written by Guest, January 05, 2006

Let me get this straight - no one is intelligent enough to actually do a proper survey of how many people in Brazil are black, or mulato, or preto or whatever the f**k they want to call themselves? If no one can figure out how many there are, basic math I assume (1, 2, 3, 4....) how the hell can anyone help them???????? :sigh :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? :? Are people really that thick in Brazil?

...
written by Guest, January 05, 2006

"So let´s all sit back on our hands and do nothing! Gotta love it."

No, let's not act as if stats are relevant to this debate. Tehy aren't. what is relevant is proof that given proposed remedies actually work to reduce exclusion. That I have yet to see.

"Let me get this straight - no one is intelligent enough to actually do a proper survey of how many people in Brazil are black, or mulato, or preto or whatever the f**k they want to call themselves?"

No one can figure it out because, unlike the U.S., people in Brazil do not call themselves one thing all the time. A guy listed as "white" might be called "brown" by his friends and call himself "black" in order to get in on an affirmative action benny. Counts presume that what one is counting doesn't change from situation to situation. If we count how many apples and how many oranges are in a basket, we are assuming that apples sta\y apples and oranges, oranges. In Brazil, however, people don't stay nicely within their assigned "colors": they shift around a hell of a lot.

What You See In The Mirror Is What You A
written by Guest, January 05, 2006

Brazilians are sorely lacking in the common sense department because common sense would tell you that what you see in the mirror is what you are unless Brazilians shift appearances like the 4-H man. How can someone be "black" and then the next minute be "white" or "mulatto"? I've been to Brazil so the Brazilians can't fool me and a lot of Brazilians just look straight up Black to me and the Brazilians who call themselves "white" don't look a helluva lot different. Brazilians must figure money,social status and family name and connections into the equation when "figuring" out one's race because in my opinion most Brazilians' race is quite obvious whatever they call themselves. At least in America a person is either "black","white","Asian","Hispanic" or "Native American" based on what they see in the mirror. Brazil seems like a really crazy,fugged up country.

White Americans???
written by Guest, January 05, 2006

When I walk to any supermarket or big store, for example, in practically any area, in any big city in the USA I have an impression that the population of whites there is disappearing. People from India, China, Africa, and Latin America are overcoming their population of so called whites.

Actually, a great percentage of "white" Americans carry Mexican, black or Native American blood some generations behind. They are so mixed that the evidences are subtly hidden but when I talk to many Americans and I learned about their ancestry many times the Native (and others) blood enters the picture.

True white Americans are endangered specie. Actually that will be good because this way this crap about race will end there sooner or latter.

I really wonder on how many Americans can claim to be 100% European decedents at this point in time. I am a Brazilian and I can.

[removed]ac_smilie('')
[removed]ac_smilie('')

...
written by Guest, January 06, 2006

I'm really tired of ascension of the religious freaks and "marginalized" minorities, of politics not worth the congress space they take or the income they bring to the union, the "nordestinos" are more than enough. Do like Moses, take your 44% of hard working marginalized afro-Brazilians to the promissed land of where ever, Paraguay for example. If the "Nodestinos" don't represent the afro-Brazilians or at least part of the afro-Brazilians, and they have at least 30% to 40% of the power, then you have the evangelical freaks with some 10% to 20% of consolidaded power, hell, you might as well wish to kick the white population out.

...
written by Guest, January 06, 2006

"How can someone be "black" and then the next minute be "white" or "mulatto"?"

This may come as quite a suprise to an American who is brought up in a country where "a lil' dab'll do ya" in terms of race, but as any physical anthropologist will tell you, THERE IS NO SET OF PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS WHICH CAN BE USED TO ESTABLISH RACE. In Brazil, the majority of people are varying shades of brown. If they were American, just the fact that they weren't 100 percent "pure" white is enough to make them "non-white", but Brazilians - and in fact a good part of the world - don't hold to the "one drop rule": a hell of a lot more than color defines what a person is down here.

So a light brown woman who'd be called "black" in the U.S. because she has one black great-grandparent out of 8, will probably consider herself to be "white" for most intents and purposes. However, if she becomes politicized, she may declare herself to be "brown" or even "black" following the same ideologies you probably use (i.e. one drop of non-white blood makes one black). But that's not the way she's going to be treated here.

In Brazil we see colors as stretched across a spectrum ranging from "blue black" to "white white". In the U.S., you see colors in binary fashion: either one is black or one is white. Both systems are as racist as the day is long. both systems generate exclusion. But to say that one is more "common sense" than the other simply because one is more used to it is simply ignorant.

Unfortunately, that's what most Americans and Brazilians do....

A Brazilian thinks it common sense to judge by relative color. You think it common sense to judge by "one drop of non-white blood makes you non-white". Based on what, exactly, can you say that the one system is "better" or "more sane", other than ethnocentric prejudice and rank ignorance?

" At least in America a person is either "black","white","Asian","Hispanic" or "Native American" based on what they see in the mirror."

I'm sorry, but that is REALLY ignorant. You're telling me that hispanics and native Americans are judged by appearance? Both categories are CULTURAL, not racial. A white, blond-haired blue-eyed Mexican is a Hispanic. There are plenty of black-looking native americans living among the Cherokee. And don't even get me started on the number of white-looking Indians - or Indian-looking whites - which you have in the states.

Even "black" and "white" is not as obvious as you think. Black people have been passing for white since the first days of American colonization.

So I'm sorry, your "mirror test" doesn't even work for your own soceity, let alone Brazil. Time you upgraded your notions of what's "common sensical" 'cause from where I'm standing, your current version looks a hell of a lot like racist prejudice.

Still think I'm talking out my ass? Well why not hop´over to here...

http://www.pbs.org/race/002_SortingPeople/002_00-home.htm

...and try out your "mirror test" on a batch of average Americans and tell us how well you do.

...
written by Guest, January 06, 2006

Good post, now we need to find a way to rub it in without having 44% of Blue Black congressmen or being called Elitist White Supremacist Nazi, or inciting a Haiti inspired coup d'etat, any idea how we might accomplish such a feat?

ffffffffing
written by Guest, January 07, 2006

if blacks arent willing to vote fellow blacks in, why should the whites care? secondly, white leaders srew over most whites as well. the only people who ever benefit from power are the people close to the leaders. if you're not a person who can help the leader he wont help you. blacks and whites are in the same boat.

...
written by Guest, January 07, 2006

You think that greater black representation will produce improved conditions for balacks in general? Man You've been smokin' dope way too long.

Look at Washington DC, a city that is enitirely run by black politicians. It's hard to imagine a more screwed up major city in the US. The black voters even elected a Marion Berry, drug addict, as may a few years ago (he was caught on video tape).

The problem seems to be the ignorance of the black voter combined with the incompentence of the black politician. A receipe for for a fiasco. Look at what happened recently in New Orleans. The black mayor headed out of state as the hurricane approached but did not bother to provide similar opportunities for the black residents.

Any place on earht in which blacks run the show or have morphed into the controlling group is a disaster. So you want more of that do you? Better smoke some more dope.

...
written by Guest, January 07, 2006

black people like to dance............A LOT.

pure bs
written by Guest, January 07, 2006

most americans always talking about pure this or that but theyre not so its stupid. go to a ghetto and see blacks with brown skin or almost white sometimes. go to a trailor park and tell me most of the white ppl dont look as mixed or mutant or whatevr as those in brazil. the only difference is we can afford more hair bleach. lol

so stupid. u going to tell me beyonce is all black or the napster guy is white with his napster hair. jlo got a big ass n shes puertorican so shes part black right. so what about britney spears shes from louisiana and has a hella big ass too. lol

halle berry always talking about how black she is but she has a white mom! shes mullato but we dont use that word so shes majically black. just as black as serena right. no. serenas ass got them all beat tho. lol

daisy fuentes is spanish hispanic latino whatevr just like samy sosa right. no. ricky martin n andy garcia same as george lopez comedian or mind of mencia guy right. no.

jackie chan is asian like mao. but so are binladen saddam and ghandi. lol

stupid ignorant race bulls**t making no sense. fkn gov/media making fake categories and the rest just monkey see monkey do whatever they say.

the only thing that matters is rich powerful pure english spanish french dutch portuguese, the rest of us just guests in their houses. believe it.

when new world gets invaded and conquered by chinese or whatevr whos going to fight? them? no. send out the poor black indian german italian irish polish etc. when they die send the middle classes. when they die make a deal. masta good at saving his own ass. lol

better marry up and pretend to be pure while u still have time lol

...
written by Guest, January 07, 2006

i think the napster guy is jewish which means he probably is a decendent of the middle east via europe, but I agree with your point in general.

2 simple questions !
written by Guest, January 07, 2006

Why are African countries, the least democratic countries of all countries ?
Whites are not involved.
How could then blacks talk of democracy when their roots and ideology have no democracy ?
Blacks enjoy democracy only in whites majority countries.

All black countries arewithin the least developed countries and the poorest in the world.
Why then are their Presidents richer and wealthier than Presidents of developped countries ?

My answer is simply because countries with a black majority have never taken care of their own education and their leaders take all the wealth of the country.

And again and again, sorry, but if blacks feels so frustrated against the whites, why dont they vote for black leaders in such countries as Brazil where blacks represent 44 % of the population ?

I completely agree that whites are unfair to blacks, but blacks are even more unfair to themselves.
At the end, brazilian blacks, whites and meszinos, everyone has ONE vote, at the elections.
Elections give an opportunity for everyone to vote in favor of someone.Then why do blacks vote for whites and then complain about the whites unfairness ?

They are full of contradictions !!!!

IBGE ? IBGE and other brazilian governme
written by Guest, January 07, 2006

and ministers !

Who could trust their fake and trunked statistics.
Their numbers of 6 % blacks in Brazil is just a taste of all what they do innacurately but ON PURPOSE.

Even Lula who was all his life against corruption and a hard fighter, made a U turn after being elected.

In fact he even legalized corruption.
He also invented a new way to win elections : simply buy votes BUT at government cost ! And that way it does not cost a dime to him and his gang.

A first in this world !

Black Leadership!
written by Guest, January 08, 2006

There is no such thing. White people control 90% of the world's resources so there will NEVER be such a thing as black leadership. What you have instead are black frontmen. As long as blacks don't control any economic resources they will never have any real power. So what if the mayor is black or even the president of the country as in South Africa. It doesn't matter. Political power does not equal economic power.

Who determines the leadership of any nation? The world's only superpower that is who. America actually chooses the leadership of any nation there is NO such thing as free elections, just a choice of the lesser of the evils. America will tolerate no threat to her economic standing. If Africa or any other Third World country ever elected an independent (non-CIA puppet) leader he will be OUSTED. President Aristide was kidnapped from Haiti and forced into exile in South Africa because he was building too many schools in Haiti and preparing to eradicate most of America's sweatshops. The US couldn''t have that. And who can forget the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr, Patrice Lumumba, Steve Biko and a whole host of lesser known "true" black leaders who refused to be manipulated by the CIA.

And the last casualty in this CIA line of fire is Saddam Hussein. In order to take control of Iraqi oil Saddi had to go. "Democratic" elections are being held for a CIA- puppet controlled leader who will ensure that all of Iraq's oil profits go into the coffers of the US treasury. Saddi wasn't a good guy but he was installed by the CIA who no longer needs him so out he goes.

And as for African "leadership". That's a big joke. Africa for the past 500 years has been the "goose who laid the golden eggs" for Europe so there is no leadership. Frontmen yes, leaders no. Africans are blamed for their inability to govern countries that are not even their own in the first place. And for any white person who thinks that only whites can govern a country effectively I wish you could sit at my desk at work and listen to all of the complaints from white taxpayers over how f-cked up the American tax system is. They complain but they don't realize that WHITE people are the creators of the capitalistic and profit based tax system that is screwing them up the ass.

It is the color GREEN that rules and controls the entire world. Puppet leadership doesn't.!

Brazilians are Full of Sh-t!
written by Guest, January 08, 2006

Who is Brazil to take the racial moral high ground over America? As an African American I experienced just as much racism in Brazil as I do in the States. Did not a Brazilian just post that he wished that black Americans would keep their "fat, hostile, disfigured" asses out of Bahia. Well hate to burst your racial bubble but in Bahia this "disfigured" but not fat black American was many times mistaken for a Bahian.

Brazilians claim they don't see color but if you notice almost all of their models, actresses and entertainers (including one of the highest paid in the world) are blonde and mostly from Southern Brazil. There was even an article written recently that stated that the most attractive women are found in Southern Brazil and are of Polish, German and Italian heritage. If that don't sound like racism too me I don't know what is.

Even though a good number of white "Brazilians" are brown skinned they can still be as racist as a Texas sheriff. I've seen some of the most racist derogatory stereotypes of black people in both Mexican and Brazilian media. Judging from their tv programs most of Latin America is located somewhere in Scandinavia. Seldom is a black or Native American performer present unless he is the butt of the joke.

Yet the average Brazilian will claim "we don't see color or race in the same way as Americans." That is pure grade horsesh-t! Just notice the color of the residents of Rio's posh South Zone and the complexion of those in the Rocinha and tell me they don't "see color". Brazilians actually split hairs over complexion and hair texture, everyone trying to find some little trait that will save them from the "black" category and the ridicule and mockery towards "black" people in Brazil surpasses that of America's. That is why there are so many color categories in the first place. Brazilians trying to find a way out of the "black" category and if not into the "white" at least anything but to be labeled "black".

And they consider their form of "racism" superior to that of the American variety? I don't think so!

No Whites in US Either!
written by Guest, January 08, 2006

No more white people. White peple disappear from US. Mostly Latin people now! White people too old to produce children so white race dying out. In America no more white people. No more white people in Europe either. Turks, Africans, Indians, no white people have babies no more.

Once white people gone, world will no peace. No white people around to start trouble in other countries. People be able to run their own countries. No more have to worry about white people messing up country. White people are dying out even in their own countries. Soon white people will be like dinosur - extinct!

...
written by Guest, January 08, 2006

sorry to burst your bubble, but many latin americans are white and turks are considered white also. Maybe not in Europe or Canada but in the good ol US of A they are. See it all comes down to perspective and where a culture wants to divide the line. As much as I could say there are no more white people, I could cut it the other way and only worry about black purity and say there are going to be no more black people and they are being overwelled by immigrants also. Look at Los angeles, as the mexican (mostly mestizo which means WHITE and indian)population has gone up, the black population has been hurt as much as the "whites". As long as you don't worry about racial purity and when it comes to indian blood most americans don't, if these people ever become assimilated thier decendents will also be considered white. After all many of us already have indian blood and it hasn't stopped us from being considered white in the US.

TO ALL YOU BRAZIL BASHING AMERICAN PIGS:
written by Guest, January 08, 2006

seriously shut the f**k up! you dont even live in brazil and you are talking s**t about it, why dont you f**king rich pigs try to help it out since all "YOUR f**kING n****rS ARE SOO f**kING RICH LIKE YOU SAY" .

FOR THE PEOPLE WHO CALL BRAZIL A TOILET

why the f**k are you on this site then? also don't you know that IN BRAZIL, toilets aren't made for you to throw massive amounts of toilet paper in. BUT I GUESS U HAVE TO SINCE YOU ARE ALL FAT ASSED n****rS AND WHITE REPUBLICANS/DEMOCRATS.

GO WACTH YOUR 50 CSI shows and drown yourselves in your myriad of fast food s**t. I hope the next world war wipes out your f**king whiney asses.

sincerly,
the whole world

well said (\'burst your bubble\' post)
written by Guest, January 09, 2006

thats exactly why it doesnt make any sense for americans - on or off these message boards - to look down on brazils population as being mixed and not white or not black or whatever when they themselves are as mixed as the brazilians. of course each country has its unique backgrounds/history etc., but in general, not so different.

(i wonder if canadians look down on us for having such a mixed population? do the jamaicans? i guess the australians can't really talk since so many of them are mixed too.)

there is bias everywhere. seems everyone needs someone to look down on...

in europe the western europeans (eng/fra/spa/port/hol) look down on the central euros (ger/ita/scand) and they in turn look down on the eastern euros (pol/rus/greec). why? no idea. to the chinese they all look alike anyway. lol

in japan they have this ethnic minority group of japanese people that they consider inferior and dirty. they scapegoat them for every ill of thier society. they are impoverished, imprisoned at disproportionate rates, and in general shunned by their own countrymen. (glad we don't do that kind if thing here in the 'new world') of course to most of us they are just plain regular japanese people and no different than the others.

it is all relative. and all very, very stupid.

...
written by Guest, January 09, 2006

and don't forget about the carnies. They scare the s**t out of me.

...
written by Guest, January 09, 2006

"Who is Brazil to take the racial moral high ground over America? "

The only people I know who claim that Brazil has the "moral high ground" in matters racial are...

1) A handful of really stupid white Brazilians (and because 87% of the country think Brazil is racist, this is no more than a handful), and...

2) Black American tourists who once believed that Brazil was some sort of racial paradise and then came on down here and found out otherwise, much to their suprise.

Intelligent Brazilians are quite aware of the fact that they live in a racist country and that we need to do something about this. Why the hell do you think we now have affirmative action programs?

Programs, I remind you, that are now being CANCELLED in the oh-so-progressive United States...

AND YOU ARE ALL A BUNCH OF
written by Guest, January 09, 2006

SKINNY ASSED n****rS AND POOR WHITE WANT TO BE TRASH! You all hate America yet you TRY and imitate her ass. Brazil is a hypocritical sh-thole that is every bit as RACIST as the USA. That is why blacks in your country as so goddamn skinny. American blacks would be too if they only ate one meal a week and are too broke to afford bus fare. Who wouldn't be skinny if they had to walk 50 miles in the hot sun with no shoes?

At least in America black people have the privilege of being called n****r by a real white person not some stupid fake assed white person that doesn't even know how to build a toilet that flushes!!!!!!

Some of Us Were Trying to Help!
written by Guest, January 09, 2006

Some of us "big fat disfigured n-ggers' were in Bahia trying to see how we could help. We weren't fooled into thinking Brazil was a racial paradise but we were still there to help. We didn't know that the Bahians viewed us in such a negative light and that we were being so hostile and offensive.

I and my party treated the people of Bahia with respect and brought loads of brand new clothing and school supplies for the kids. Racism exists everywhere. I didn't expect it not to exist in Brazil. Black Americans don't have much but we are willing to share what we do have.

And by the way not all of us are fat.

I ONLY HEAR BLACK AMERICANS CRYING
written by Guest, January 09, 2006

americans are the ones that are all about race! you go to america the first thing they ask is "WHAT RACE ARE YOU?"

why dont you guys stand up for your brothers who are suffering alot more in Haiti?
that is a country that is ruled by blacks and look what it is like!

f**k blacks and f**k whites

How stupid can people be
written by Guest, January 10, 2006

I write as a white European -- so get where I am coming from.I seem to remember that recently a certain African President took back land from the white productive farmers and gave it to the blacks, on the grounds of fair redistribution of land, and now all the silly buggers are starving! Soon they will be begging for money from the US and the EU.

...
written by Guest, January 10, 2006

Re: "that certain african country" to make it even funnier they justify it by claiming to be the "natives" of that land when in reality they pushed out the koesians (bushmen) themselves a few hundred years ago. Every race or culture at times has, when been a position of power, done stupid things such as this.

Haiti is NOT Ruled by Blacks!
written by Guest, January 10, 2006

Haiti like every other country in the world is ruled by the American CIA. If you want to talk about Africa's "stupidity" let me tell you about the Soviet Union from which I have just returned. The dummies let the US talk them into going from a communist country to a capitalistic one and guess what? The dumb asses are starving! The Russia Mafia is running amok in that country and the only people who are surviving are the sex workers. And AIDS is rumming rampant in the country.

Let me tell you about the good old USA. The country is literally falling apart. Chaos and confusion is the order of the day. Living in America is like being on an airplane with no pilot plummeting to the earth. The screams and cries of the American people are reaching a crescendo. The President is bankrupting this country with a stupid war in Iraq. Illegals are crossing the borders in drove stepping all over the American people.

If you seriously think that America is a well run country you obviously are not living there or you would see the all out chaos and pandemonium in the streets!

It is All About Race!
written by Guest, January 10, 2006

Yes in America we are OBSESSED with race. We don't like racially ambigous people who can't be obviously categorized. People will ask you what race you are if they can't easily tell. The only people who are complaining about this though are people from Latin America and the Caribbean who have to take a racial step down when they come to America. Only blue-eyed blonde types are considered "white" in this country. Everyone else can take a good step down on the racial ladder of humanity. The top step is "Aryan Only" white people.

People who are considered white in Latin America come here and find out they are often thrown in the same pot with the blacks or the Hispanics and they can't stand it. Sorry if you want to live in the States you have to play by OUR racial rules.

France & Spain Stuck Their Noses In
written by Guest, January 10, 2006

America's war on Iraq and got f-cked up too by the Muslim people. And you are telling me that white people are the only ones who know how to run a country? Judging by the events of the past 4 years I don't think so! Hey come on. America got f-cked up 4 years ago by Muslims hijacking planes in BROAD Daylight! HELLO! Who's manning the goddamn controls in this country?

Talk about some stupid sh-t! Nobody told the USA if you stick your hand in a hornet's nest you just might get f-cked up. After getting their asses kicked for joining the dumb US of A, France and Spain quickly withdrew their troops. It seems to me as if these nations are run no better than Haiti or Africa or they wouldn't keep getting the sh-t kicked out of them by the Muslims.

And England Got Hers Kicked Too!
written by Guest, January 10, 2006

I forgot all about ye merry olde England. She got an ass kicking too by the Muslims. How is it that these white First World nations are being infiltrated and taken over by Muslims supposedly dwelling in caves? How is that possible that they can so easily defy detection in these nations with all of their sophisticated technology and "smart' bombs.

Four years after 9/11 America still can't find Osama and he's probably right under her nose. So whose countries are falling apart and being overrun by terrorists and illegal immigrants if it isn't the USA and Western Europe. Hell all of these illegals are running all over white people and they can't seem to stop it. People from these supposedly dumb third world countries are crossing the borders one one side while terrorist cells operate on the other side! Seems as if white people are rapidly losing their grip on the world. Things that make you hmmmmmmm!

Hey Brazil!
written by Guest, January 10, 2006

If you and the rest of Latin America are predominantly "white" countries then why are you such third world toilets? Brazil is in such bad shape that even white Brazilians would rather come to the States illegally and scrub sinks and toilet bowls instead of staying in Brazil. You know a country is in sad shape if even the white folks don't want to live in it!!!!!!! :grin

To: Hey Brazil!
written by Guest, January 10, 2006

BUDDY, please stop with the toilet comments. Don't disrespect a country just because it isn't as developed as the one you live in.
The problem in Brazil is with the Politicians. Brazil is a very very rich country, I mean look at all our resources!!
Brazil has everything to be a first world country, what we need is a Smart and honest leader. Someone with initiative and ideas.

Who will that be? Obviously, it will be someone "special" regardless of race.

In Brazil, the worst "race" is the politician.

Now for the flaming of the author of "Hey Brazil!". I know many people who would love to move abroad, it doesn't have to be the United States. It just happens to be the easiest one.

The reasoning behind it, is that they will work for a couple of years abroad and come back and open a business or something in Brazil with the money they made.

Blacks in Brazil are much nicer than blacks in America, I DONT GIVE A f**k WHAT YOU SAY.

race in the U.S.
written by Guest, January 10, 2006

the Nazi thing is true. blonde blue eyed ppl are what's considered white, which is why so many people color their hair blonde trying to fit in. its the michael jackson effect and its the wierdest thing you've ever seen. people with brown or black eyebrows and fake yellow hair talking about how 'blonde' they are. lol

Seems to be something from our history, or more specifically the history of England. The then 'native' anglo saxons being conquered by vikings, and treated like crap for not being blonde. they seem to have brought that insecurity with them to the new world and then inflict it on every new wave of immigrants, until they themselves become fake little wannabe vikings too.

whats really wierd is that by their own standard, the overwhelming majority of americans are not white either. so what you've got is a bunch of english speaking brunettes talking down to a bunch of portuguese speaking brunettes for not being blonde. lol

u couldnt make this stuff up.

Green makes you clean
written by Guest, January 11, 2006

When it comes to color, only one counts, big GREEN. The rest is just eye candy.

People in Brazil Are Much Nicer
written by Guest, January 11, 2006

Sure blacks in Brazil are friendlier than American blacks (I am an American black myself so I agree) but so are people in general in Brazil friendlier than people in the States. There is NO place in America for a person who is not relatively aggressive. It's the American way.
It is the reason America is a world superpower (not that that's a positive thing). Aggression, aggression and more aggression.

Yes blacks in Brazil are MUch nicer than blacks in the States but then again whites in Brazil are also much friendlier and warmer than whites in America.

...
written by Guest, January 12, 2006

Yes blacks in Brazil are MUch nicer than blacks in the States but then again whites in Brazil are also much friendlier and warmer than whites in America.

There are only a handfukl of REAL whites in Brazil, and they are mostly nazi war-criminals dying out in the South. :grin

...
written by Guest, January 13, 2006

There are only a handful of REAL whites in the U.S., mostly isolated in the Northeast away from all the halfbreed rednecks in the rest of the country.

...
written by Guest, January 13, 2006

this is just going around and around in circles............i'm a honky, you're a honky everybodies a honky.....

...
written by Guest, January 14, 2006

only money matters

...
written by Guest, January 14, 2006

To the comment about white Latin Americans taking a step down in the U.S., that's not the reaction I see from them. It's a common stereotype around the world that Americans are generally ignorant about a lot of things. So when Latin American whites are treated differently than Anglo American whites and grouped into a separate "hispanic" race along with blacks, Indians, and Asians it only reinforces that ignorant-American stereotype. It's very strange, like a Twilight Zone movie where people see you as a white person with their eyes but then your race changes in their minds if you speak with an accent or they learn your last name. It has nothing to do with the color of your eyes or hair, but with your ethnicity or culture which many Americans confuse with race. Sometimes they want to group you with other Latin people like French or Italian, and other times they will insist that you could not possibly be Spanish at all and that you are clearly "white" (meaning European) and that your family must have learned Spanish at some point in their history. Where exactly do these people think Spain is located? Not far from England if you look at an Atlas. But most Americans don't know much about Geography or race so they invent things to make up for their lack of knowledge, which only ends up making them look even more ignorant than their rep**ation.

...
written by Guest, January 14, 2006

I am an american who has lived and travelled for many years overseas, I agree completely with the post above. As a whole, we are about the most ignorant people in the world when it comes to understanding geography and other cultures. The funny thing is this also extends to many decendents of latin american immigrants in the US. I actually had a guy whose parents were from guatemala but was clearly predominantly white (You could have placed him in spain and no one would think he was a foreigner) that he was closer to being indian. The reason he gave was that he spoke spanish. Also with the exception of miami the majority of people form latin america who immigrate to the US are from poorer families and therefore usually mestizo, and even these decendents are surprised when they see a white person speak spanish. To them latin american culture is like the poor mestizo barrio they grew up in, in the US. They don't even realize that this is only a snapshot of one segment of that geographic region that was forced to immigrate to the US due to economic conditons, that might partialy be caused by racism within latin america.

This is true
written by Guest, January 15, 2006

Yes black North Americans are typically hostile and cynical, much moreso than Africans, Caribbeans, and I presume Brazilians. Hello? It's because they're BLACK. They weren't allowed to decide, they were just labeled against their will. They are practically forced to go through life in a black box, always being defined by this arbitrary black box, regardless of what shade they are from peach to blue, what cultures and religions they have, or what economic stature they have, etc. Black women are especially insecure and hostile. Hello? Again, because they're BLACK. They are rarely considered women, sometimes they view one another or feel that they are viewed as black asexual patriachal boxes with wigs on. Some say they're proud to be black. I'm convinced at this point that they have no idea what they mean by that and they say that out of sheer ignorance or fear. Fear of being marginalized by other ignorants as a "sellout", ignorants who have been labeled and don't give it a second thought, or fear of bearing it out alone only to be embarassed by supremacy. There is no way they could be ignorant enough to mean that they're glad to have brown skin, knowing full well so many of them look completely different, or be talking about their ethnic heritage, when that is one out of thousands in that same group. Look at African culture and Afro North American culture. The two are night and day. Africans are typically Anglican or Catholic, Afro North American cultural norm is Baptist, evangelical Protestant. I could go on like this. Walking in circles inside of the same coffin. Then esort to pulling others in, as if this behooves us anything whatsoever, to be biphobic and call bicurious men straight up gay, to sing welcome to our world to white latins who become hispanic, to bully people who are racially ambiguious, when they could be an obvious key to cracking these types of codes and putting a stop to foolishness.

Slavery Different in the Americas!
written by Guest, January 15, 2006

Latin American slavery though brutal and harsh was still not as harsh as slavery in the states. This is the reason for the hostility among black North Americans. Having to live in a hostile society in which they are a minority group. Afro-Caribbeans and Afro-Brazilians, etc had to face the same brutality but they had the advantage of much larger groups and not being the minority in a hostile society. This does not mean that Latin America is less racist it's just that there is a certain degree of power in numbers. Also black Americans had to put up with being hunted down and murdered by white supremacist groups (which are still in existence today and protected by the US govt) and facing death by mass hysteria lynch mobs.

America is a very aggressive murderous nation that is why she is the world's only superpower. Black Americans have always been the target of that aggression so what do you expect from them? You treat people like animals for 400 years how do you expect them to act? Black Americans are actually treated worse than animals in American society. Sure blacks experience a lot of racism and prejudice in South America. I am not saying that their lives are any easier. It's just that they have the power that comes with large group status.

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written by Guest, January 15, 2006

I would disagree that slavery was less harsh in Brazil, that is a myth that has been refuted by a number of historians. However, I would agree that american society has helped creat what black americans have become. Yes slavery did end in the US a long time before it ended in brazil, but legal segregation existed almost to the present day in relative terms in the US. I think the culture clash is much greater also between a predominantly anglo society such as the united states and its populaton of blacks and that of a predominantly latin society and black people.

American Society is Harsh!
written by Guest, January 16, 2006

American society has always been intolerant against anyone who wasn't an An