10 Reasons + My own Reasons to Be Outraged with Brazil

A few days ago, a friend of mine posted on facebook an article written by the Brazilian journalist Ruth de Aquino about Ten reasons to be outraged with Brazil. I agree 100% with what she wrote but I would like to add some other things that I believe people should also be revolting against.

Original article in Portuguese can be found on the link below/ O texto original em português pode ser encontrado no link abaixo:

http://revistaepoca.globo.com/Revista/Epoca/0,,EMI197611-15230,00-RAZOES+PARA+SE+INDIGNAR.html

Ten Reasons to Be Outraged with Brazil

1- The number of functional illiterates in the world's eighth largest economy, which is a contradiction caused by the continuing lack of priority on basic education and the quality of instruction;

2 - Privileges and absurdities of deputies and senators who recently approved raises for themselves and did not cut off any 'extra' money they receive (extra = accommodation, telephony, etc). With R$26,000 monthly (almost €12,000, 50 times more than the minimum wage which is ONLY R$510), maybe they should give up the 'extras';

3 - The excessive influence of the Church on the secular state in Brazil. Issues such as stem cells, birth control and even the legalisation of abortion and drugs are out of question. Of course it is ok to respect Vatican's faith and rules as individual choices, but not as drivers of public policies;

4 - Impunity of confessed killers, such as the journalist Pimenta Neves. Who has money, prestige and diploma gets away from prison, even after confessing heinous crimes and being convicted by the jury;

5 - Road rage, which makes Brazil record for fatalities. As the anthropologist Roberto da Matta remarked ' Driving with caution in Brazil means to be a bad driver, dumb and stupid'. Drivers here speed up to scare pedestrians, 'close' another vehicle, block intersections, and curse all the time;

6 - The lack of education of the Brazilian elite. A good bunch of wealthy people developed a bad behaviour associated with arrogance and belief in impunity. They throw garbage at the beaches and from the window of their imported cars, throw huge parties ignoring the 'law of silence', violate environmental laws, and ALWAYS want to take advantage;

7 - Crippling taxes that bring NO benefit to the poor. Cartels punish the consumer and make Brazilian products and air tickets even more expensive;

8 - The lack of a public health system that gives dignity to those in need and to the elderly. People are dying while queueing in hospitals or due to the lack of beds and doctors which is unacceptable. How many CPMFs (it is a type of tax) will the government require?

9 - The lack of decent housing policy for the poor even though there are many empty buildings;

10 - The lack of public transport in a country that has wrongly opted for cars. Metros and trains, connected to a bus net without any connection to mafias, should transport all social classes.

My own reasons:

1 - The prices of everything are not compatible to the wages. But people here get by by paying everything in 10x or in months. Cars have been sold as easy as water and people do not realise how much interest they will end up paying. Maybe the price of a new car?

2 - Complementing Ruth de Aquino's 1st reason, I would say the lack of education IN GENERAL! It is an absurd that we still have millions of illiterate (around 10% of the population)but also that many public schools are falling apart, teacher qualifications and wages are considerably low, and consequently the quality is compromised.

3 - The strong presence of oligarquies rulling not only the media but also entire states and even the Senate, like the Sarney family does: 50 years in power, it is almost like a dictatorship even though they were 'voted democratically'. Is buying votes through 'political welfarist' programs democratic?

4 - Seeing homeless in the street, including children, and feeling helpless. You never know what is the best thing to do.

5 - Seeing welfarist programs, such as Bolsa Familia or Minha Casa Minha Vida, being praised by politicians and the media while you know that the poverty problem is not actually being solved, it is being instead sugar-coated.

6 - The thought: "Oh that politician steals money from us, but at least he builds some things sometimes". Did we to the point of being THAT numb?

7 - We pay taxes without being aware of them. For example, when we buy a washing machine 55% of the price is taxes while we have to pay 32% more for a simple washing powder. Hidden in products and deducted from our wages, the taxes in Brazil are one of the highest in the world. And why can we not see where they go to? Or maybe they are well-hidden in politicians' christmas panettones?

8 - Violence. We can't take public transport or walk home at night, we must have at least 10 reais in our pockets in case someone tries to mug you while we walk in the streets, drive with our windows closed all the time and never stop at the traffic lights at night, don't answer a phone call in the street or use your Ipod or Iphone, do not walk with a laptop bag as it draws too much attention, and so forth. Oh, I forgot to mention: live behind tall walls, eletric fences, and if a guard watching your home. Am I overreacting?

9 - Complementing Ruh the Aquino's 5th reason: Every year 40,000 people die in car accidents. These deaths are certainly not caused only by drivers' rage but also by bad roads. Try to drive in the roads in Northeast of the country and this data will come as no surprise;

10 - Should we feel hopeless? I am already, unfortunately :(