I saw a travel poster of Brazil in Amsterdam today with the slogan "Brazil is calling. Celebrate life here."
But somehow it didn't look Brazilian to me, especially on a cold autumn day. When I think of Brazil I think of Carnival in Rio, samba football and smiling black and white faces. But this poster reminds of Portugal, not Brazil.
Years ago I studied in a book with a small picture of a black person in a business shirt on the cover. Because the book was written in English I assumed it was an American text book, until at the end of the course I suddenly noticed the book was actually from Scotland.
It's not that don't take Scottish Universities seriously, but it was clear that the picture of the black American on the cover was meant to give the book an American look and perhaps some instant credibility.
I am conditioned to see Brazil as a multicultural football team, not as Portugal overseas. So I think they also should have put a black person in the picture, just to give it a more Brazilian look and feel.
Also see the post: Black in Latin America - Brazil a racial Paradise?
Well Brazil has had major issues since the beginning of time. And I agree they should have had a picture of a Black person on it. But Brazil has never welcomed the Blacks there. There are over 4 million Black people there and most are poor. They have no say in what is done in government or anything else in that matter. They are treated poorly by the whites and everything in between. I have never been to Brazil but my older brother goes there 2 times a year to teach the kids law. He loves the place but hates the way the Blacks live. He says it’s really shameful to see how they live and how they are treated. Most people who live in Brazil are of African descent. Will they admit that…no! Some will but the vast majority of them will not. There were more slaves dropped off in Brazil than the Americas. I will recommend something you can watch on line, it’s called Black In Latin America. It was good to see so many beautiful Black people in Latin America. But most Latin people hate to acknowledge Black ancestry. Brazil is a huge place and full of the most beautiful Black people around. That poster only shows what they want you to see. And it says to me that…don’t care about Black people. Hell they only like them in sports or if they are half naked men/women. Or if they are dancing…
ReplyDeletenegroamor4u, you're right about Brazil. And I've seen the series black in America. I also wrote a post about it.
ReplyDeleteThe poster surprised me because this is not the image of Brazil in the Netherlands. I've seen this before in a film poster of an American film. There they left out the African American actors because they thought it would scare away white Europeans.
Afro- Europe did you see Black in Latin America?? It was a documentary by Henry Louis Gates. It dealt with the issues that affect Black people in Latin America. And of course racism….it’s prevalent there as well. But I did see a poster of some comedy where they left the Black people out. It was only in Europe that they did that from my understanding. But my thing was…once the Black people over there found out about it…what did they do? I bet they still went to see the movie anyway. I just wish Black people would just wake up and stop letting everything go… You have to stand for something or you will fall for anything. Brazil will not change no time soon because Black people over there have no rights! They live in the poorest parts of that country. And to me it's like that country has thrown them away. That is just sad to me.... no one cares about a Black person. There is a reason why so many Black people act the way they do... it is because of economics...
ReplyDeleteI saw the Henry Louis Gates special on PBS. It was very good.
ReplyDeleteGates though is a younger Sidney Poitier. He loves talking about racial issues, yet he always claims he's 25% white (all black Americans have white blood so this is nothing out of the ordinary) and he marries a white woman!
Marry who you want. But if you're trying to be pro-black and built a career studying black Americans, marry a sista'!
President Obama had to defend this clown. I bet you he mouthed off at the white cop and then used the race card. I lost all respect for Gates.
I don't get the reference to Skip Gates being like Sidney Poitier. I am a fan of both, but what a strange analogy!
ReplyDeleteAnd while I don't agree with all aspects of Dr. Gate's personality, as chair of the Dept. of African and African-American studies at Harvard, he is hardly a "clown." He sometimes comes across as a bit too "soft" ( a racial apologist), but he has done many scholarly works for PBS (the American public television network) that have been quite insightful, such as the Blacks in Latin America series.
And one last thing...not ALL Black Americans have white ancestry! I do on my mother's side, but on my father's side the bloodline apparently contains no European blood...just straight back to mother Afrika back in the early 1800's when my father's people were stolen from the Afrikan shores.
Gates has made a living studying black Americans' history. And yet he marries a white woman. You don't think this "proud black man" could have found a black woman?
ReplyDeleteSidney Poitier is the same way. He moans about how white people did him wrong as he tried to get acting gigs. He was in civil rights marches with Congressman King. He then marries a white woman... a fat one to boot.
They lose credibility when they do this.
If I experienced what Poitier said he experienced, the last thing I'd do is marry someone white. And if I write about how some countries in the Americas try to erase their black history, I'm not marrying a white woman.
If you want to speak on our issues and do it with credibility, don't marry a white person.
There was a study that found that 98% of black Americans have white ancestry. Your father might be in that 2%, but you're in that 98%.
Truth2011 as always brother you have me laughing like crazy!! Only because what you said about Henry and Sidney is true. You kind of lose credibility when i see you talking about Black this and that. Then you go and marry someone white. You had me LMBAO!!!! But you did speak the truth.
ReplyDeleteAs for what anonymous you have a valid point...he has done some really amazing things as far as shedding light on the plight of Black people since slavery and pre slavery. I like the man but i look at him different because of him marrying a white woman. Now should i ...i don't know...but that is how i feel. And as Truth said you are in that 2%. Because i know my family has it ....but if someone asks me i will say no!! Why because it means nothing... I am a Black man and that is what makes me proud. But understand this... this is just how we see things. I'm not saying what I’m saying to be racist... But I’m for my people 100%! And i don't apologize for it. Yes there is so much more that i can learn. And I maybe need to be a bit more compassionate. But for now.... It is what it is. And there is another guy that has lost credibility with me...and that is Julian Bond former head of the NAACP... He married white as well... Is it right....well for me yes! You’re so for your people and you go and marry a white woman… makes no sense to me. It’s like double talk for me… Truth what you said about Sidney has me still laughing!!! You're my kind of guy!!! Peace to all
negroamor4u, I updated the story with a link to the post of Black in Latin America. Interactive blogging. :)
ReplyDeleteNegroarmor: That's exactly how I feel. I loved Gates' special on PBS. I watched every episode. He went toe to toe with those academics in Latin America. He knows his stuff.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read that he had a white wife, I lost some respect for him. And then, that incident happened with the cop. I'm not a fan of cops, but I can easily see Gates acting a fool and maybe rightfully so. But what escalated the incident with the cop was his mouth. And then the "proud black man" who is married to a white woman played the race card! The race card!
Being black for Gates is convenient as a professor and the incident with the cop. I bet you he's one of those fools that says: "Love knows no color." Well, if it doesn't, why are you a race based academic?
There's a disconnect big time when you try to speak on black issues and have a white spouse. It just doesn't make sense. This is why I respect Obama so much more. I'm sure there were few blacks at Harvard when he was there. He chose a lovely black woman to marry when it was probably a little harder for him to find a black mate that was his equal education wise. And Obama is half white - Sidney Poitier looks like he's pure African.
Truth2011 it’s funny I felt the same as you do. I had to ask myself am I wrong for feeling this way? Why does that one thing matter to me so much. But It came to me what you said… I lost respect. Because you’re Black people and Black power this and that.. But you marry a white woman. It just took something away from me. Do I care who he marries I would say no. But seeing this man who appears to be all about us…but couldn’t marry anyone that looks like us. But you know on one of his specials he had mention he having more European blood in him than Black Blood. I found it very interesting that he would mention that during Black History Month. But when they showed his family I was like oh! And since then I just look at him as another successful Black man that married someone white. This is what a lot of successful Black men do. And it just irks me to no end. I listen to the bad rap sisters get and it’s just not fair.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes that incident with that cop… That was a mess..and he came out of it looking like a fool. And that was one of those times I just laughed. Normally I would defend our people to the end… Even if I didn’t agree with them…I would put my spin on it. Not that time I just sat back and said nothing. And yes I have mad respect for the president…he could have married anyone he wanted to. But he chose that beautiful Black woman. And then you had the media making other Blacks question his Blackness… that was a joke. And it showed me just how easy the media and others can play us. The president is truly a Black man…I’ve met him several times before he was president. Very smart very in tune with people…and proud to be a Black man. And you know what else truth…he can articulate and not sound like a white man… Why do so many of our people feel like they have to speak like others. And they look silly doing it as well.
And right you are sir they will say love knows no color.. But you hit it right on the head….I’m so into my Blackness but I marry a white woman….never going to happen here. And it makes no sense to me as well… Oh and I have no respect what so ever for Tiger…don’t take me there.
Afro Europe…cool I hope you check it out…it was very informative. But I was never surprised about how some Latin people think. Hell I hear it in my own family….SMH!!!
The message I get from Gates' actions (not words) is: "Black Americans are interesting enough to study, but not interesting enough to marry."
ReplyDeleteAbout Poitier: I remember watching Oprah, one time at school, and she was interviewing Poitier about how hard it was for him to break into Hollywood. The whole time he talked about how white directors trashed his scripts, because he was black. At the end, Oprah started interviewing his white wife. I wanted that 40 minutes back of my life that I wasted listening to this hypocrite.
Poitier made his name in the movie "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner." This movie is about a white woman who brings a black man to meet her parents. Little did I know when I first saw the movie that this was Poitier's life story.
I think Tiger Woods is getting a crash course in what it means to be black. He was called a "black arsehole" by a New Zealander ex-caddy of his.
Yes Gates does have his issues. I just found it strange that you would be about what you say…but can’t find a Black woman. I will never understand people and that is why I don’t try to figure them out. There are people who do what they do for various reasons. Some people need to feel validated, not saying that is his reason. But one never knows… Just strange that’s all.
ReplyDeletePoitier didn’t really surprise me because I expected that from him. I really did just his whole persona told me that was what he would do. And I think I saw that Oprah episode when he was on there. But when I found out I was watching this tribute to him and I saw his whole family including his wife. But he did find it easy to have an affair with a Black woman while married. It was Diana Carroll…. Yeah you would think that the movie “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.’’ Was about him.lol! For me I just believe in Black love…I don’t care what others do but I just believe in that. And the reality is no matter how much of this image they show on tv…Black Love is alive and doing very well.
Ya Boy Tiger is what I will call a fool! I have no interest in him at all.. The world is showing him just how Coblasian he his.lol! I don’t like the remark that guy made…I was offended. But I have no sympathy for Tiger at all.
With Tiger Woods and black Latinos: They soon realize how black they are when they deal with white people. They might check one thing on government papers, but society treats them like the "N word" that they are. They ain't fooling nobody, including themselves.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I don't care about interracial relationships. My cousin just dates white girls. And it doesn't bother anyone in the family until we realized that's ALL he dates. We're just trying to figure out what this is about.
My family is a real snooty family. They cut off a cousin of mine because he didn't go to college. Well, my brothers and I, reached out to him on Facebook to establish contact. I started talking to him and realized he's a Republican (yuck!) with a "white baby's mama." He didn't marry her and she's UGLY! She looks like she's on crack.
I quickly took him off my friend's list! Maybe my snooty family was onto something when they initially ignored him!
Lol you are too funny! Well Black Latinos have major issues. Some I mean they don’t want to be called Black even though they are. It’s basically because of their government and wanting to fit in. My friend who is Puerto Rican and very fair skin…will say he is Black before some of the dark Latinos will. Most Black Latinos I meet will tell me they are not Black and they are darker than me. Then I just tell them not to say that in public because they look like a buffoon. And self hatred is deep! I don’t get along with many Black Latinos because I’m real about who I am and I don’t have much tolerance for foolishness. Especially when it come to being Black…
ReplyDeleteSo your cousin is a republican.lol! Man I laughed when you said yuck! I can feel you on that one… The funny thing is that my family well as far as siblings go all married Black. But other members of my family married others. They are cool and all but they don’t know how to handle me because I say what I feel. Not to disrespect but when I feel something I don’t hide just because it makes you feel good. One thing about being in our family we will say what we feel and you have to know how to take it. And if you can’t then it’s really too bad. But interracial relationships really don’t bother me much.. Only when you deny your own just to fit into someone else world… People do have the right to date and marry who they will.. But it comes down to the intent that gets me. And most that I have run cross do it because they want a light skinned back with so called good hair. Now what is good hair? Black hair can do anything that others can do… Plus even more so it is good hair. That’s another story!
Hey is she really that ugly.lol! And let me ask you …are you snooty?
I find it highly disturbing, that some people here judge another person for whom he has married. How can you say that a black man who marries a white woman couldn't fight for black causes? And doesn't fighting for Black people's rights mainly mean to fight racism, to eradicate racist structures in society?
ReplyDeleteI'm white and my husband is black. Does that mean, that black people's rights matter less to him (or me) or that the racism he has to endure in a dominantly white environment changes anyhow? Do you really think he's denying his identity because he fell in love with me?
I have absolutly nothing agains blacks marrying blacks or whites marrying whites, if that is their choice, but I have something against doing one or the other just for political causes. I'm a big supporter of critical whiteness or black empowerment strategies. But you must be kidding, if you think that limiting somebody's freedom of choice could help to overcome racism.
oh and don't get me wrong: yes, I find it highly problematic if white people marry PoCs (and have children with them) without educating themselves on racism; without starting to deconstruct the racist bullshit everybody grows up with in a predominantly white society, willingly or unwillingly; without acknowledging that racism can only be defeated if white people start to question the privileges they have, the historical injustice those privileges are based on and the impact it has on others to uphold those privileges
ReplyDeleteAnonymous: I have nothing against interracial relationships. Most Americans wouldn't be here (including whites).
ReplyDeleteBut the cases of Poitier and Gates are out of the ordinary; they have used their color to speak on black issues, mainly discrimination or "abuse" as they'd say in the UK. Both have played the dreaded race card. Yet, despite all of their experiences with racism, they still decide to marry out of their race, specifically the race of people that abused them.
Anonymous I don’t have anything against interracial marriage per say. I’m not going to lie and say I totally agree with it. But I have no issue with people falling in love with whom ever. But for me that is not an option…because I’m only attracted to Black people. Anything other than that is just not in me. Now I say per say because I have issues with Black people who marry white for self-esteem reasons. Or they do it to fit into a world that really don’t want them. Or they do it because they have so much self hate that they can’t see straight. I have issue with Blacks doing it because they want a certain look for their kids. Which I think it just foolishness. You may say that makes no sense but these things happen more than not. I hear it all the time and I don’t like it…and when I hear it is speak up about it. I don’t like when a Black person marries a white or other and down plays his race. And then down plays Black women and Black people all together.
ReplyDeleteAs for Gates and Poitier I said I find it strange that they married white when they claim to be so Black. And if they were so oppressed but those people….why would you marry someone who looks like them. To me that makes no sense…just that simple. And that’s just how I feel people are entitled to do what they want. Can someone marry outside of their ethnic group and still love being Black…sure they can. But I saw it as a conflict. I in no way would ever marry anyone who is not like me. Meaning that don’t look at me because that is my choice and I love Black people. That is what I am attracted to…I don’t apologize for it…it’s how I feel. I say anyone who wants to marry whomever should do it. Not for me but if you do….education needs to done. That kid no matter what you think will be a Black kid and you… have to teach them that. Because that is what the world will see them as. And they will tell them that as well. I like what Haliey Barry said her mother told her she was a Black girl. Because she looked like one and the world will treat her that way as well. Also Solidad O’brien as well…her parents told her she was a Black girl. It is what it is. I come from Grandparent who was other…but I am a Black man because my parents are Black.
If you do what you say you do I commend you because so many do nothing to educate. So many Black men just sit back and pretend he is other than what he is. So many Black men what so badly to be looked at as special that they marry other. When they are special because they are Black. And let’s be clear this is not about hate….but more so about pride and the celebration of Black Love…..
Also, I remember hearing David Lammy speak while I was at Heathrow in London. This guy is an African. He idolizes Obama. Obama, despite being of mixed raced, is blacker than David Lammy will ever be.
ReplyDeleteThis guy likes being the token African politician in the UK, has a white wife (to make himself feel better), and loves to talk about his heritage. His race is purely for convenience. If he didn't make a big deal about being African, he'd be a forgettable politician. But since this guy is using his race to get attention, he deserves to be ridiculed just like Poitier and Gates.
http://www.davidlammy.co.uk/da/22163
My messages probably make me sound like I'm intolerant. I am very tolerant. My state is 97% white. I would be in hell if I hated white people. I'd also hate a part of myself if I hated white people.
All I ask from black Americans is that if they use their race to boost their careers and talk about how white people are racist, I expect you to marry a black person, period.
Malcolm X's mother is the product of rape by a black woman and a white man (the rapist). Could you really blame Malcolm X's mother for not liking white people? I couldn't. So, it should come to no surprise to anyone that she married a black man.
Unlike Malcolm X's mother, symbolically speaking, Poitier and Gates married the rapist!
Dãããã!
ReplyDeleteGuy, nobody say you "just talk about what you really know?"
I`m brazilian. I`m living here!
Look at these photos, are a party in my city:
http://www.chapadafest.com.br/fotos_2012.php
Hey, it`s Europe. NO, it`s Brazil.
The things you think you know about Brazil were created in the cinema of the 60s, in poor quality films produced in Los Angeles, and last in the popular imagination until today! Brazil is a country rich, self-sustainable, with excellent universities, agriculture, technology and industry well developed! Oh, there are many blacks in Brazil, yes. There are also descendants of Indians. Of Asians. Of Europeans. There is also poverty, however, has decreased each year. Currently, the unemployment rate is 5%. Seriously. Do not miss university places. It also has beautiful beaches, carnival, heat, beer, etc.. It also has prison for those who seek sex with children and other stuff. In Brazil, this crime does not have the benefit of bail. Criminals wait, arrested by order of court. And there is no parole for these types of abuse, too. Oh, these people usually are not Brazilian. By the way, what kind of crap people have spoken about this subject, there in Europe?
There are people who take pleasure in seeking the misery of others. When you find a place of poverty, shoot from all angles, then show it to friends and say Brazil is like this!
Problems exist everywhere (except, as they say in Denmark!). But believe me, not so much that I have seen talk on blogs!
Anonymous, the pictures of the German blond Brazilians are from the ‘Oktoberfest’ in the German community of Santa Catarina in Brazil. A large part of the community had close ties with German Nazi party, actually Brazil is known to have had the largest Nazi branch outside Europe. It appears that Brazilian Germans did not only discriminated against Jews, but also people of Portuguese and Italian descent, which I believe are the majority of the ‘whites’ in Brazil. So I don’t think that’s a very good example of your ‘multicultural’ Brazil.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tau.ac.il/Anti-Semitism/asw2008/brazil.html
Em relação ao artigo sem assinatura que referes em sua mensagem, gostaria de esclarecer algumas coisas:
ReplyDeleteO Brasil é um país tolerante. Sim, muito tolerante. Conforme as informações que temos a partir de noticiários, tal coisa não é comum na Europa, talvez por isso seja difícil aos europeus compreender a realidade social brasileira.
Há muitas comunidades judaicas na Brasil, como diz o artigo. Mas também há muitas comunidades palestinas! Evidentemente, existem atritos entre tais comunidades. O artigo que tu indicaste é parte de tais atritos! Felizmente, raramente saem do texto. O mais importante, de tudo isso, é que, no Brasil, não há obrigação a qualquer pessoa de posicionar-se conforme esta ou aquela posição. Isto tanto em sociologia quanto em política ou religião. No brasil, existem grupos judeus e grupos palestinos. Existem grupos políticos de direita e grupos políticos de esquerda. Existem cristãos católicos e cristãos protestantes, também há templos de religiões africanas, indianas, chinesas, japonesas, muçulmanas, judaicas, etc.
E, não lembro, ao menos em época recente, de que tenha havido ataques a quaisquer templos.
Protestos públicos, seja pela internet ou em passeatas na rua? Um dos fundamentos da constituição, a maior norma brasileira, é a liberdade de expressão! Tal liberdade, é claro, não autoriza ninguém a agir de forma discriminatória, nem a atacar alguém ou grupos de pessoas em virtude de origem, religião, sexo, idade, condição financeira e social, ou qualquer outra forma de discriminação.
O Brasil é um país que se caracteria por uma grande multiplicidade étnica e cultural. Pode parecer difícil para alguém de fora compreender tal estrutura social. Mas eu garanto que funciona!
(se for difícil compreender o texto, a culpa é do tradutor do google! desculpe, mas falo muito pouco a língua bretã!)
Multiculti propaganda
Delete''I am conditioned to see Brazil as a multicultural football team, not as Portugal overseas. So I think they also should have put a black person in the picture, just to give it a more Brazilian look and feel.''
ReplyDeleteI know that was not intentional of the author, but just of he making an statement like that without having any base of how actually the brazilian society is, is already pretty racist and discriminatory in my opinion.
Brazil is a multicultural country, we have whites, blacks, asians, native indigenous and mixed race people. For he or she be a brazilian doesn't inflict that you'll be from any race, and our demographic reflect this pretty well, whites compose almost half of the population, while mixed race (of any race) and blacks comprehend 45%, with the 5% remaining being asians and indigenous.
I know that wasn't your intention, but Brazil is diverse, there are many people of different races living here, I'm brazilian and white, my girlfriend is also brazilian and white, and we're not a minority here, does that mean I do not represent my country well because of my race?
Gabriel thanks for the comment. You know your country better than I do, so let's get strait. But I just said that I "I am conditioned to see Brazil" in a certain way. Conditioned. It's not black perspective, it's a Dutch perspective. And when I google to find pictures of "Brazilian people" I see mostly pictures of indigenous, brown and black people. Because if people visit Brazil they make pictures of what they perceive as 'Brazilians'. But I can understand you see it differently.
DeleteAs for the percentages, you know more than I do, that if you would look at the stats of say 30 years ago, the percentages of "whites" would be higher". I don't think I have to explain why.
I think that if you would use the American definition, or what Europeans consider as "white", the percentages would also be different.
So I disagree that my statement was "racist and discriminatory". I daily see pictures of “Africans” on TV, who are in need food and help. I've never been to "Africa", so if I think that Africa is nothing more than deep poverty, child soldiers and people who can't rule themselves, its logical consequence of the media coverage and the call-for-help billboards I see every day.
I know that white people live in Brazil, but also know that most of them are recent immigrants in comparison to the black and brown people, who have been living there since the 16th century. So that also influences my perspective.
For the record, it’s not a personal thing. Brazil is a great country, and I think it would be an even greater country if it’s diversity is not only visible during Carnival, but also on the billboards in Brazil.
Gabriel is the son of white supremacist jewish migrants who dream of an all-white Brazil. The "brancameinto" system goes on, trying to whitening the country with all those germans and nordic people. Brazil is black and brown in majority, no matter what the propaganda and telenovellas say.
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