Tom, good representation of the different parties involved. In my opinion, direct violence (bullets and torture) needs to continue to be shown in the light of strucutral and institutional forms of violence that exist in Rio, and throughout Brazil for that matter. Well done. Tim, Cambridge, MA
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Drug War goes on... written by Guest,
June 03, 2005
The idea of a war on drugs is ludacris! Illegal drugs are actually legal since they are a part of the countries gross national product. You just have to look at the Estados Unidos to see that the so called war on drugs is just mirage.
Like acohol, drugs will eventually become legal when the politicians figure out a way to control its means of production and distribution. In the interim we are force to look at the murders, and inhumanity associated with the drug trade. A good example of what drugs can do to a populated city is Washington D.C., thats right, the capital of the most powerful country in the world!
The torture and murder of this jornalist is very sad, so is the torture and murder of innocents who are stuck in the path of these demonic drug lords throughout the Favela's. The solution has always been to legalize illegal drugs! There is one stubling block that stands in the way of this permanent solution, the Governments. They ultimately control the drug trade!
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... written by Guest,
June 06, 2005
Do people know that there are favelas in parts of Rio that don't have any sgnificant drug trafficking issues? All favelas are not the same. In addition, most people who live in Favelas work full time for a living. They have families, work, raise kids, go to church, have parties -real people. I really dislike how the lives of poor people are constructed as a tragic oddity. www.vivafavela.com.br does a better job of sharing the real lives of people in a favela. Having family in favelas and watching shootouts first hand, I know that the effects of the violence related to the drug trade can not be dismissed. I also know that not one of family members sales drugs, has been shot, or put in prison. They are real people who lives cannot be described by being characterized as victims.
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Writting written by Guest,
June 06, 2005
This really badly written!!!!!
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Got weed? written by Guest,
June 09, 2005
Anyone can purchase "illegal drugs" and legal drugs in the U.S.A. by just a phone call, just like pizza delivery. It's sad that so many people are being killed and jailed by the government(s) because they can't make any money (taxes) from them. The government have their head up their asses. They have capital for wars, drug wars, and other so called wars but yet the government(s) preffer poverty for the people.
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...wtf... written by Guest,
June 10, 2005
wtf is your problem with brazil you portuguese f**kers? get your f**king head out of your asses.wtf
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Drug \"traffickers\"?? written by Guest,
August 21, 2005
I think you're making a mistake by classing these drug gangs in Rio as "drug traffickers", this normally refers to some kind of 'organized crime' phenomenon. Yet they're clearly common, disorganized bands of delinquents (like most drug gangs) and not organized crime at all.
The fact that they join these gangs out of 'need' rather than 'greed' and also social exclusion.....should tell you this.
They are poor young black men and have nothing in common with organized crime, yet everything in common with the disorganised youth gangs who plague the shantytowns and townships of other cities in Latin America and South Africa.
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