Brazzil

I´m sorry, but who did the touch up on the photo of Luizianne? They should interview for Playboy.

Brazil going to stay in the crapper if they keep electing this type of person!! Seeking and receiving the endorsement of the Communist Party should be the kiss of death.

She is left of Lula, and already in the "crapper" with the PT, I do admire her balls though, declaring a state of energency" and doing away with bidding contracts so she can get things moving. She is what the PT used to be, let's see if she becomes in love with the power like the rest of them.

Would that be an effort to make Brazil into a large Portuguese speaking version of Fidel Castro's Cuba?!?!?!? Brazil has tried everything else, why not try a free enterprise government? You would think Brazilians would get tired of union bosses decides who works and who doesn't. Brazil's big problem is that too many people want to ride in the wagon want too few people are willing to pull then wagon!

I don't think "most" Brazilian's would like to see a version of Cuba, but you are correct, the obstacles thrown by the socialist leaning PT and their allies are an obstruction to progress. If you want to talk about big government...we have it, if you want to talk about inept government, we have that too. For a country so poor, the "offically" working middle class pay a giant rate of taxes, these taxes collected end up in someones pocket, or wasted, they certainly are not spent wisely. The PT has made an effort to clean up corruption, there are stories everday of some officials arrest by the PF, but I won't open my eyes until the put away a big fish like Maulf or Sarney, then we will be making some progress. As for your comment "to few pulling the wagon" this is an accurate statement as the small middle class struggles to pull, while everyone else rides. Even the The Last Great Leftist (NY TIMES), Lula has been corrupted by power as he flys his sons teenaged friends around on Air Force planes, and spends millions on airplanes and limos. No, it's more of the same, and then again more of the same. You have to take Brasil for what it is, and what it will always be, some can accept it, many like our friend the previous poster can crticize it...but we are mostly people of a good nature wishing things would change, but unwilling to make an effort to faciliate change. To my above friend, if you read this website simply to criticize Brasil, you will enjoy your entertainment for a very long time. Viva Brasil. Abracos.

I have many friends in the Brazilian-American community. I learned Portuguese her in the US. I just get SOOOOO frustrated that making a living in Brazil is just not even a remote possibility. I get very angry at the Brazilian contempt for George Bush! He is far better than any national "leader" on the Brazilian landscape. I will respect Brazil when the UDR (Uniao Democratica Ruralista) is a major player. Moroni Torgan seems like he would have been a decent Mayor for Fortaleza.

Bush better than any of our leaders, that's a scary thought, we can't even find someone with more brains than that idiot. Where is our "good" President? Has anyone seen him since the municipal elections? Oh I have seen him occasionaly in the papers drinking a glass of wine at some "feel good event", or with some novela star, hanging out during the holidays with his family. But where has he been for the big things? I know that he promised the country no blackouts, OK, but how about promising us we can walk the streets safely, then I would feel better. What's up with Zero Fomme, I see the same amount of street people sleeping next to Unibanco everday, begging for food. Yes Mr. President, we all know you will be taking the inagural ride on your new multi-millon dollar jet, and that you personaly approved R$200,000 for new cars and limos, we are all very impressed. But maybe if we could do something about deforestization in the Amazon, or Child Prostitution, the traffic in Sao Paulo, or income disparity, I would really be impressed. Yes Mr. President, you are definatly one of us, a Brasilian, all talk, no substance, and we all had so much hope. In fact, you are a lot like Mr. Bush, as one very clever reader points out on the "Who is the Anti-Lula Candidate.

If we cannot find someone better than the obnoxious, alcoholic in remission, liar, and manipulative "Texan ole good boy," then we're really in the pits...

I would very much like to see a Draconian implementation of the Lei de Responsabilidade Fiscal (fiscal resposibility law). According to this, the city of São Paulo would have to either toe the line or have money confiscated from its accounts at Banco do Brasil to service it's debt to the federal government. The city's debt would also start being corrected by the SELIC overnight rate rather than the blander IGP-M.

As Central Bank President Henrique Meirelles once pointed out, the Lei de Responsabilidade Fiscal is the one thing separating us from an Argentine-style catastrophe. In Argentina, none of the state goverments wanted to be the first to cut their deficits, and this created a monumental negative-sum game.

It's tempting to think just in terms of favouring this or that mayor, but the potential for long-lasting syustemic damage is real. Let's hope the dyke doesn't burst. The stakes are just too high.

I noticed one poster's enthusiasm for the UDR, which I certainly don't share. I suspect the poster's contracted this enthusiasm from talking to Brazilian expatriate from the agrarian region of Governador Valadares

I do wish Brazil had a modern, privatizing and cosmopolitan right-wing (or at least a more civilized political life), but I don't think the UDR fits this lofty bill. Just ask about the misadventures of the Banco do Brasil's Carteira de Crédito Rural (Rural credit portfolio, which is basically a form of institutionalized graft. The saying goes that loans from Banco do Brasil don''t really have to be paid) or the abundant 'pistolagem' (contract killings, against militants of all persuasions, journalists, &c) throughout the Brazilian hinterland.

This is basically the UDR's substract: the most retrograde elements in Brazilian politics.I do hope they don't become a major player.

Most Brazilians who settle in Dixie (Georgia and the Carolinas) come from Goias. My enthusiasm for the UDR comes from the National Rifle Association which is fighting for the right of honest Brazilians to arm themselves against the MST and other assorted criminals/terrorists (refer to MST leaders in photo-op with Arafat). NRA is coordinating with UDR and the "Pelo Legitima Defesa". Of couse now the Brazilian press will get all perplexed when violence increases and home invasions arrive in urban areas; never considering that leaving the general population defenseless is just asking for it!

Out of the closet. As an American living in Brasil I can tell you something about our friend who supports the UDR and the NRA, he understands nothing about Brasil, or the enviroment which has created the MST, who he refers to as terrorists, I have seen nothing about the MST strapping bombs on themselves to blow up innocent citizens, nor have they flown any airplanes into large buildings. I have seen, where armed gunmen in masks and automatic weapons have massacred MST supports engaged in civil disobedence, something the USA was founded on hundreds of years ago, these gunmen were indiscriminante in their targets executing innocnet women and children...now who are the terrorists? The unarmed MST, or the well armed landowners? This American is an example of our extreme right wing, and would also support the torturing of prisoners and illegal probing of the US government into our lives, and a supporter of giving up the civil liberties which our founders died for, just because we have an idiot President who says we should. He is from the south, a red state, very uncultured, and probably uneducated as well. These are the members that the NRA relies on to spill there nonsense regarding gun ownership in America. I am a gun owner who is not afraid of my right to bear arms, that does not support the right wing NRA. I also maintain a weapon (although illegaly) for home protection here in Brasil, and I would not be afraid to use it. Still this American makes comments on the site, not because of experience or thought, but because of what the NRA tells him to think, an American "non-thinker" something we are producing very well now in the US. America is on the decline, the entire world knows it, in fact relishes it...and America is blind to it, blinded by Americans like this poster who refuse to think for themselves. I´ll bet he even told all his beer buddies how we are going to "kick Iraq´s ass", when we are in reality getting our asses kicked by a very determined ememy. See, we got into this mess because of another American "non-thinker", someone who was told about weapons of mass destruction from right winged staff members. God, how could 50 million of my countrymen be so blind and dumb t re-elect the greatest American embarresment ever.

For christ sakes, can you just for ONE second try and challenge the previous posters ideas instead of doing what seems to be the norm with Liberal VIRGINAS, and that is second guessing the poster´s entire life, how he thinks, why he thinks, who tells him to think: KNOCK IT OFF ALREADY.

Take on his argument and go from there - all you did was create some fictisious RIGHT WING extremist in your mind, and then berated him. You didn´t even ONCE try and debate some of his ideas. You couldn´t even keep a linerar thought - just look at what you scribbled - random hateful spiteful utterences with no cohesive purpose.

You are the one spewing hate, I don´t hate you or the poster, but I do know who you are...sorry. Besides, just because I think the NRA is extreme doesn´t make me a whinning liberal, I think the Serra Club is extreme as well. But your conservative friend (sorry, won´t use right wing extremists anymore, that was a mistake) knows nothing about MST, Sem Terra or their struggles for land reform. Does the poster know that these landowners who need guns still practice slavery, does he know how many nameless and faceless people die on these farms in Brasil every year? If it was in America would not be a movement for some justice be created? Civil disobedence in Brasil is a dangerous option, these poor people enslaved by their masters are not armed terrorists, but mothers and fathers of families trying to free themselves of slavery. The Brasilan land owners of Goais, and the North, have to change their business practices, land reform is a must in Brasil if it is to move from it´s developing nation status. Just becasue the NRA says that these people are terrorists and the citizens need to be armed to protect themselves from them does not make it so, the farmers better pray THEY don´t get arms. Why arm yourselves against unarmed farmers? My conservative friends, you keep trying to apply the policies of the USA to Brasil, you need to be smart emough to understand the differences in culture and situation. When the American patriots threw the tea into Boston Bay to protest the Kings taxes, they were heros, a revolution was started. Why when the MST sets up camp on fallow land, something allowed by the Brasilan constituton, and peacefuly makes a point should they be killed...because the NRA says so. If you want to label me as a "f**king Whinning Liberal" so be it. I have voted republican my entire life, proud of my votes for Reagan, Bush SR, and Dole, and Bush Jr(the first time), I voted for Kerry this year, beacuse I DID use my mind. If you were to really consider where we are since 9/11...is it really your position that we could not have done things better? Once again, I apoligize for saying "right wing extremist" it is a tired pharse I should no longer be using it. But I do believe that America is not the same place I grew up, some of this has to do with liberalism that I was and am opposed too. But it also now has to do with poor policy, and knee jerk actions in decison making that should have been weighed much more heavily for the outcome. Maybe your nationalistic pride prevents you from caring about what people think about America. But if you remember how the world felt against communisim and Russia in the 70´s and 80´s, that is the way it feels about America now. It may not sadden you that we have split away from good friends in the world, it saddens me greatly. I would relish a return to the days where America was respected and liked around the world.Instead of ridiculed and hated, if you want something to REALLY think about, think about how this happened.

"NRA?" poster: You admit to being a felon and above the law! Typical Marxist: take away everyone's firearms but his! We don't need your kind back here in the US! Renounce your US citizenship, stay in Brazil and get a job at a weigh station taking bribes from truckers. You sound like someone who hangs with Ronnie Biggs! I studied statistics in a Master's program! I bet you studied Philosophy or Education that any moron could pass. Before you call the best President since Reagan an embarrasment, you should look in the mirror!

MST and squatters REALLY are a problem. My wife is Brazilian. She came here with her parents LEGALLY after the modest fruit groves they worked 7 years to buy and build were overrun by squatters and the PT local goverment responded to their requests for help, "Hey you can afford it, why are you complaining for your good life". None of them are too interested in living in Brazil again. They have the view that trying to have anything of value in Brazil is a waste of time. I hope they clear off the squatters and sell the orchard as a garbage dump to a refuse company. If that happens, I will personally invite the squatters back as a place more appropriate for them!

Three statisticians went out hunting, and came across a large deer. The first statistician fired, but missed, by a meter to the left. The second statistician fired, but also missed, by a meter to the right. The third statistician didn't fire, but shouted in triumph, "On the average we got it!" LOL...

Like we often say, if you torture the data long enough, it will finally confess!

The situation with the MST, and land reform in Brasil in general is a major problem. Both socially and economicly. The situation with your wifes family and the MST is unfortunate, and based on what I know, unusual. The MST, at least recently has targeted vast tracts of farm land, not "modest orchards", they are trying to make a polictical statement, so the larger the better...and more dangerous. Targeting a small orchard is usually not their MO. Still, people seem to condem the MST & Sem Terra, but where is the condemnation of slavery, squalled working conditions and the murdering of women and children? It is true that the PT (that is, what was once the PT), came to power behind the votes of organizations like the MST and labor unions, who have now abandonded them. There is a new law in Brasil were farmers practicing slavery can lose their farms. There have been over 250 farms charged with slavery, none have been to court. This is not rich against poor, class against class, the political arguements so often heard in the US. But this is simply right against wrong. Nowhere should people be subject to a lack of human dignity, tell me what other choice in Brasil, landless peasants have to own there own land, and not be subject to slavery besides the MST/Sem Terra, and I would gladly change my mind. So many people compare Brasil to their own countries and culture...statement like "when will the Brasilans stand on their own two feet", or too many people in the wagon, not enough people pulling", yet you condem people who want to pull their own wagon...a facisnating contradiction. How is someones Masters in Statistics relevant to this article? Or even education in philosophy or education matter? Where does Ronnie Biggs the criminal fit in? There are rational reasoanable arguments on both sides...I just wish there were easy solutions. No matter what anyone says, courage is in short order here in Brasil. People with nothing, willing to stake their lives and the lives of their familes for justice have courage, and this is courage I respect.

"He is from the south, a red state, very uncultured, and probably uneducated as well. " Mentioning the statistics education is a response to that! Let the "landless peasants" do what sharecroppers in Alabama did: Get some books, learn and get a job! I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel for Brazil. MST is to Brazil what ZANU-PF and "war veterans" are to Zimbabwe. If Brazilians don't wake up, they could be facing a Robert Mugabe clone. If the MST is acceptible, why not organize pickpockets and call it MSG (Movimento Sem Grana) and organize carjackers and call it MSC (movimento sem carro). Where does this end?

Luizianne for President!

Close Brasilia and let Brazil be run from Havana

For some one with a Masters in stats, you could use a little brush up on your english skills, your langauge and puctuation are terrible. If you want to see a bigot look in the mirror. Why the interest in Brasil, does it make you feel like a big shot being able to put your jack boot on someones neck (why Brazil?) , you still continue to refer to the US and countries like Zimbabwe when comparing Brasil, my comment about being uncultured is hinged on your lack of knowledge of the subject, not bigotry. If you are so smart, tell me where landless "sharecroppers" in Brasil can "get some books, learn and then get a job". Do you really think that they can just mozy on down to the local library, get a library card and check out books? Do you think their children have the same opportunity to go to school as poor kids in the US? See what I mean? While you profess to know the subject, you know nothing about it, just what you read in your NRA magazine, if you REALLY do have a Masters, then use some of those brains to think for yourself. And whoever said Luizianne for Presdient, you are a little short on the Brains Department as well. And "run Brasilia from Havana" yea, thanks for your intelligent input.

who the f**k is this Gay Burton, is it Guy? gee I missed. Anyways your article is full of s**t. As for the Bush Blobs in here, bush is a disgrace to america and to the world..enough said about this prick..move on

Nevertheless, don't be too surprised if something is worked out which will satisfy all sides.

WHAT A PUTZ

What is all of yours fasination with Brasil, have you all married Brasilian women, because american women won't give head? Do you gringos really think we even care what you think. You all keep bitching, but keep bringing you tourists dollars down here...that! we want, but go back to where you all come from as soon as possible, bnecause like fish you all begin to stink after a while. Your all sooo smart with your masters and all, but why do you all act so stupid? Why do you need to get into everyones business? Why do you all find the need to tell everyone what to do? Are you going to invade us too, you might be surprised and in for another beating like the one you are getting in Iraq. What a mess you have created their. The one gringo that I agree with is the one who said Bush is an embarrasing...so is ours, but he has not started a war he can't win. So you gringos keep writting about all of our problems amd ingnore your own, you will stay in Iraq for 20 years, itw ill cause you huge deficiets, and sooner or latter the terrorists will be successful to blow up Disneyworld or something, but don't be surprised when most of the world yawns this time and goes on about their business as you all run with youyr tail between your legs and hide in your houses.

Goianos are pretty well received here, they get free interpreters if they want to fight a traffic ticket, their businesses get frequented without hesitation, when a crooked employer won't pay them, an American neighbor is glad to help fill out the forms to prosecute, help get their utilities turned on, etc. Some small US towns have become 10% Brazilian. It just gets irritating when you are willing to help someone and their compatriots treat you like dirt. The lousy punctuation can be explained from too much programming code, it's hard to break the habit of putting a semi colon at the end of each line!

The NRA is coordinating with the UDR!? COME ON...When will you f**king gringos mind your own f**king business!!!!!!

Yes...Bush is a moron and so are the 50 million pricks who voted for him.

GW Bush is OUR Southern President. The area I live in voted 83% for George Bush. He respresents OUR values, our approach and is the Southerner's voice in Washington. I USED to be an enthusiast of Brazil, but when you insult Bush you insult me. If any Brazilians living here in the US don't like Bush, GET OUT and go back to your $60 month job in Brazil. Brazil BECOMES our business when millions of you come here to escape the country YOU destroyed! By the way... thats 60 NOT 50 million pricks!

I am an American, Brasilian's please stay if you can. "Bush is OUR Southern President" says it all about Bush and the Southern United States, the sterotype that so offended our friend, is proven here with his statement. (90% of Wyoming voeted for Bush...so what, it only proves morons live everywhere). We are a democracy, and there are 57 million "non-pricks' that voted for Kerry...so world, there is some hope. So here it is my southern friend and fellow citizen, from a neighbor from the North. "Bush is a moron", and another 4 years will prove exactly how big a one he is! And no one is going to make me leave my country, Especially some red-neck from Bum f**k.

bought and paid for:

A COOL commercial
http://moveamericaforward.org/Video/Snapshots/US-UN.jpg

http://moveamericaforward.org/...440-HI.wmv

"Bush is my President, when you insult him you insult me? "God, what a right wing robot!

I'm not a member of the worker's party (PT) in Brazil but Lula, so far, has my approval of his work for Brazil. We have to think about all the governments brazil had had in the past before comparing Lula to them. I'm not defending Lula as a perfect governor, but at least he has the desire to help the brazilian people, especially the poor, and he does not try to sell our country abroad. We have got to be proud of our nation, value our culture and think that Brazil is not less worth than any other nation. If we want a better country for us and our future generation we have to work together for Brazil not against Brazil like many politicians do. The world would be a much better place if the explotaition of countries from the "third world", like they call them, stopped today.

I am also not a PT member, nor was I a Lula supporter. However, I was surprised that he took a moderate approach to governing, his administration's largest accomplishment has been to hold down inflation by adopting the polices of his predessor, also to increase exports mostly a result of a weak currency. There is a claimed improvement in unemployement, but who knows, they are govenrment numbers, and 40% off all births here are unregistered. Still Brasil's problems are huge, and simply by saying "he has the desire to help people" "or not selling our country abroad", "or being proud of our nation and culture" will not make these problems go away. What we need are not strong politicians, but strong leaders, who understand how to administrate, plan and execute plans that result in REAL change. This is something that our president is not capable of doing. Having no education, or indeed no corporate experience, prevents Mr. Lula from implenting real solutions to real problems, yes, he is a carismatic leader,, and yes, he does seem to have Brasil's best interest in his heart, but these are simply not enough to make a difference in the social problems that plauge our country. And I must say, I was extremley disappointed to see the delivery of the Airbus at US$56 million, or the R$200,000 order for new cars and limos, corruption comes in many sizes, the corruption of power being one. I am one, who will fight for a candidate that has the skills, determination, and courage to make a difference, alas, I have not yet seen a person like this rise from the heap, although the Governer of Sao Paulo seems interesting, if Mr. Lula is the best our great country has to offer, then I am not optimistic for our future. I hold no ill regards for Mr. Lula, he proved that democracy can work here by being elected. But another term would cause great damage to Brasil.I will agree with the poster, that much of Brasil's woes come from the explotation of our country by the "developed" countries of the world. Brasil is right where they want us, but I for one am not comfortable staying here. We have the resources to move forward, but lack the courage to do so.

Name me one...just one accomplishment of Lula's?/?? Zero Fomme? Reduction in violence or kiddnapping? Bolsa Familia? Better infustructure? Better schools? Less corruption? Less taxes? Give me a break here, this "feel good" oh, he has Brasil in his heart, is so much BS I could throw-up. True, he may not have caused as much damage as expected, but so far anyway, he has nothing dramatic to show for his time in office...does everyone forget the promises he made to get elected? I don't.

I feel very sad when I read comments about Lula's lack of education like the ones I read here. We had many presidents, all with master degrees, etc. and today Brazil is still called "third world". Lets talk alone about the last president (Fernando Henrique), he spent 8 years as president and I ask you my friends What has he done for Brazil's sake? What was Brazil's growth during these 8 years? I'm not saying here that Lula is perfect but in these last 2 years Brazil has seen changes that have never seen before. You don't need to go to university to learn what the cause of poverty is. Unfortunetely, some brazilian people still have so much prejudice about Lula's lack of university degree. People say that mankind are the most inteligent live thing in this planet and the IMF, World Bank are stuffed with "clever" economists but hunger and poverty have dominated the world ever since the human existence. Why these clever people can not solve this problem? Why all the graduate, doctors, PhD, brazilians former presidents did not turn Brazil in a rich country? University, formal study are important but he university of life is the most important of all.

I don't see you lamenting people putting George Bush down just because he chooses a rural minded culture and way of approaching problems. Bush has all the fancy degrees and everything. I won't speak for others, but I put Lula down in response to those who somehow think their PT is superior to the USA's GOP. My only problem with Lula is his kinship with Chavez and Castro, which he could change tomorrow if he chose to do so.

You are such a moron, Brasil has always chosen to maintain ties with Cuba and Venezuela, it is in our best interest to do so, just beacuse the US has chosen silly poicy, wht should we? The US polcies regarding these two countries has a history of being counterproductive and not intelligent, the US's should be ashamed of it's role in the uprising against a democracitly elected president in Venezuela, and the starving of the Cuban people for decades. Once again, I will echo the other posters, why don't you mind your own f**king business, like invading a country, and murdering tens of thousands for a secure oil supply, you have oil, why not drill for it, it's easier to sleep with the Saudis? You lament Chavez and Castro, why be ass kissing the royal family, or the murder Sharron. In case you forgot, the Saudis are the mother f**kers who flew the planes into your buildings. We don't need you any more , the US has out lived it's usefulness here, thanks for the money, but f**k off, keep out of our business. We have new friends in the world, and with friends like American's...well who needs enemys? Brasil has been a friend of the US for decades, presidents like Kennedy, Carter, Reagan and even Bush one showed some interest in our region. But not the current administration who has chosen an imperialistic and big stick approach...just because you can. Your shallow view towards Brasil and politics points out a glaring fault in American society...the American people, and American President on the whole are uncultured, they see they world only through an American eye. Yes, Bush does have the fancy degrees that Daddy bought for him, he even graduated Yale as a drugged out alcoholic, and he beat a DWI, and the Vietnam draft he's is a coward, yet you fail to elect a man who did his duty...this proves that corruption is not limited to countries like Brasil.

Portrait of an Evil Man
Erik von Kuehnelt-Ledduhn
In the "German Democratic Republic" they tell the story about a weary old man who tries to gain entrance into the Red Paradise. A Communist Archangel holds him up at the gate and severely cross-questions him:

"Where were you born?"

"In an ancient bishopric."

"What was your citizenship?"

"Prussian."

"Who was your father?"

"A wealthy lawyer."

"What was your faith?"

"I converted to Christianity."

"Not very good. Married? Who was your wife?"

"The daughter of an aristocratic Prussian officer and the sister of a Royal Prussian Minister of the Interior who persecuted the Socialists."

"Awful. And where did you live mostly?"

"In London."

"Hm, the colonialist capital of capitalism. Who was your best friend?"

"A manufacturer from the Ruhr Valley."

"Did you like workers?"

"Not in the least. Kept them at arm's length. Despised them."

"What did you think about Jews?"

"I called them a money-crazy race and hoped that they would vanish from the Earth."

"And what about the Slavs?"

"I despised the Russians."

"You must be a fascist! You even dare to ask f or admission to the Red Paradise -you must be crazy! By the way, what's your name?"

"Karl Marx."

Main, indeed, is a very strange animal. This has been proved in many ways, but especially by the Marx-renaissance of recent decades. And yet the ideas of this odd and by no means constructive thinker are responsible all over the world for rivers of blood and oceans of tears. There can be no doubt that without the Communist challenge National Socialism, its competitor, would never have succeeded. Hitler boasted to Rauschning that he was the real executor of Marxism (though "minus its Jewish-Talmudic spirit"); thus the macabre death dance of our civilization in the past fifty years is due to that scurrilous, evil and unhappy man who spent half his life copying endless passages from books in the British Museum Library's reading room. Yet, with the exception of numerous pamphlets and the first volume of a book, he left nothing but badly assembled, unpublishable manuscripts and a mountain of notes. It was his friend Friedrich Engels who, with the most laborious efforts, had to bring them into shape. New Interest from the Left

This Marx-renaissance is due largely, but not solely, to the rise of the New Left which argues that the dear old man had been thoroughly misunderstood by the barbaric Russians. Also a number of men and women would be horrified to be called Socialists or Communists but still have a soft spot in their hearts for a man who "at least was filled with compassion for the poor and was an admirable father and a tender husband." Surely, Marx was a complex and contradictory person, and the renewed attention paid to him has produced a number of German books analyzing this most fatal figure of our times. Destructive ideas almost unavoidably derive from a destructive and -in this case - rather repulsive person.

Karl Marx was born in Trier, of Jewish parents, in 1818. Only a few years earlier this Catholic bishopric was forcibly incorporated into the Kingdom of Prussia and Karl Marx's father embraced the Lutheran faith of the Prussian occupants. The children and the rather reluctant mother were baptized by a Prussian army chaplain only at a later date. The deism of Enlightenment was the true faith of Heinrich Marx who, however, was a cultured man and a devoted father. Young Karl finished high school-college with flying colors at the age of seventeen and set out to study law which he shortly abandoned for philosophy, eyeing the possibility of an academic career. He first matriculated in Bonn, then in Berlin where he fell under the spell of the Hegelians. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Jena, but renounced the idea of becoming a professor. He also gave up writing his self-centered poetry and his dream of running a theatrical review. He then married into the Prussian nobility and established himself as a free-lance writer in Paris where he soon clashed with the more humanitarian French socialists. He moved to Cologne, then returned to Paris and, finally expelled from Belgium as an enemy of the established order - he took a permanent abode in London where, with interruptions, he remained until his death in 1883.

So much for the facts of his life. Within the last decade three books have been published in German analyzing Marx psychologically. These tomes are very different in scope but they hardly vary in their judgments. The authors belong to no "school" in particular, but all are serious students of our "hero's" works and personal history. These books are Marx, by Werner Blumenberg, a small, but exceedingly readable paperback (1962), Karl Marx, Die Revolutiondre Konf ession by Ernst Kux (1967) and Karl Marx, Eine Psychographie by Arnold Kiinzli (1966). The last two have not been published in the United States and whoever is acquainted with the tremendous difficulties encountered by translations of learned books in the United States will not be surprised. The reasons for this state of affairs are not solely of a financial nature. This article is partly based on the work of these authors. A Generation Gap

Let us return to the personality of the founder of socialism and communism. Even as a young man Marx does not appear to have been attractive. As a student he is liberally provided with money by his affluent father, and spends his annuity of 700 Thalers - a nice middle class income would then be around 300 Thalers - in a manner still unexplained. In spite of his love for Jenny von Westphalen he is an unhappy, "torn" person and writes in these terms to his father. Heinrich Marx ticks him off: "To be quite f rank, I hate this modern expression - 'torn - used by weaklings if they are disgusted with life merely because they cannot get without effort beautifully furnished palaces, elegant carriages, and millions in the bank." And in another letter the old gentleman, knowing his son only too well, tells him that he suspects his heart not to have the same qualities as his mind. "If your heart is not pure and human, if it becomes alienated by an evil genius . . . my life's great hope will be dashed."

Karl Marx was impatient. In this connection it is worthwhile to have a look at his doctoral dissertation on Epicurus, the materialistic Greek philosopher who, as the founder of Epicureanism, made sensual pleasures the main purpose of life. Here Marx quoted several lines from Aeschylus in which Prometheus rants against the gods and ridicules the idea of being an obedient son to Father Zeus. The figure of Prometheus was, indeed, as Kux and Kdnzli demonstrate one of the guiding stars. in Marx's life. The revolt against God (and the gods), the rebellion against the entire existing order, all quite natural in youth, remained his leitmotiv until his death. Marx, as our authors insist, never really grew up. His entire relationship to other people continued to be juvenile, if not infantile.

Marx's basic vision was that of a humanity freed from all oppression, repression and controls and thus open to an egotistic "self-realization" - primarily of an artistic order. There was, as he believed, a Raphael, a Michelangelo, a Shakespeare, a Bach in every man. This great liberation, however, could only be achieved by the rule, the dictatorship of the poorest and most tyrannized people, the working class. These were the ones, he thought, who could be indoctrinated to destroy the existing order entirely - and then to build a new one. They were ordained "by history" to carry out his murderous dreams.

The trouble was that he had no knowledge of the mind and mentality of the workers nor any affection for them. He only knew "statistically" about their situation, their living conditions; and these were humble, inevitably so, because at the beginning of any industrialization (be it capitalistic or socialistic) the purchasing power of the masses is still low and the costs of saving and investing (i.e. the buying of expensive machinery) are bound to be very high. In the period of early capitalism the manufacturers, contrary to a widespread legend, lived rather puritanically and were by no means bent on luxury. But none of this endeared the workers to Marx in any way. He had only words of contempt for them, except as they might be mobilized against the "bourgeois" society which Marx so hated. Glaring Inconsistencies

Despite his entirely "bourgeois" background this is the way his lifelong opposition against his family, above all against his parents, took shape. Interestingly enough, Marx's anti-middle-class complex was not accompanied by any marked loathing for the aristocracy to which his wife belonged. He probably preferred her father to his own. The young leader of the German Worker's Movement directed his wife to have her calling cards printed: "Jenny Marx, née baronne de Westphalen." He also sported a most feudal-looking monocle and was a real snob. His two closest friends belonged to the hated grande bourgeoisie: Friedrich Engels, the Presbyterian textile manufacturer; and August Philips, a Dutch banker, a Calvinist of Jewish origin who was his maternal cousin.

Apart from these two, Marx had no real friends. Budding friendships he destroyed almost automatically through his pettiness, his envy, his rancor and his urge to domineer. He was one of the greatest haters in modern history, and one of the reasons why he never really got ahead in his basic work was his endless hostile pamphleteering. If he felt slighted by anybody, if he saw in some writer a possible competitor, if an innocent author had written about a theme of interest to Marx but with conclusions differing from his, Marx immediately dropped every serious research object, sat down and wrote a vitriolic reply or an entire pamphlet. He had the most poisonous pen under the sun and used the most unfair personal arguments. Even as a scholar he never could refrain from going off on a tangent. He sometimes copied half a book which had nothing to do with his main subject; hence the mountains of undecipherable notes and casual remarks on small slips. A Vindictive Nature

He was a brilliant talker who dominated conversations with his caustic remarks. A Prussian lieutenant named Techow, a convert to socialism, after visiting Marx said in a letter that he would be ready to sacrifice everything for him "if only his heart were remotely as good as his mind." Marx, needless to say, vilified almost everybody within his reach and despised especially the German refugees, the 48-ers, in whose company he had to live most of the time. (Significantly enough, he had hardly any contacts with genuine Englishmen who probably could not stand his manners and mannerisms.) Marx had nothing but contempt for women in general and never engaged in genuine conversations with his wife who was decidedly an intelligent and sensitive woman with a good educational background.

Part of Marx's worst ire was directed against the Jews. In this he was not in the least inhibited by his Jewish descent. His hatred for Jews had certain religious aspects but was primarily a racism of the most wicked sort.

No, Marx certainly was not a "good man". In his memoirs, Carl Schurz, the German democratic revolutionary, who later became a U. S. Senator, has given us his impressions of Marx:"The stocky, heavily built man with his broad forehead, his pitch black hair and full beard, attracted general attention . . . What Marx said was indeed substantial, logical and clear. But never did I meet a man of such offensive arrogance in his demeanor. No opinion deviating in principle from his own would be given the slightest consideration. Anybody who contradicted him was treated with barely veiled contempt. Every argument which he happened to dislike was answered either with biting mockery about such pitiful display of ignorance, or with defamatory suspicions as to the motives of the interpellant. I still well remember the sneering tone with which he spat out the word bourgeoisie. And as bourgeois, that is to say as an example of a profound intellectual and moral depravity, he denounced everybody who dared to contradict his views."

Arnold Ruge, a well-known German essayist, with whom Marx collaborated in Paris in a literary venture and who soon fell out with him, wrote to Fröbel (nephew of the famous educator of the same name) that "gnashing his teeth and with a grin Marx would slaughter all those who got in the way of this new Babeuf. He always thinks about this feast which he cannot celebrate." Heinrich Heine, who also quickly learned to dislike Karl Marx, called him a "godless self-god." Unkempt and Undisciplined

Karl Marx was in no way an attractive man; he had no hidden charms. A Prussian detective, sent to London in order to find out what this intellectual wire-puller of Socialism was like, informed his government that Marx was leading "the true life of a gypsy. To wash, to comb his hair or to change his underwear are rare occurrences with him ... if he can, he gets drunk ... he might sleep during the day and stay up all night ... he doesn't care whether people come or leave ... if you enter his home you have to get used to the smoke of tobacco and the coal in the open fireplace with the result that it takes some time until you can see properly the objects in the rooms."

Gainful work was alien to him and when he landed a part-time job as the correspondent for the New York Tribune (under Charles A. Dana, an early American socialist), it was his friend Engels who had to write most of the articles during the first year. Marx could have earned money by giving language lessons, but he refused this and continued to sponge on Engels, who really made Marx. (Once Marx, as a true socialist, tried to gamble at the London Stock Exchange, but failed.) Engels was his "angel" from every imaginable point of view. A Most Unhappy Family

The sufferings of the Marx family, and especially of poor faithful Jenny, are difficult to describe. Though they did have a housekeeper and though Friedrich Engels spent in the course of the years at least 4000 Pounds on Karl Marx, they lived in abject misery. The death of one child, a boy, is directly attributable to poverty and neglect. Family life must have been absolutely terrible, but Marx could not be moved -neither by entreaties, nor by tears, nor by cries of despair. For two chapters of Das Kapital he needed fourteen years. No wonder that only the first volume was published during his lifetime and that it was Engels' headache to assemble and to rewrite the rest, so that-as one author suggested-we should speak of Engelsism rather than of Marxism. Yet it would be a mistake to think that Marx suffered silently and proudly. By no means! In his letters and in his conversations he never failed to complain and to lament. He had a colossal amount not only of self-hatred, but also of self-pity, but no human feelings for others, least of all for his wife whose health he had ruined completely.

Marx liked his daughters. These were - intellectually, linguistically, artistically -extremely gifted girls, but the spiritual background of the family had an adverse influence on them. Marx was a fanatical atheist, a disciple of Feuerbach who thus succinctly formulated his views: "Der Mensch ist, was er isst - Man is what he eats." And in an early poem Marx had declared: "And we are monkeys of an icy god." Jenny, too, had completely lost her childhood faith and her sufferings had made her practically despondent toward the end of her life. She was older than her husband and preceded him in death.

The oldest of his daughters, also named Jenny, the most beloved by the father, died of cancer at the age of thirty-nine. Karl Marx survived her only by two months. Laura, for reasons unknown, committed suicide together with her husband later in their lives. The French Socialist Party was stunned; at their grave one of the speakers was a Russian refugee, Vladimir Ilyitch Ulyanov, better known under his pen-name: Lenin. Years later, each time he looked up from his desk in the Kremlin study (now transferred to the Lenin Museum in Moscow) he saw on his desk not a crucifix, an ikon or a picture of his wife, but the statuette of a reddish ape with an evil grin. "We monkeys of an icy god!"

Eleanor, the third daughter, a quite hysterical child and later a passionate socialist and feminist, admitted that she "saw nothing worth living for." She also committed suicide. Still, in her farewell letter to her nephew Jean Longuet, she exhorted him, above all, to be worthy of his grandfather.

Who can explain the influence of this queer and sinister man on the world? Undoubtedly he was talented in many ways, but there is nothing truly valuable about his extremely negative, nay, even absurd message. However, history is not reasonable. Mankind is not either. Surely, all the prophecies of Marx in the economic and historical field have proved wrong. His philosophical insights are totally obsolete. They are not even worth refutation except, maybe, as an exercise for high school students or college undergraduates. They are, above all, proved to be wrong empirically. But what does it matter? Material victories or publicity triumphs are one thing, truth or goodness very different ones.

The Children of Darkness have always been more clever than the Children of Light. Socialism, moreover, has always been a "clear, but false idea." A free market economy, on the other hand, is far more complex and cannot be explained in a nutshell. In the political arena it competes poorly with the notion of collective ownership and central planning until the latter's bankruptcy is proved in practice. The ideas of the hate-swollen bookworm in the library reading room can only be shown up in life. Here the method of trial and error, however, has its terrible pitfalls. To experience Marxism entails a captivity from which, as we know, escape is not so simple. The poor East Europeans realize all this only too well.

More than a hundred years ago the German classic poet and writer Jean Paul wrote that "In every century the Almighty sends us an evil genius in order to tempt us." In the case of Marx the temptation is still with us, but as far as the perceptive observer can see, in spite of the renewed interest in the "Red Prussian," it is now slowly, slowly subsiding.


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Dr. Kuehnelt-Leddihn is a European scholar, linguist, world traveler, and lecturer. In early 1974 his book, Leftism: From de Sade to Marcuse was release by Arlington House.
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Reprinted with permission from The Freeman, a publication of The Foundation for Economic Education, Inc., September, 1973, Vol. 23, No. 9.

Nice cut and paste...now how is this relevent. Can you defend your arguments on your own?

To you Brazilian's on the site that say to the US, "f**k off we don't need you any more", be very careful what you wish for. Your new friends in the world have proven to be fickle ones. You may disagree with our policy, but America does not hate Brazil, in fact, speaking from a purely economic sense, your comments are nonsense, you need us very badly. As for you folks in the US falling on your sword for President Bush, just because someone does not like or agree with our President does not mean they are "anti-American" although a few posters here certainly are. I would consider myself a conservative, I listen to Rush, watch Fox News, and bought Hannity's and O'Reily's books...but I still did not vote for Bush. You see even though I did all these things, I never let someone think for me. I can be conservative and still think and say re-electing Bush was a mistake. He made HUGE mistakes that cost young men and women there lives, this is the biggest mistake a President can make...he should have paid for it with defeat. I think that Lula and Bush have the same basic problem, both love their countries but lack the skills to lead them.

We dodged a bullet by defeating Kerry. I like Michael A. Peroutka better than Bush and would have voted for him if there had not been a risk of Kerry getting elected. Regarding the pasted article on Marx, I wanted everyone to reflect on who is the left's ideological father. The left includes Lins, Lula, PT, Chavez, Castro, Saddam Hussein, etc. They are all adherants to Karl Marx in some manner. It's uncanny how his followers have the same personality traits, such as making defamatory and mocking accusations against whom they disagree. So keep it up with the "idiot" and "prick" comments, you can't help it, you are just living out you father, Karl Marx's personality traits!

I'm not one for name calling, but your arguments about Lula and Brasil's left are shallow and not well thought out. Marx was a communist, as was Lins, but this is a much different time and situation than what is happening in the region. Castro has destroyed his country by his unbending ideology. Chavez was a democraticly elected President in Venezuala, and yes he is left, so is Lula. What the US wants is a right wing govenrment who leans towards the US, we have had these types of Presidents for decades. But where has it gotten US. Lula is left, but a product of the US's past support. Brasil wanted a President who would think of Brasil first, and thus we have Lula. I for one hope a candidate that can beat Lula arrises but am not hopeful. While Lula has not made the changes promised, he has done little damage, and indeed, he has even developed a relationship with President Bush.

It's amazing in this day and age to see an American who sees everyone who does not march lock step with America as all "commies". I guess this shows the different levls of education and culture on this site, and the mentality that relected George Bush. The person making these comments can cut and paste any retoric he want's, but his postings are nonesense. First, communism as we knew it, is largely gone, and for this we can truely thank the United States, particularly the 8 years of Ronald Reagan, God bless his soul. Due to Mr. Regan's leadership communism, with the exception of North Korea is no longer a threat. The only real communists left are Cuba, a society in a mess, North Korea, a society in a mess and a danger to us all. China and Vietnam are also communists, but the face of communism is changing rapidly in these countries, and another decade or so should see communisim disappear from these two countries as well. Hussien was not a communist, but a ruthless dictator, the world IS better off without him, but the actions taken by the US to remove him were ill thought out and based on lies to the world. Hussien could have been removed from power by spending the strong diplomatic capital the US had after 9-11, instead Bush rushed the USA and the world off too war at a terrible price.

Chavez and Lula on the other had are democraticly elected Presidents, elected by Latin democracys', instead of name calling them communists, people should consider their elections. Neither election, Chavez or Lula would have been possible a decade ago, the military would not have allowed it. The world should be glad that democracy worked, and that the fairly elected Presidents took power. In Chavez's case an illegal coup attempt support by the American government who preaches democracy in our region was put down, next the Venezualan constitution was followed and a re-call vote was elected. The US had people on the ground and concured the election was fair, Chavez survived...democracy survived, this is not communism in action, but freedom in action. President Lula had a short stint in the communist party as a youth in Brasil, all youths make mistakes, as the drug and alcohol use by the current President of the US in his youth, people grow up. President Lula has governed nothing like a communist. While he still maintains ties with Cuba, the ties are mostly symbolic, and an effort to maintain Brasil's leadershi in the region. President Lula and President Bush maintain good, if not close relationships, it is in the best interest of both countries to do so. Based on Mr. Bush's stubborn nature with Cuba, and North Korea, and indeed Mr. Chavez, I don't think he would joke with, and meet with Lula if he felt he was a communist threat, see even the US President the poster so devoutly defends, enjoys a good relationship with Mr. Lula. To be honest, while Mr. Lula has been an opponent of US polices in the region, I can not remember him making an "anti-Bush" remark. Now, the "commie in every corner" theroy is easily dispelled. But in Brasil democracy is working, when Lula tried to censure the press, the country protested, and the idea was shelved, when he expelled the NYT journalist for writting an unflaterring and inaccuarte article about him, the country objected even though it was deeply offended by the article...democracy at work. And finally, if in two years the Brasilian people have had enough of Lula (I hope & pray), they will defeat him in an election. So my American "every Red should be dead" friend. How canyou possibly defend your position that Brasil has a communist leader. The reason he was elected in the first place was because of the mess American led policy in our region had left our country.

This is where in 1990 Castro, Lula and others mapped their plan to make all of Latin America a Soviet-Style state. How do you explain that? Do you call buying votes with sandals "democracy in action" ? Coincidentally, this topic is covered in the current issue of the "New American" see below link for full acticle

http://www.stoptheftaa.org/artman/publish/article_155.shtml

And I thought the US President was a free trader? I hope Brasil does not enter into the agreement, we have been screwed by the US for a very long time. Brasil a Soviet- Style state??? OK...I'll admit it, we are all commies here in Brasil, hope that makes you feel better, i'm off to take my son the his Young Pioneer meeting. I'm out here no sense having a battle of the brains with someone who is unarmed.

Abracos.

And??? What is the problem if Brasil or anyother countries have nuclear power??? USA wants to be the only one having it but also it's the only one that has used it against humans. The only one REALLY dangerous to the world is USA with its sick arrogance and authoritarism. Who the hell gave rights to USA to be the police of the world??? NOBODY and NOBODY wants that just because USA is a true menace to the world as much as the terrorists. WHAT AN ARROGANT COUNTRY!!! Didn't you learn yet your lesson about respecting other cultures and countries after 09.11??? And they are starting the s**t about Irã now just the same way they did about Irak while the whole world knows they just want to control the oil to control the world. will Amazônia be the next when they want to control the water in the world??? They already started softly convincing the world about the internalization of Amazônia, one day this will be a very normal, natural thought and they will be ready to invade Brasil arrogantly saying it's to SAVE the world... The tsunami in Asian was so much convenient to make the world not to pay so much atention to Irak anymore that I almost believe USA provocated that tragedy by some of their secret departments... who knows??? They have proved that they can make whatever for getting whatever they want...

I just refuse to submit to Khrushchev's mandate to us Americans. I wonder if learning Portuguese was a mistake. It's getting really old reading this crap on blogs, letters to the editor, etc. I will sure show it to my kids before they reach the decision on whether to accept Brazilian citizenship to show what you Red stooges think of us. You want to stack Brazilian society up against even the most "backward" part of US society? Ok then, I watched some yahoo in downtown Fortaleza back in to someone and damage their car, then drive off. I got their plate number and wanted to turn them in for hit and run: I was badly ridiculed. When there is a car wreck in Brazil, everyone gawks, no one helps. Lots of Brazilians think what happened on 9-11 was great, well in that case, I don't give a crap when y'all get kidnapped or shot or whatever in your own country. Be happy that Bush is a moderating force in the US. Lots of people in the US just want to turn Iran, Iraq and Syria into a heap of ashes and forget it. You parrot Castro's line about the US being in Iraq for oil, but the REAL dirty oil money passed through the UN, financing the weapons and torture infrastructure of Saddam Hussein, then bribing Kofi Annan, plus officals and "news" outlets from France, Germany and Russia. I wouldn't be surprised if this dirty UN blood money made into Brazil. As far as the Tsunami goes, maybe it was God's punishment against the muslims for 9-11; it is so tempting to spill pig blood on the Koran and dance in the street to celebrate the Tsunami! Again, you should be thankful that George Bush is TOO nice.

The comments made by "raising hell" are uneducated, time worn anti-Americanism. It is typical of the words being expressed not only in Brasil, butthe world regarding America. I personaly am uncomfortable with people saying the US deserved 9-11, but the US pro-Israel policy, and anti-Islamic polices did have a direct bearing on the attack, both Sharron and Arafat are and were terrorists, when you claim to be fighting terrorism, then you need to fight them all, including the Jewish ones. The comment "what problem is it, of other countries if Brasil has nuke power"? No problem, Colin Powell said it to the world. Brasil has enjoyed a strong friendship with the US, and now that friendship is being tested, I hope common sense prevails, surely Brasil still needs the US more than they need us. Now for "Spit in you face", please do us all a favor, and NOT give Brasilian citizenship to your kids, fortunatley for America and the world, there are not many right wing nuts like you living in America, and you are not representative of the American people. I can't believe that a Brasilian woman would marry you, she must have needed a Green Card very bad. How is a traffic incident in Fortaleza relate to this discussion, what you expereinced, if you really did, was a cultural difference, I am sure you are ridiculed often by Brasilians, based on you typical American perception of Brasil. I don't think a lot of Brasilians were happy over 9-11, and we really don't care if you give a damn or not about violence and other issues here in Brasil (yawn), our problems are our alone, and we need to solve them as Brasilians, what you care about is not relevant to any Brasilian reading the postings. Now for the US turning the Middle East into a heap of ashes, well, this is nonesense...unless of course you use your nukes, which knowing Bush he has considered. Your great military, that lost in Korea and Vietnam, is now getting it's ass kicked by a very determined enemy who views the US as an occupation force, one in every 11 American's deployed goes home with a totally disabeling injury, or a body bag. The US military is stretched so thin, they are calling up people who have already servered their comittment, so don't try to sell that "the greatest military in the world" wolf ticket here. You better hope that China and North Korea stay friendly. And your comments about God's punishment against the muslims, is so comical it made me laugh out loud. You my friend are a racist, pure and simple, racist's raise racist children, so please once again keep your little Nazi's back in the US, we sure don't want them as citizens here. Abracos. From a friend of America's in Brasil.

Apparently Brazilian men don't help women on with their coats, open doors, etc. Brazilian children don't refer to grownups as "maam" and "sir". Especially in urban areas, I find Brazilian culture course, boorish and profoundly selfish. Ride 50+ miles from a major city i Brazil and things get tolerable. I remember two tourists that I showed around here in the US, they felt it beneath them to tip a lowly "garcon". They way Brazilian men treat women is a disgrace. They way they treat hired help is even worse. I know Brazilian laborers that get invited to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with their bosses families here in the US. Have you ever visited a Brazilian factory? Notice how the rank and file employees get treated. I will stack US society against Brazilian any day of the year!

No matter how many "howdy maams", or "golly gees", or doors you open for your women...your still representative of the South's shameful history of racism and fundamentalism. And American children saying "maam" or "sir" have you seen your MTV lately? Once again, we don't care how you find Brasilian culture, it is irrelevant how you feel about Brasil, it is only relevant how we feel about our culture...so "stack it up" all you want, we don't give a s**t. Gee, the plantation owners invite the Brasilian "hired help" over for some turkey and grits , or whatever it is you eat there on the holidays... and then they expolit them by working them 14 hours a day for below your minumum salary...sounds like things have not changed much in the South, do the Brasilians still have to say "yes Master" or "no Master"? It's "garcom" with an "m", and once again you show America's lack of culture. The tip is included in meals here, usually around 8%, so it is not common to tip the waiter...you should have explained your practice to your Brasilian "friends" instead of accusing them of being cheapskates. Please, come on down and spend your money, we need it. I enjoy the company of American's and am fortunate to have many American as friends, fortunatly, they have warned me of American's like you, so I know that your are a very small manority in America...Thank God.

The going rate for UNSKILLED laborers waiting at the edge of a parking lot is $8 - $9 per hour, dependable or skilled help gets $11-13. The minimum wage of $5.15 per hour is for teenagers learning how to work. Scrubbing a toilet in the US yields a richer lifesyle than being a lawyer in Brazil!

There is no denying that many Brasilians leave Brasil for better wages in the United States and elsewhere. But exploitation, is exploitation, even if an individual agrees to being expolited. Those "UNSKILLED" laborers waiting at the edge of the parking lot are most likley what you in America so nicely put "illegal aliens", sem Green Card. The contractors who pick them up are criminals that are breaking the law, it is illegal to hire illegal aliens. These "contractors" know that these people need to work. Do these contractors pay employment taxes for these workers? How about social security? Oh...Workman's Comp, I am sure these "illegal contractors" are very concerned about saftey in the work place, so when a Brasilian is injured on the job, I am sure he has good health care a disability? Still, it is all perception, I will yield, even with this, the US offers a better work place than here in Brasil, even though these criminals who invite them home for the holidays continue to exploit illegal aliens. I admire the US, and find no fault in the Brasilians who live and work there. But I will say once again, that we need no advice from a Southerner living in the Southern past, about our culture, our customs, or our country.

"Scrubbing a toilet in the US yields a richer lifestyle than being a lawyer in Brazil!" Now who is ignorant?

She made about US$800 per month as a lawyer in Brazil, she made $3000 per month after distibuting business cards. $40 per apartment/condo, once a week. She had 20 customers. Health Insurance costs $100 per month from any sales agent. Do the math!

I have talked to many people in CE, PA, PE that have relatives in Sao Paulo. They get treated like dirt. I see your attitude toward more rural / old fashioned cultures whether they be in the US or Brazil. You think we should be poor, locked out of education, starving and terrorized by groups like MST! Here in the US we hicks are rich, educated and IN CHARGE - GET OVER IT.

I am fortunate to be a graduate of a US University, I returned to Brasil and am doing well, thank you. There is nothing to "get over", post after post, you are told, we just don't care what you think, you see your obsession with Brasil is not relevant to Brasil or Brasilians. So, you are all "educated, rich, hicks". What does that mean to us? Nothing. People treat people they way they do because of who they are, not where they were born. You were probably treated like s**t because you were an uncultured American who came here once and bitched about why nothing was like "in the good old USA". Again, who cares, it makes no difference what you think, you are boring us. Your social status is not interesting either, I actually like "hicks" from the south, I am a graduate of LSU, but I don't like ignorant racists from the south who post here, fortunatly I did not meet many while living in the US. I respect American's and America, if not all it's policies. I don't can not respect ignorance or racisim be it from an American or Brasilian, your intial postings show us an American that most American's would not be proud of. If your wife made R$800 a month as a lawyer here, then she must have been a pretty s**tty lawyer, perhaps it is best she is cleaning someone elses toilets, she could not make a good living doing that here.

It wasn't my wife, it was a friend of a neighbor that was a lawyer. You are just like Karl Marx, making false derogatory assumptions! You can't read either! I said US$800 NOT R$800 per month.

It's been fun, you gave me some laughs, to bad you gave nothing of substance. While I respect people who labor, my wife would not clean toilets for anyone.

Abracos,

Mr. Marx

The following does not completely pertain to the topic in hand, but I think some clarification on the nature of "America" and "Americans" is needed, since it may shed light on the relationship between Brazilians and Americans. Two radically different Americas were on display recently. Both are real, and both must be recognized as real to understand my country.

On the one hand, there was the appearance of Alberto Gonzales, President Bush’s nominee for attorney general, before the US Senate Judiciary Committee, answering questions about his role in the sordid chain of events that led to the horrors of Guantanamo and the torture at Abu Ghraib.

At the same time, there was, across America, an outpouring of extraordinary generosity, raising hundreds of millions of dollars for the victims of the tsunami that devastated South Asia.

Generosity of spirit, empathetic to the extreme: That’s who we are. Arrogant in the use of power, insensitive to the plight of our victims — that, too often, is also how we operate.

First, Gonzales. In an especially powerful opinion piece published last week, a Washington Post writer asked the Senate to recall, before they vote to confirm Gonzales, the revulsion they felt when they first saw the obscene photographs of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib. And in an equally compelling New York Times article, a writer warned that if knowing what we now know, Gonzales is confirmed as attorney general, not only will justice have been aborted, but America itself will be compromised. “Torture,” he wrote, “will belong to us all.”

As we have learned from documents that have been released in the past year (despite some still being withheld by the White House), the torture wasn’t accidental, nor can it be dismissed as rogue behavior. The use of torture was more widespread and involved a wide range of despicable and outlawed practices. And its use was known at the highest levels of the administration.

What is, therefore, so disturbing in all of this, is that despite the horror experienced by Americans when they first learned of the torture at Abu Ghraib, despite the enormous damage this entire affair has done to the international image of America, and despite pledges that those responsible would be brought to justice, the individual responsible for the official White House memorandum that, in effect, absolved the US military from adhering to international conventions prohibiting torture, is now on the way to becoming the nation’s top law enforcement official.

Why this arrogance and lack of accountability? Because, tragically, that is, sometimes the way we operate.

While this sordid tale unfolds in Washington, millions of Americans, gripped by tragedy in South Asia have mobilized a largely spontaneous national effort to provide assistance to those in need.

The world knows of President Bush’s commitment of $350 million in relief aid, with more, if needed. They’ve seen scenes of a veritable US armada of military aircraft and personnel assigned to deliver this aid and provide critical logistical assistance to other nations’ efforts. And they’ve heard Bush’s wise decision to bring two former presidents to help in mobilizing the private sector in response to this humanitarian crisis.

The president was right when he said, “We’re showing the compassion of our nation in the swift response. But the greatest source of America’s generosity is not our government. It’s the good heart of the American people.”

It’s this last point that most of the world may not know about. Scanning press reports from across the country reveals a startling outpouring of giving — what one report called “a tidal wave of generosity.” At one end, there were million dollar checks given by some Hollywood celebrities and tens of millions donated by a number of major US corporations, and the millions being raised each day over the Internet from small donors nationwide.

More telling, however, was the mobilization of fundraising by institutions large and small. Catholic Relief Services, one of the US’s major charities, noted that while they usually raise $40,000 a month through their website, now they are raising $100,000 per hour. Churches and mosques report major efforts and even individual grade schools have been moved to respond. One grade school class donated their lunch money to relief efforts; another held a car wash. Overall, it has been estimated that by the week’s end, private American donations will exceed one-half billion dollars.

People have been riveted by the continuing television coverage of the tragedy, a recent survey showed that almost one-half of American households had made a contribution to tsunami relief, and across the nation, Americans were flying their flags, spontaneously, at half-mast in collective mourning.

Why this empathy and generosity? Because that’s who we are.

Of course, in all of this, we are not unique. Most nations manifest similar bipolar behavior. We are no different.

There is a lesson here that must be noted. These two sides of our national character must be recognized and never forgotten — they have always been with us.

From the beginning, our great and inspiring democracy was born in sin with slavery and the ethnic cleansing of indigenous persons. We have as one of our national symbols the welcoming Statue of Liberty, and we also have, as part of our history, the “Palmer raids” and the Japanese internment during World War II. And we are the nation that gave birth to both “Bull” Conner and the Ku Klux Klan, to Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Fellowship of Reconciliation.

Because both Americas are always with us, we must acknowledge this and deal with them. If we pretend, for even a moment, that only the “bright” side is who we really are, the other America is given free reign. But if, as some critics are prone to do, we only focus on the intolerant or arrogant side of America, we do a great injustice to the goodness of millions of Americans and to their power to assert themselves and make change.

Here, let a "backward redneck" help save your bacon! Here is the credit you should have pasted with your article.

The Reality of the Two Americas
Dr. James Zogby, jzogby@aaiusa.org
copied from http://www.arabnews.com/?page=...m=1&y=2005

I love this site! You can find just about everything here: intrigue, plagiarism, heated discussions, offensive behavior! It's better than a Brazilian "novella".

I am an American who travels often for business. It is very interesting to see the change in attitude regarding America over the last several years. I arrived in Sao Paulo yesterday. Last night I went to a restaurant were I have eaten many times in the Jardims area. This restaurant caters to locals and is very good. The staff there has always been attentive and kind. Last night there were two hand written signs on the front door. One said;
"Errar e humano" (Sorry if I spelled this wrong), it means To Error is Human". The other side right next to it said "Errar duas vezes e Americano" To error two times is American" I had to chuckle.

Why don't you apologize for being American? Seriously, you should make a formal "Hate Speech Law" complaint against the sign and prosecute. Assuming they enforce the law in Brazil, that sign is criminal in Brazil! You are being discriminated against based on national origin. I have to keep reminding myself that the "Brazil" you see on the internet is entirely different than the real life Brazil. These twirps that post crap on blogs, write letters to the editors, put up signs against Americans, etc. are generally spoiled brats of people who STEAL money from Brazilian taxpayers. "Maraja" is the term in Portuguese. In the real Brazil offline, I found several places where you can expect really good treatment. I recommend socializing the the "praca" in places like Piripiri, Piaui; Arcoverde, PE; Santarem, PA; Ipatinga, MG. In other words, get at least 50 or better still 100+ miles away from a major city and you will get away from the Anti-Americanism.

People don't need to be nationalist, people need brotherhood, be reasenable, generous. This is the way for peace and to eliminate poverty. Remember, one day we will die and money won't mean anything!
Peace for all you, budies!

To error for 50 years is Brazilian!

For the PT, PC do B, etc. they have pride in the hammer and sickle. Thats how they get the energy and enthusiasm to do Castro's bidding. Nationalism is a good thing, hometown pride is a good thing. Both are a good remedies to socialism. Brazil's problems are fixable. Nationalism gives people the moxie to build a good nation. National, regional and hometown pride has made the South rise again in the US. It can do the same for Brazil!

Nationalistic pride will always work both constructive and destructive ways. After all, you put a good dose of nationalism together with a need for expansion and fear of the "enemy", and you'll get people doing the craziest things in the name of the "motherland". I believe that people in general can be proud of their accomplishments on a supranational level. The US itself, as a federation of states, was created in such way: the 50 states and the two commonwealth territories are, in effect, very independent, but bound by the constitution (and tax money...). So why not expand our pride to a supranational level, to a "commonwealth of the americas"? Utopia, perhaps, but all visions are realities waiting to been created.

I agree with the poster, a healthy dose of national pride is a good thing. For a country to survive and prosper, it's citizens must be proud of their country, and as history has shown us, sometimes willing to die for it. It is wonderful that Brazilians are proud of their country...and America theirs...there is no wrong in this. But when national pride gets in the way of good sense, and creates "extremism" then national pride goes from a good thing...to a dangerous one. I am neither Brazilian or American, but know both countries well enough. In Brazil, nationalism gets in the way of productive change, Brazilians on a whole are extremley defensive of critisism of Brazil by any outsider, and more so from "Gringos". In the life of the "day to day" Brazilian, this causes no major problems. It is amusing to see a Brazilian complain about something, then go crazy when a foreigner complains about the same thing. This national pride impacts the Government as well, as they must maintain an apperance of not "catering" to the developed North, while still mainting good economic ties that help the economy, President Lula has shown himself to be a master of this, and Brazil has benefited, what he lacks in education, he makes up in common sense, and street smarts. Now let's consider American national pride. Most countries in the world, with perhaps the exception of Isreal, would argue that American National pride, once so respected, has grown into dangerous unilateralism. America had the world on it's side after 9-11, but the made a "prideful" decision to go it alone...simply beacuse they could, and was easier. I have always respected America as a country that would never take the easy way, but always the right way. America's national pride has started a war, which not only shows any sign of ending, but which shows signs of increasing throught the region. John Kerry (I know, I know, a loser), stated correctly that US policy did not stop an insurgency, but created one. I think that Ms. Rice will make an effort at diplomacy, but I also feel that the "national pride" of the once friendly allies like Germany, France, and the other European countries, who were so offended by American actions, will prevent them from supplying America the help they ask for and need...pride can be a dangerous thing. This pride is also having an impact on the American economy, and impact that any econimist worth their salt can see, unfortunatly, national pride seems to blind Americans. The American governmen now has record deficts, the trade defecit set a record as well, inlflation is rising faster than anytime since 2000, America needs to borrow money on the world market to meet obligations, based on inflation and the weaking dollar, and perhaps, yes, even some payback from other countries, not many countries are as interested in loaning the US money,or in buying weak dollars. As a pro Yank, this also worries me for another reason, as the American economy declines, we are forced to do more business with the likes of China, India and Russia, countries that I would not trust as much as I would trust the US, this is scary. I am a true admirer of both countries, and based on history, geographic location, and common intrests, it only makes sure that the US and Brazil maintain close ties. I just hope that "National Pride" does not get in the way.

"To error twice is American" I am going to have bumper stickers made! This is so true, every step they take, they step in s**t. Watching American is almost like watching Brasil now. It's a comedy of errors! It would be funny if they were not so damn dangerous. The only really good thing they have done in the last year is to send Cat Stevens back to England, that was a stroke of genius, he was a moron, and his music sucks.

Since Lula doesn't want to support the US, we need to practice "reciprocity" and tax Brazilian products at the same rate as US products in Brazil, INCLUDING ICMS!!

The US has imposed sanctions deemed illegal by the WTO on; Shrimp, cotton and steel, and they are now attempting the same with oranges and orange juice concentrate, this effort is being led by Jeb Bush and the citrus lobby. This is interesting as Tropicana and Minutemaid are both now Brazilian companies. The US wants access to world markets, but imposes illegal tarrifs on the worlds products. These industries are all major employeers of Brazilian nationals, and these illegal tarrifs hurt people who are struggeling poverty. This is a simple fact, not meant to provoke defamitory comments. Free trade must be fair trade. The US and it's trade polices continue to be a negative factor in the developing world. It is OK as an American if you feel you should tax products to protect American jobs, it is unfair to point the finger at us when we do the same. Abracos.

Steel tariffs for example raise the price of everything from washing machines to lawn mowers to automobiles, creating a NET job loss on both the importing and exporting country. Protecting a job at US steel can cost two jobs at General Motors. I agree on you position on tariffs. Just because Bush is a good president on balance, I this one thing I disagree on with him.

Lowing tariffs should be conditional on supporting the war on terror.

In his address to the Brazil-Canada chamber of commerce, Prime Minister Paul Martin pointed out that some of the major stumbling blocks in trade negotiations today are market access for agricultural products; subsidies; intellectual property; trade in services and government procurement. This was said in order to highlight the obvious truth that opening “markets to others can cause painful adjustments.” For example, the softwood lumber dispute between the U.S. and Canada (both NAFTA signatories) , which was ruled in favour of Canada by the WTO, remains unsolved and is still a sore spot in U.S.-Canada relations. The reason, of course, is not some evil nature of my southern neighbours, but the unfortunate symbiotic relationship between powerful lobby groups, on one side, and the politicians, on the other. While both groups, in principle, represent the people’s interests, their “feeding habits” (the politicians after financial support for their re-elections; the lobbyists after the financial rewards from their association with the politicians…) cause the demise of much of the fairness of the free trading process.

You can not compare trade negotiations and trade enviroment with the US and Brasil, with those of NAFTA, if the Canadian Prime Minister did so in a meeting regarding trade in Brasil, then it is another example of the countries of the rich north making no effort to help or understand the struggles of developing countries. A soft wood dispute between Canada and the US, will not leave someone hungry at night, a tarriff that illegaly prevents Brazil from exporting sugar for example will. Trade negotiations are used by the rich countries as "ransom" to toe the line. In the case of the US, President Bush claims to be a champion of the AFTA, but the US will not negotiate in good faith. I find it interesting, that the "first world" would offer a better trade climate to China, a communist country, tham to a democratic neighbor to the South. We in Brasil do not have powerful lobby groups in your congress, lobbyist paid for by the largest US compaines who have no heart or soul. As in the case of NAFTA, both Canada and Mexico have been given the shaft, why should we. The US also knows that a ruling by the WTO that goes to the World Court for mediation will be argued for decades before any decision is made, and even then, they will not abide by it. Saying all this, I find no fault in the American practice, even President Lula said he admired how American's protected their markets. But please no more nonsense about Brasil unfairly protecting ours.

President Lula has designated himself as the mediator in a conflict between Colombia and Venezuela that has rapidly become very serious ove rthe last week. In a snap shot, Venezula has accused Colmbia of violating it's soverignty by entering intp Venezula to capture a leading member of FARC, Colombia has been accusing Venezula of harboring these "terrorists" for years. Colombia denies the charges and claims to have captured the FARC leader in a border city, although they do admit to having intellegence from both the US and Venezuelan Army. Chavez has cut of all ties and re-called the Venezuelan ambassador in Bogata. The words have gotten really ugly the last few days. Enter Lula, a long time friend of the leftist Chavez, and then you have Urbie, the US hand picked President of Colombia, where hundreds of US Special Forces are now deployed. Lula needs to walk a leftist line to keep his party and his "Last Great Leftist" rep**ation in tact, while not damaging the pretty good relationship he has in Washington right now...this should be better than a Novela!

I apologize. My intention was to agree with you (I assume you posted on Tropicana and Minute Maid?). I used a "Canadian Perspective" to actually support the point that the US gives a damn about the WTO, and that, as I quoted, that "opening markets to others can cause painful adjustments." The Softwood Lumber dispute, for example, has its roots on a similar premise as the orange juice issue: someone is out there working hard on the land, and is being royally screwed by unfair international trade practices, despite an existing “free trade agreement” between the parts involved. As for hunger, although I cannot really say if this dispute has indeed caused it, reports out there state that “the tariffs imposed on Canadian lumber will devastate the British Columbian economy. Over twenty thousand people have been laid-off as a result of the tariffs, and this protectionism is expected to wipe out another fifty thousand jobs in British Columbia alone.” So, aren’t we on the same page? Best regards!

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