Boa noite, meus queridos leitores
(Good evening, my dear readers!) How are you? Hope fine. I’m fine. Too much lack of humidity in São Paulo to my liking, but there’s nothing I can do but drinking (more) water … I’ve been following the World Cup and I still plan to write about it on this blog. I would write about something completely different today, but a news on internet caught my attention and made me think. I found it at the ESPN-Brasil (tv cable channel dedicated to sports) page: Caos em SP: pós-jogo do Brasil tem sexo na rua, ataque de gangues e até leilão de drogas (Chaos in São Paulo - after-match party has: sex on the street, gang attack and even drug auction). Here’s the link for the ones who speak Portuguese:
It happened in Vila Madalena, district of São Paulo, very famous for its nightlife. It’s a nice place. My favorite rock bar is there and I’ve never had problems going to or coming back from there. It’s a middle-class district, not a dangerous place at all. But it seems, according to the news, that on Monday, June 23, after the match Brazil vs Cameroon, Brazilians and foreign tourists decided to celebrate in the surroundings of Rua Aspicuelta (Vila Madalena) and some … unusual things happened. They have joined there to watch the matches, from the beginning of the World Cup. They party all night long and bug the neighborhood. Loud music, alcohol, drugs, too much people at the same place trying to escape from reality, … we all know that it can’t end well. And it must be a real pain in the ass (sorry! 
) to the ones who live in Vila Madalena and need to wake up early in the morning, to work. We’re all grownups, right?! (I’m talking about mental age). As I said on my previous posts, when Brazil plays, we leave work earlier. Some people go to FIFA Fan Fest, at Vale do Anhangabaú, here in São Paulo. There’s a big screen there where people can watch the matches for free and interact with other supporters. I prefer to be at home, with my family and friends. If I won’t watch a match at the stadium, why will I go out? Many places like bars and pubs also display the matches. But my couch is so comfortable, that I just don’t want to leave it! … 
(I wish I had a couch like this, but my brother wouldn’t agree … 
) Well. When there’s a lot of drunk people together we know that shit will happen (I’m not very polite today and I apologize!). Drunk supporters, from all over the world, are very cute on tv. Not that cute in person.
Fan Fest at Vale do Anhangabaú. Link of the image: http://i1.wp.com/visitesaopaulo.com/blog/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/11229261.jpeg
I got worried because according to the news, there were drug traders selling LSD, cocaine and ecstasy in Vila Madalena, people having sex on the streets, at public places, fights and robberies going on. Where was the police? 
I knew, by friends and foreign people that the international media gave the impression that Brazil is a very dangerous place, before the World Cup. I can only speak for my city. And São Paulo is not a very dangerous place. Of course, life is risky at poor districts, but São Paulo is not a dangerous place for the ones who don’t parade their goods. Keep something in mind, about Brazil: there’s a huge social inequality here (and I repeat that so much, that I’m exhausted … 
). I’m sure that I pass by possible robbers every single day, but nothing happens to me because I don’t catch their attention carrying expensive goods or lots of money! Tourists come to Brazil with expensive goods and money in their pockets. It’s very easy to recognize a tourist. If he/she doesn’t take care, he/she will be robbed, but it doesn’t mean that there are thieves everywhere here. But try to think like a thief: there’s a lot of middle-class Brazilians and tourists completely drunk and in drugs at some place. Will you lose the chance to get some money? … That’s what happened in Vila Madalena. Sometimes the occasion makes the thief like we use to say in Brazil. What worries me is: Where was the police? And: it seems that people are losing control. Parties after midnight, on weekdays, at residential districts should be forbidden, unless they happen at discos, bars and pubs, closed doors. People need to sleep, because they have to work the next day! And I completely understand people who usually go out to walk their dogs at night and get scared because they saw drug dealers offering drugs aloud! People have the right to do whatever they want to their lives. But let’s talk about limits and respect? I’m not here to discuss if drugs should or should not be legalized. I’m here to talk about respect. And those Brazilians and foreigners in Vila Madalena showed no respect for the ones who live in the district!
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What really annoys me, is the reaction of some Brazilians to situations like that. If you understand Portuguese and take a look at the comments below the news, you will see that some people took the chance to criticize Brazil and its people like they were not Brazilians and didn’t live here as well. This behavior has a name, in Portuguese. Actually it’s a mix of two things: complexo de vira-lata and síndrome de Estocolmo. Vira-lata is a mixed breed dog. Complexo de vira-lata is inferiority complex. Some Brazilians believe they are inferior due to the nature of our people. We are “mixed breed dogs”. And they don’t see the positive side of it. Stockholm syndrome is a type of behavior that some people develop when they feel sympathy for their aggressors. When we say that someone has Stockholm syndrome in Brazil, we mean that this person feels sympathy for the North Hemisphere, especially Europe in a sick way. DON’T GET ME WRONG! I have European friends, I love you guys, I know people from other countries in North Hemisphere and we get along very well. I’ve already said that my heart is open to good people, no matter where are they from 
. BUT, Brazil was a colony. Europe colonized the world. Entire native people were killed, other were kidnapped, sold and turned into slaves, cultures were destroyed and an European vision of the world was imposed all over this planet. It’s not your fault, my dear European reader. But it happened. First, Europe, then United States, in the future maybe China, who knows? … I hope we learn to love each other before we kill each other! So, some people in Brazil feel inferior because they are not from Europe or USA (usually). And some of them hate other Brazilians and behave like they were not Brazilians. So, when I read, from a Brazilian person, something like: “This is Brazil! Violence, addiction and promiscuity!” I have the impression that we don’t live in the same place. I don’t believe I need to praise my country all the time and if you read my blog, you know that I don’t do it. I’m talking about people who hate Brazil and don’t lose the chance to say and show it! They are Brazilians! 
I criticize my country when it’s necessary (in my opinion). But don’t think I live in the sewers just because some things go wrong here! Every time something goes wrong here, there’s always some people to shout: “This is Brazil!” They are Brazilians like me and forget that we all are part of this country! We are not inferior. We are different. Our History is different. Our reasons are different. Our culture is different.
People drink all over the world. People use drugs all over the world. People have sex on the streets and at public places all over the world. It’s a common fantasy. Robberies happen all over the world. And foreigners did bad things here as well, during this World Cup, like the Chileans who invaded Maracanã. What can I say about the tourists who come to Brazil to have sex with kids? They are from the North Hemisphere! Human beings can be good or bad and lack of respect happens everywhere. Brazilians who say that all bad things happen here because “Brazilian people are this or that”, know nothing about this world! They are Brazilians too. It’s sad to see people hating their own country and people. Feeling less capable because they were born here. I see this all the time! There’s always someone to say “This is Brazil!” when something goes wrong here.
The ones who follow this blog (thank you, by the way! 
) know that I’m honest about Brazil. I am critical, sarcastic, I make jokes. But I love my country!
I love my city! There’s nothing wrong about Brazilian people. There’s something wrong about who have no respect or consideration for other people. Vila Madalena is a very nice district. And it’s not good what’s happening there. People have the right to party, drink, use drugs, have sex, but not in the middle of the streets, because other people, the ones who live there, have the right to walk their dogs and sleep. Respect. That’s all we need. I wonder how long people from Brazil or somewhere else will be so childish and find stupid answers to complex questions. If I can say something, my dear readers is: don’t be ashamed to be who you are. We always can be better. And we are unique. Don’t say terrible things about your country or other countries. Be critical, don’t be mean. Brazil is my country. I am Brazilian. If things go wrong here, I won’t change them with hate. People from other countries are not better or worse than me, they are different. If only some people here could see beyond their inferiority complex, they would find many reasons to be proud or just happy. But you must have love inside of your heart. Good things, bad things are all part of us. Love is the only reason to fight for.
I promise to be joyful on my next post! I just needed to share this with you guys! Stay tuned! And love!
Hugs,
Luna
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