An analysis on the Olympic games and Brazil

[Comrade Arthur]

Obs: for those who haven't read my introduction thread, I am Brazilian and I am writing this article accordingly to the reality my reagion is facing, which is similar to the one in other regions of the country.

Those who have fairly watched the latest news will know that last week Rio de Janeiro has been chosen to host the Olympic games. I can't express how much delusional people are about it. The TV shows people on the streets celebrating, the major companies use it for their ads. But no one seems to notice the cruel side of this outrage: the proletariats will become even more miserable, and the Bourgeoisie will get even wealthier. Only in the city of Rio, there are about 700 SLUMS! Public AND private money will be used for the construction of the Olympic Village: an immense amount of money (more than R$23.2billion - which means about US$12billion!!!) that could be used to build thousands of schools arouns the territory, build solutions for the extreme drought on the Northeast region, buy dozens of tons of food or construct hundreds of health care centers, hospitals and ERs.
I feel outraged and powerless before colossal useless spendings. I have no conditions to do it, but I was thinking of encouraging peaceful poster-based protests around the country, to show the extreme poverty that most of the people are suffering and to demand better life qualities. Though, as I said, I'm powerless: just a 15 year-lod boy in a small country town.
What do I want? Equality
What can I do? Propagate my ideas
How will I do it? I am on it right now.

I understand my vocabulary is mediocre and my opinion is utopian, but all I want is to be able to walk on the streets and not have to see the desperate eyes of those "for whom day is denied, for whom death is a gift, for whom life is forbidden" and feel like I am trampling upon them. I have a good house, a lot of food and comfort. But the more we have, the less everyone else has.

Please, spread these ideas in your countries. Whenever the Olympics subject arises, step in and defend your position.

Let's have courage, comrades, for if the Olympics really happen in Rio, a dark time will come upon our country. And there is one thing I'm sure about: BRAZIL IS NOT SOCIALLY, ECONOMICALLY AND POLITICALLY PREPARED TO HOST THE OLYMPICS. IF WE TRY TO, OUR SOCIETY'S STRUCTURE WILL COLLAPSE UPON ITSELF.

Above all, may our unity prevail in defending equality.

Thank you for your attention, comrades.

[Invincible Summer]

I have to say, for a 15 year old Brazilian (not trying to be ageist/racist) your English is actually very good. Better than some middle-aged N. Americans :p


But yeah, that's the case for the Olympics in many countries, albeit Rio de Janeiro has a more extreme situation - the favelas (I hope I got that right) are terrible, and yet this is the city that will be playing host to international capitalists. I bet there will be a large movement to "clean up" Rio's image, just like Vancouver w/ our Downtown Eastside. They're imposing laws that would allow police to tell homeless people to "go find shelter."

Oh wait, there are no more rooms available in nearly all the shelters. Whoops.

[Tifosi]

Well we should have just giving it to Chicago. Some good always come from events like this. Glasgow has the Brit Empire games in 2014, opening at Celtic Park. No tic fan I have spoken to wants this coming to the East End of Glasgow but new schools, homes and arena's for the pupil to use, not just the people taking part in the games. Yes people don't have it as bad as the do in Rio but it's no paradise. If the Queen at Parkhead for a day or so means a better Glasgow for the future I would take it.
Just when she comes out a Ra sniper gets her:laugh:

[noway]

interesting comment

[Comrade Arthur]

You got the favelas thing right, Rise.
By the way, just for the sake of culture and in case you're wondering, the word is pronounced favelas [f-(same "a" as "about)-v-(same "a" as "happy"-l-(same "a" as "about"-s)].
I would hope more people would read my text, even though it turned out to be more appelative and criticist.
I'm thinking of writing more texts... I like to do it, I just can't figure out what subject to talk about next.

[proudcomrade]

your English is actually very good. Better than some middle-aged N. Americans :p

Unfunny and unnecessary; disrespectful to workers; completely inappropriate on an internationalist site.

[Invincible Summer]

Unfunny and unnecessary; disrespectful to workers; completely inappropriate on an internationalist site.

The OP mentioned that he was 15 and that his "vocabulary was mediocre." I was trying to tell him that it's okay and that he doesn't have to look down on himself as a youth with "poor" English, because his English is better than "native" speakers more than twice his age. I wasn't trying to be funny. I was trying to be encouraging.

I don't see how it's "disrespectful to workers" and "inappropriate on an internationalist site." I'm not saying "Hey your English is better than all those stinking proletariat fucks in the car factories in Michigan who can't get an education cuz they're STOOPID... I HATE NORTH AMERICA AND ALL ITS RESIDENTS!!"

[Comrade Arthur]

I'm sorry, but I have to say your comment was unnecessary, proudcomrade.
Can any of you give me any suggestions on what to write about next? I love writing, but I just haven't got the subject, as I said before...

[Invincible Summer]

I'm sorry, but I have to say your comment was unnecessary, proudcomrade.
Can any of you give me any suggestions on what to write about next? I love writing, but I just haven't got the subject, as I said before...

It'd be interesting to learn more about leftism in Brazil, considering there is a large (I think) proletarian base there.

[GX.]

yes, you raise some good points. and there's also the issue of human displacement. when the olympics came to my city it was basically used as a rationale to displace thousands of poor people, to the benefit of a few developers. that seems to be the blueprint for the olympics: clear out poor people so developers can buy very cheap real estate and make huge profits. with 700 slums, as you said, i'm sure theres plenty of prime real estate in rio.

[davidbrooke]

I think in responding to the arrival of the Olympic games you do have a powerful argument. We have plenty of money for this three week festival and yet the politicians claim there is no money for schools, services etc. Your rhetoric does not necessarily have to be anti-Olympics (if people were so happy about it).

Here in England people felt quite excited about the Olympics coming. It was an event that we could all feel part of, since then however there has been wide-spread pessimism. The spiralling costs of the games, the lack of any form of economic gains and the fact that during a recession Labour and Conservative talk about cuts with nothing short of excitement. The same will probably happen in Rio, the politicians will be determined for new prestige, to present Brazil as a new powerful economic power to the rest of the world. Just like China and just like Britain.

Finally it may be worth while doing research into the detrimental effect the Olympic games have in countries who previously hosted it. Greece, for example, has done nothing but suffer from the after effects and the economy is completely crippled. The same, undoubtedly, will happen to Rio.

Just for the record I loathe the Olympic games, but people do enjoy the spectacle, even the working class. But there is a tact that can be used, I have stood outside football stadiums asking fans to hold posters against Ford and informing them about Vesta's at the Warrington wolves games. Some fans initially felt some hostility but we explained there is nothing wrong with watching the football but the company itself and we got incredibly excellent reception.

I hope I helped i some way.