Sunday, November 20, 2016

O DIREITO DE SONHAR - Eduardo Galeano

 Read in English.  Leer en Español. 
Como escreví no meu post anterior (On the Eve of the U.S. Elections), hoje estamos vivendo em tempos desesperados. Isso fica aindo mais evidente com os resultados electorais aquí nos EUA. Dada esta realidade – aquí, no Brasil, e em muitos outros lugares do mundo – como é que devemos reagir? Eu acredito que um passo importante é sermos claros sobre o tipo de mundo que desejamos; O tipo de mundo com que sonhamos, o que buscamos.
As palavras do grande jornalista e escritor Uruguayo, Eduardo Galeano, é um dos lugares onde encontro esta visão poderosamente articulada. Então, neste post do meu blog vou compartilhar, para todos nós, as palavras da poesia dele, “El Derecho al Soñar” (“O Direito de Sonhar”):
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Então vamos delirar! Deliremos, por um bocadinho:
Que tal, se fixamos os nossos olhos por um momento alem da infâmia do presente para imaginar um outro mundo possivel?
Nas ruas, os automóveis serão atropelados pelos cães.
As pessoas não serão conduzidas pelos automóveis, nem serão programadas pelos computadores, nem serão compradas pelos supermercados, nem serão vistas pelas televisões.
A TV deixará de ser o membro mais importante da família, e será tratado como o ferro de engomar, ou a máquina de lavar.
As pessoas trabalharão para viver, em vez de viverem para trabalhar.
Os códigos penais incorporarão o delito de estupidez que cometen aqueles que vivem por ter o por ganhar, em vez de viver por viver e nada mais, como canta o passaro sem saber que canta e como brinca a criança sem saber que brinca.
Em nenhum país irão presos os rapazes que se neguem a fazer o serviço militar, mas sim os que quiserem fazê-lo.
Os economistas não chamarão “nível de vida” o nível de consumo, nem chamarão “qualidade de vida” à quantidade de coisas.
Os chefs não acreditarão que as lagostas adoram ser cozinhadas vivas.
Os historiadores não acreditarão que os países adoram ser invadidos.
Os políticos não acreditarão que os pobres adoram comer promessas.
A solemnidade se deixará de crer que é uma virtude, e ninguém tomará em sério nenhuma pessoa que não é capaz de fazer piada de se mesmo.
A morte e o dinheiro perdem seus poderes mágicos, e nem por causa da defunçao ou pela fortuna o canalha se transforma em cavaleiro virtuoso.
Ninguem será considerada heroe e nem besta por fazer o que ele acho que é justo em vez de fazer o que ele acha melhor para se mesmo.
O mundo já não estará em guerra contra os pobres, mas sim contra a pobreza. A indústria militar não terá outro remédio senão declarar falência para sempre.
Ninguém morrerá de fome porque ninguém morrerá de indigestão.
As crianças de rua não serão tratadas como se fossem lixo porque não haverá crianças de rua. As crianças ricas não serão tratadas como se fossem dinheiro porque não haverá crianças ricas.
A educação não será o privilégio de quem a possa pagar, nem a polícia será a maldição de quem não a possa comprar.
A justiça e a liberdade - irmãs siamesas condenadas a viver separadas - voltarão a juntar-se bem juntinhas, costas com costas.
Uma mulher negra será presidente do Brasil. E outra mulher negra será presidente dos Estados Unidos. E uma mulher índia governará a Guatemala e outra o Perú.
E na Argentina as “Loucas da Praça de Maio” serão um exemplo de saúde mental, porque elas se recusaram a esquecer nos tempos da amnésia obrigatória.
A Santa Madre Igreja corrigirá alguns erros das tábuas de Moisés. O sexto mandamento ordenará festejar o corpo. O nono, que desconfia do desejo, declara-lo-á sagrado. A igreja também declarará um décimo primeiro mandamento, de que o Senhor se terá esquecido: “amarás a natureza, da qual fazes parte!”.
Serão reflorestados os desertos do mundo e os desertos do alma.
Os desesperados serão esperados e os perdidos serão encontrados, porque são desesperados por tanto esperar e se perderam por tanto buscar.
Seremos compatriotas e contemporâneos de todos os que têm vontade de beleza e vontade de justiça, seja onde for que naceram, seja onde for que viveram, e não importa nem um pouco as fronteras do mapa ou do tempo.
Seremos imperfeitos porque a perfeição continuará sendo o chato privilegio dos deuses.
Mas neste mundo atrapalhado e fudido seremos capazes de viver cada dia como se fosse o premeiro e cada noite come se fosse a ultima.

THE RIGHT TO DREAM by Eduardo Galeano

Leer en EspañolLeia em Português.
As I wrote in my post On the Eve of the U.S. Elections, we are today living in desperate times. This has become even more evident with the election results. Given this reality – here in the U.S. and in many other places globally - how are we to respond? I believe that one important step is to become clear about the kind of world we desire; the kind of world we dream of, that we en-vision.

The writings of the great Uruguayan journalist and writer, Eduardo Galeano, are one of the places I find this vision powerfully articulated. And so in this post I share, for all of us to consider, the words of his poem: “El Derecho al Soñar” (“The Right to Dream"):

"How about if, for a moment, we rave?
Let's set our sights beyond the abominations of today to divine another possible world?
The air shall be cleansed of all poisons except those born of human fears and human passions.
In the streets, cars shall be run over by dogs.
People shall not be driven by cars, or programmed by computers, or bought by supermarkets, or watched by televisions.
The TV set shall no longer be the most important member of the family and shall be treated like an iron or a washing machine.
People shall work for a living instead of living for work.
Written into law shall be the crime of stupidity, committed by those who live to have or to win, instead of living just to live like the bird that sings without knowing it and the child who plays unaware that he or she is playing.
In no country shall young men who refuse to go to war go to jail, rather only those who want to make war.
Economists shall not measure living standards by consumption levels or the quality of life by the quantity of things.
Cooks shall not believe that lobsters love to be boiled alive.
Historians shall not believe that countries love to be invaded.
Politicians shall not believe that the poor love to eat promises.
Solemnity shall no longer be a virtue, and no-one shall be taken seriously who can’t make fun of him or herself.
Death and money shall lose their magical powers, and neither demise nor fortune shall make a virtuous gentleman of a rat.
No-one shall be considered a hero or a fool for doing what he believes is right instead of what serves him best.
Rather than wage war on the poor, the world will wage war on poverty.
The arms industry shall have no alternative but to declare bankruptcy.
No one will die of hunger because no one will die of indigestion.
Street children will no longer be treated as though they were garbage, because there will no longer be street children; rich children will not be treated as though they were gold, because there will be no rich children.
Education shall not be the privilege of those who can pay and the police shall not be the curse of those who cannot pay.
Justice and liberty, Siamese twins condemned to live apart, shall meet again and be reunited and inextricably connected once again.
A woman, a black woman, shall be president of Brazil, and another black woman shall be president of the United States; an Indian woman shall govern Guatemala and another Peru.
In Argentina, the crazy women of the Plaza de Mayo shall be held up as examples of mental health because they refused to forget in a time of obligatory amnesia.
Holy Mother Church shall correct the typos on the tablet of Moses and the Sixth Commandment shall dictate the celebration of the body.
The Church shall also proclaim another commandment, the one God forgot: “You shall love nature, of which you are a part.”
The deserts of the world and of the soul shall be reforested.
The despairing ones shall be awaited and the lost shall be found, for they are the ones who despaired from so much waiting and who were lost through so much seeking.
We shall be compatriots and contemporaries of all who have a yearning for justice and beauty, no matter where they were born or where they lived, because the borders of geography and time shall cease to exist.
We shall be the imperfect ones because perfection shall remain the boring privilege of the gods.
However, in our bungling and fucked up world we will live every night as if it were the last and every day as if it were the first.

EL DERECHO AL SOÑAR - Eduardo Galeano

Read in English.  Leia em Português.
Como escribí en mi post anterior (On the Eve of the U.S. Elections) estamos viviendo hoy en tiempos desesperados. Esto se ha hecho aún más evidente con los resultados electorales aquí en los EUA. Dada esta realidad - aquí y en muchos otros lugares a nivel mundial - ¿cómo respondemos? Creo que un paso importante es que seamos claros acerca del tipo de mundo que deseamos; El tipo de mundo con el que soñamos, lo que buscamos.
Los escritos del gran periodista y escritor Uruguayo, Eduardo Galeano, son uno de los lugares donde encuentro esta visión poderosamente articulada. Y así en este post comparto, para todos nosotros, las palabras de su poema: "El Derecho de Soñar.”
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¿Qué tal si deliramos por un ratito?
¿Qué tal si clavamos los ojos más allá de la infamia para adivinar otro mundo posible?
El aire estará limpio de todo veneno que no provenga de los miedos humanos y de las humanas pasiones.
En las calles los automóviles serán aplastados por los perros.
La gente no será manejada por el automóvil, ni será programada por el ordenador, ni será comprada por el supermercado, ni será tampoco mirada por el televisor.
El televisor dejará de ser el miembro más importante de la familia y será tratado como la plancha o el lavarropas.
La gente trabajará para vivir en lugar de vivir para trabajar.
Se incorporará a los códigos penales el delito de estupidez que cometen quienes viven por tener o por ganar, en vez de vivir por vivir no más, como canta el pájaro sin saber que canta y como juega el niño sin saber que juega.
En ningún país irán presos los muchachos que se nieguen a cumplir el servicio militar sino los que quieran cumplirlo.
Los economistas no llamarán nivel de vida al nivel de consumo, ni llamarán calidad de vida a la cantidad de cosas.
Los cocineros no creerán que a las langostas les encanta que las hiervan vivas.
Los historiadores no creerán que a los países les encanta ser invadidos.
Los políticos no creerán que a los pobres les encanta comer promesas.La solemnidad se dejará de creer que es una virtud, y nadie tomará en serio a nadie que no sea capaz de tomarse el pelo.
La muerte y el dinero perderán sus mágicos poderes, y ni por defunción ni por fortuna se convertirá el canalla en virtuoso caballero.
Nadie será considerado héroe ni tonto por hacer lo que cree justo en lugar de hacer lo que más le conviene;
El mundo ya no estara en guerra contra los pobres se no contra la pobreza.La industria militar no tendrá más remedio que declararse en quiebra.
Nadie se morira de hambre porque nadie morira de indigestión.
Los niños de la calle ya no seran tratados como se fueran basura, porque no habra niño de la calle.
Los niños ricos no serán tradatods como se fueran diñero, porque no habrá niños ricos.
La educación no será el privilegio de quienes puedan pagarla y la policía no será la maldición de quienes no puedan comprarla.
La justicia y la libertad, hermanas siamesas, condenadas a vivir separadas, volverán a juntarse, bien pegaditas, espalda contra espalda.Una mujer, negra, será presidenta de Brasil y otra mujer, negra, será presidenta de los Estados Unidos de América; una mujer india gobernará Guatemala y otra, Perú.
En Argentina las locas de Plaza de Mayo serán un ejemplo de salud mental porque ellas se negaron a olvidar en los tiempos de la amnesia obligatoria.
La Santa Madre Iglesia corregirá algunas erratas de las tablas de Moisés y el sexto mandamiento ordenará festejar el cuerpo.
La Iglesia también dictará otro mandamiento que se le había olvidado a Dios, “amarás a la Naturaleza de la que formas parte”.
Serán reforestados los desiertos del mundo y los desiertos del alma.
Los desesperados serán esperados y los perdidos serán encontrados porque ellos se desesperaron de tanto esperar y ellos se perdieron por tanto buscar.
Seremos compatriotas y contemporáneos de todos los que tengan voluntad de belleza y voluntad de justicia, hayan nacido cuando hayan nacido y hayan vivido donde hayan vivido, sin que importe ni un poquito las fronteras del mapa ni del tiempo.
Seremos imperfectos porque la perfección seguirá siendo el aburrido privilegio de los dioses.
Pero en este mundo, en este mundo chambón y jodido seremos capaces de vivir cada día como si fuera el primero y cada noche como si fuera la última.

Sunday, November 6, 2016

EVE OF THE U.S. 2016 ELECTIONS

So it has been several months since my last post. At that time after reviewing what I see as the state of the world today – with the gutting of democracies and the unabashed efforts of the super wealthy 1% to create a global plutocracy - I proposed a critical calling for our time. This calling led to three questions: (1) What are the actions and strategies that can effectively counter this global reality? (2) What approaches will enable those of us (the 99%), who are by far the majority, to fatally wound, to undermine, to bring an end to the direction of this plutocratic movement envisioned and controlled by the super-wealthy 1%? And, a final question: (3) What are the structures and practices that need to be put in place to build a world of true justice, equity, and peace? At the time I said that I would explore these questions in my subsequent postings. So here we go!!


I must confess, it has taken me this long to do a first follow-up . . . because it is not entirely clear to me what the answer to these questions might be. Over the last few months, events in our world – in my world – have made it even more difficult to envision how best to proceed. At the time of my last post there was a movement under way in Brazil – my heart country – to remove the duly elected President. It was clear that the grounds for removing her were fabrications representing economic and corporate interests as well as the interests of members of the congress and senate who wanted to put an end to the investigation of corruption charges against them. At the time I could not have imagined that this parliamentary coup could actually succeed, but succeed it did. And in the following weeks - and now months, despite almost daily street demonstrations and currently a growing occupy movement, and despite challenges from professional and student groups and social movements in Brazil as well as outcries from the international community (except the notable absence of the U.S. government), the propogators of the “golpe parlamentar” (parliamentary coup) continue to move forward in blatant disregard to the outrage. Their interests and sense of power are such that they really don't seem to fear or care about their country or the people.

Meanwhile here in the US – my birth country – we've watched as the two-party farce, with the support of a sensation-seeking media, have produced two candidates for the presidency each the least liked by their respective party. On one side of the political theatre a racist, xenophobic, misogynist, foul-mouthed, narcissistic, tax-evading supposed billionaire with possible traitorous ties to Russia. Shortly after the election – win or lose – he is due in court to face child rape and rackateering charges. His opponent on the other side is a woman who maintains secretive close ties to corporate and banking elites and supports the continued projection and probable increased use of US military power globally. Hanging over her head are accusations of poor judgement and possible criminal charges related to use of personal emails in her role as Secretary of State. Furthermore it has come out that her party manipulated the primary campaign process to ensure her victory over a more progressive and likely the most popular candidate in the race.* And as has been the case for decades, both parties controlled the electoral process in such a manner as to guarantee that no alternatives to the two-party hegemony are able to gain any significant foothold. Here, as in Brazil, the powers-that-be demonstrate a total disregard for any real interests of the citizenry.**

These are just two examples, not to mention the on-going wars and pillage in the Middle East, the forced migration of peoples on a scale not seen since WWII, the often violent opposition to outsiders in so many places in our world today, and the blatant violence of police against protestors and against communities of color including the current police violence against protestors on the Standing Rock Sioux reservation in North Dakota. The list goes on and on. So -- what to do?

We live in desperate times! Those of us who dream of a world of justice, equality and peace face a challenge. Who are we called to be? What stands are we called to take? What will it take to effectively counter and subvert the present reality? What will it take to bend the course of history in a new direction? Clarifying our own values and vision and deepening our understanding of the current powers and structures are two keystones in the archway of an effective path forward.

* Excellent insightful reflection by philosopher Cornel West on the state of Democracy in the 2016 elections here in the United States: Spiritual Blackout in America.
** http://www.truthdig.com/avbooth/item/julian_assange_and_john_pilger_discuss_the_20161105