Yesterday saw a modest-sized march along Paulista Avenue, as the usual cosmopolitan crowd of young trendies banged the drum, literally, for a liberalization of drug laws. (Have to say, it's a subject which bypasses my passions.) Once again Brazilians are nothing if not scrupulous in following the lead set by their Northern hemisphere brethren. Today's march, in the same location, was significantly bigger and called for greater protection of the Brazilian rainforest. Given that there has been an increase in assassinations of environmental activists lately, such demonstrations serve a doubly serious purpose.
What I would also like to see, though, are demonstrations calling for an end to the drug-like stupor with which Brazil's electorate accepts the high-level corruption and low-level anarchy which so blight this country. I would also applaud demonstrations demanding protection of the urban environment, as well as the rural. The underinvestment in physical and human infrastructure leaves a public black hole from which the only escape is expensive, private bubbles. And in the end it's not really an escape at all, is it ?
On the tube home, smiley Sam was overwhelmed by the number of cooing, air kiss-blowing and toe-twiddling female admirers. Such demonstrative affection from strangers gave me pause once again: Brazil may be short on style and quality; it may be crippled by corruption and crime; and it may be a stranger to efficiency and effectiveness. But despite all that, it does still have the human touch.
Damning with faint praise ? Perhaps. Or maybe, in the end, this is Brazil's most valuable export.
On my first ever (English) Father's Day - as a father - I can only wish that my son's Brazilian side imbues him always and everywhere with the most human of touches.
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