Note from BW of Brazil: For many years I have wondered how it is that Brazil managed to skate under the racism radar when it has long been proven to have many citizens that harbor strong anti-back sentiments. I mean, if you spent any time just reading some of the reports of racist actions, comments, jokes, etc., on this blog alone, you’d also ask how anyone could believe that Brazil was ever a “racial democracy”. After all, after receiving the most enslaved Africans in the Americas and maintaining the institution longer than any other country, the odds against its people being free of any sort of racist ideology would be pretty strong. The very messages sprayed on the home below shows that many Brazilians continue to associate black people with slavery. And still in the 21st century, we have incidents such as the one below that re-affirms the country’s status as one of the most racist countries in the world.
Family has wall painted in graffiti with racist phrases in Ribeirão das Neves
The graffiti had the words: “slave”, “slaves for sale”, “filthy blacks” and “go back to Africa”
By NATÁLIA OLIVEIRA
A family was a victim of racist attacks in Ribeirão das Neves, in the metropolitan area of Belo Horizonte, located in Minas Gerais state. The offenses began about two months ago, and on Friday (12), the family decided to make a Boletim de Ocorrência (police report) after the graffiti was done at dawn on Thursday (11) on the family’s home wall.
The graffiti had the words: “senzala”, “escravos à venda”, “negrões imundos” e “voltem para a África” (meaning “slave quarters”, “slaves for sale”, “filthy pigs” and “go back to Africa”). The owner of the house, who prefers not to be identified, said that he is afraid because he doesn’t know who’s making the threats and fears for his wife and three children.
“The first time they spray painted our wall with racist phrases I thought it was something of a person who had nothing to do. I cleaned the wall and didn’t give it much importance, but then the graffiti continued and it got worse,” he said.
The owner of the property registered the police report with the Civil Police on Friday (12), around 11:30. Police said the case was reported as an offense, and that diligence is being made to find the suspect. Still on the afternoon of Friday (12), according to the police, the wall will be investigated.
The victim said he has no quarrel with the residents of the neighborhood and can’t imagine who is committing the attacks. “I think it has to do with prejudice really because of skin color. I’m afraid I do not know who is doing this and what they could do to my children and my wife,” he says.
Neighbors of the family are going to protest on Uberaba street, in Ribeirão das Neves, against racism this Saturday at 7pm. “These phrases, besides hurting us a lot, also end up offending other people. Neighbors who like us organized this protest to support us,” he concludes.
Source: O Tempo
I am tired of hearing about these racist incidents. Enough is enough!!