An open letter to Senator Sarney

Dear Mr. Senator,

I'm writing to you in English because apparently, when criticism comes from the New York Times the United States, in English, Brazil is more likely to pay attention. It's possible you, too were alfabetizado em inglês, so vamos lá.

You are an embarrassment to your country and an international pariah. There's no point in going into the details of just how deeply corrupt you are; it's well documented everywhere, no matter how much you try to cover it up. Sadly, you've also managed to taint President Lula's international reputation and national legacy with your childish and hard-headed refusal to step down, after he's achieved a great deal for Brazil. It's a real shame.

It's time to go, Sarney. The world is watching, and it is exceedingly difficult to take Brazil seriously when a person like you is at the helm of the federal government. I certainly can't.

(Oh, and don't even get me started on Sean Goldman. Besides being a criminal yourself, you told the world with this little article that you also defend criminals and support international child abduction.)

That's why I'm opening a space here on the blog for gringos (and Brazilians) who support the Fora Sarney Movement in Brazil, in favor of your immediate resignation from the Brazilian Senate. Oh, I know what you're going to say; you did, after all, support the dictatorship. Gringos can't get involved in Brazilian politics. I hardly think a small-time blogger like me will have an effect on the disaster you've managed to get yourself into, and the purpose of this is to show solidarity to the wonderful movement currently taking place in Brazil. I simply would like to demonstrate that it's not just Brazilians who want to see you gone. We all do, all over the world. Plus, I live in a country where the freedom of speech is a a sacred right, a country I'm currently writing from and where the Typepad server is located. So don't even try to censure me.

There are many of us foreigners invested in Brazil for one reason or another, be it a spouse, a child, a business, or a simple love for its people. And we want the best for Brazil, and you are the worst. Fora, Sarney.

Sincerely,

Rio Gringa

If you are in favor of Sarney's immediate resignation, please leave a comment here.

Comments

[Simone]

I'm in favor: Sarney your time is up. But it is not just him that need to go... remember, his son is deputy of the PV party. All his family is involved in politics. Also, Sarneys hold great influence in Brazil's Media and Communication, controlling most, if not all, of Maranhao Communications and State. We want him out, but we want all of the other ones in his family out of power, especially prohibiting them to influence public opinion.

Sarney is emblematic... Collor, a man who destroyed the lives and savings of many Brazilians, should never been in politics EVER again after that fiasco. Still he is... so many other "LADROES" yes, robbers, they all need to leave... that's what the movement #forasarney should stand for, or else we always have to add a "fora" to someone else's name or cause.

That's it, I am done. SARNEY NUNCA MAIS!!! Sarney, never again!!

Um grande abraço, Rachel, riogringa. Obrigada pelo apoio.

Simone, a Brazilian living in NYC.

[Diogo]

É incrível ver alguém de fora do país com mais atitude política que muitos de nós, Brasileiros. Parabéns!

[tarrask]

brasileiros expatriados também podem fazer parte do movimento?

¡Fuera Sarney!

:)

[Stephanie]

My family has been having evening discussions...where they are passionately opposing Sarney and are saddened for the disgrace this is causing their country. I try desperately to follow along (as I'm still learning Portuguese), but I whole heartedly agree. This country has come too far, to let a man like Sarney tarnish what has been accomplished.

[Rio Gringa]

@Simone I knew you'd be the first to comment! And yes, I totally agree, but til Sarney goes, everyone else stays. He's just the tip of the iceberg, but you have to start somewhere, and he's the best place to start.

@Diogo Valeu! :)

@Tarrask Logico! This is for everyone- gringos and brasileiros. Whoever values transparency and democracy and opposes censorship and corruption! :)

[marcela]

Já está na hora desse cara largar o osso! Fora, Sarney! Vá pintar esse cabelo e esse bigode em outro lugar longe de Brasília!

[Pri]

Rachel, você é mesmo incrível. Assino embaixo de suas palavras e das palavras do Diogo. Sua atitude é realmente exemplar. Parabéns.

[Jolly]

Great job Rachel!

Here is a list of differences between a leader and a boss (Sarney). Brazil needs more leaders and less bosses!

- The boss orders, “I’m in charge here.” The leader thinks, “I serve here.”

- The boss inspires fear. The leader inspires confidence and respect. That’s why you fear your boss, while you love your leader.

- The boss pushes the group while the leader stimulates it, conducting it.

- The leader stimulates correction of the error.

- The boss shouts, scolds, looks for who to blame while the leader corrects and stimulates the betterment of his and her colleagues, since it is better to make a mistake while acting than to fail to act out of fear of making a mistake.

- The boss guards and protects the secrets to success. The leader makes sure everyone learns them in order to achieve success.

- The boss looks at his collaborators as numbers or chits, the leader sees them as a work team that he belongs to in egalitarian conditions.

- The boss says “go do it,” the leader says “let’s go do it.”

- The leader is a compass: he fosters real commitment from all the members, formulates plans with clear goals, motivates, supervises and promotes the ideal of hope.

- The boss arrives late. The leader gets there early or on time.

- The leader makes ordinary people into extraordinary ones who commit themselves to the established mission in a way that allows for the peoples’ transcendence and fulfillment. He and she give his collaborators another reason to live.

credit:

http://www.narconews.com/Issue59/article3784.html

[Flavia]

Fora Sarney e sua familia corrupta! Ou melhor, fora com todos esses politicos corruptos que fazem de nos, brasileiros, uns idiotas.

Abracos

[Mari Biddle]

AMEI!!!

Fora Sarney!!!

Raquel, super obrigada por se preocupar com nossos problemas.Beijos!

Sou expatriada mas não sou imbecilizada e posso gritar em internetês 'Fora Sarney'!

[Andrea (deinha_ny)]

Sensacional!!

[Linda]

For what I heard this man had to go to another state in order to be elected to the Senate, he knew that in his own state he would lose.
A gringos blog is a good idea.

[Joãozinho]

I don't think Sarney is much more corrupt than say Lula, Petrobras, or most of Brazil. This is all about electoral politics. It is TV Globo doing the bidding for whoever their are tactically allied to at the time. Same as they did with Collor in the early 90s.

By the way, without the public administration structure given by Sarney's party, the whole system will sputter even further. That is why Lula is so afraid. He knows that the PMDB holds Brazil together.

[daniel@garanhuns]

legend has it that dr. suess' "marvin k. mooney will you please go now" was written with nixon in mind..
perhaps sarney could read it and take a hint?