vamos nessa.

So, ok, I didn't tell the whole truth. I'm actually organizing the event for Sean Goldman today, which at first was just an idea and then I was asked to go ahead and do it, so I am. Eli's helping, too.

Last night we went out to dinner with David Goldman and two friends of his at our favorite pizza place. I've seen a lot of injustice in my twenty three years but never have I met such a good person so devastated because of truly evil people. He came to Rio this weekend to try to see his son, and Joao Paulo Lins e Silva skipped town with the boy, effectively kidnapping him (and, by the way, leaving behind his 1 and a half month old daughter with a random relative). Being that this is Brazil, the police didn't go after him, and I would guess that when he shows up come Monday, nothing will happen to him.

Despite having such a terrible day, we all had a really nice evening, and David was nice enough to show us photos and video of Sean, and he even managed to laugh a few times. I put on a happy face the whole night until we got in the cab on the way home and I burst into tears.

Today we're having an event in Ipanema, and I've been afraid all week that the Lins e Silva family will try to hurt us, figuratively or physically, so please send good karma our way. I'm not afraid to say that I'm terrified of these people because they have not only proved that they're capable of anything, but they are actually the human encarnation of evil. But it's time to stand up to them and make sure they pay the price for their actions.

I'll be sure to post news and photos from the event by tomorrow.

And please make sure you visit the Bring Sean Home blog and the latest thing, the NBC news coverage that Eli added Portuguese subtitles to! Veja aqui a reportagem sobre o caso de Sean em portugues.

Comments

[Stephanie]

Rachel--
I have been following your blog for a while and the story of Sean Goldman as well. I was devasted by his story, and could not believe the government of Brazil. You are such a kind, good person to do this...But please please please be careful!! People like that generally stop at nothing to get their way. I am sending all the GOOD karma I can!

[elena]

Way to go Rachel. Se todos nós brasileiros, começassem a agir igual voce, o Brasil seria outro pais. To aqui acompanhando tudo.
bjs e muita boa sorte.
me

[mallory elise]

holy crap you're an activist! way to go you! though be careful!

[jackie]

I heard about this on the news a while ago and I couldn't believe it. I'm so glad you're helping out. I'm definitely sending hugs, kisses, luck and good karma your way!

[Barbara]

Rachael, I know this may be nothing to do with you, but something about all this really intrigues me. I have read somewhere that the judicial process is "sigiloso" (I'm not familiar with the actual terms actually) and that could be a reason there's nothing about it on the Brazilian press (which could be something arranged by the lins e silva's). Ok, here it is: what could these people possibly have to gain from all this? Is there money involved? (I know it sounds terrible, but it's either that or they're just insane). My parents split up when I was around 3, and although there was never a custody battle, I feel for what's going on. I had to live with them fighting for me (at an emotional level at least) their whole lives. I really hope Sean stays with his father, and I hope you'll be careful about all this.

[Carlos]

I am extremelly saddned by this story. Whish I could go to Rio to support.
I really hope the protest get people's attencion!!

I'm praying for Sean, and for all of you, good people.
Best wishes.

[Neil]

Rachel,

That is a great thing you are doing for Mr. Goldman. If I were in Rio, I would surely attend. I wish there were more I could do to help, but I will feel confident that he will ultimately prevail.

I've seen a lot in my life, but the actions of Mr. Lins e Silva are truly beyond my comprehension.

[Neil]

Rachel,

That is a great thing you are doing for Mr. Goldman. If I were in Rio, I would surely attend. I wish there were more I could do to help, but I will feel confident that he will ultimately prevail.

I've seen a lot in my life, but the actions of Mr. Lins e Silva are truly beyond my comprehension.

[Raquel Keshi]

Boa sorte, boa sorte e mais boa sorte!
Força para David =)

[Juraci Martins]

Será que os cariocas, ou quaisquer outros devem mesmo se envolver nests história?
O fato da corte americana dar razão ao pai não significa que ela está certa. Afinal, se a mãe não quis voltar, será que ela não teve seus motivos?
Será que esse pai era tão bom quando todos estavam juntos?
São perguntas que nenhum de nós poderá responder.
Logo, vamos parar de falar mal do Brasil, influenciados mais uma vez pelos interesses americanos?
Este é um problema familiar. E, como já diziam os antigos: em briga de marido e mulher ninguém deve meter a colher.
Vamos deixar que as famílias cuidem de seus problemas.

[Luc Williams]

Juraci,

Por favor, estude o caso, todos os acontecimentos.
O fato é que a criança foi sequestrada SIM, pois o pai não havia autorizado a permanência da mesma em territóro brasileiro. Isto É classificado como sequestro no Brasil, nos EUA e no resto do mundo.
Veja que não estou questionando aqui se a guarda da criança seria ou não dada à mãe, inclusive perante a justiça americana. Mas o FATO é que ela teria que solicitar isso à justiça americana, onde a criança nasceu e onde mantinha endereço fixo (a família).
Se o pai não era "bom", ela teria que denunciá-lo à justiça americana.
A justiça brasileira ignorou tratados internacionais (Haia) e deu a guarda à mãe, ignorando, inclusive, a solicitação da corte americana de retorno da criança para que o caso fosse julgado em território americano (ambos são signatários da Convenção de Haia).
Como se isso não fosse suficiente, a mãe, tragicamente, faleceu em Agosto/2008. Assim sendo, o pai, a partir de então, está "somente" solicitando a guarda do filho que é dele, pela lei brasileira (vide a certidão de nascimento brasileira da criança), pela lei americana (vide a certidão de nascimento americana da criança) e por tratados internacionais (vide a Convenção de Haia).
Assim sendo, não estamos falando aqui de "proteger um americano". Estamos falando de seguir leis e tratados internacionais. Só isso.
E, finalmente, não "vamos deixar que as famílias cuidem do problema" sozinhas.
Uma parte, o pai, após sofrer todos esses abusos, está solicitando/implorando por ajuda, pois não sabe mais o que fazer. É uma questão de caridade, também.
Atenciosamente,

Luc Williams

P.S. Observe que nem estou mencionando aqui as atitudes da família Lins e Silva durante esse processo. Só isso já daria um outro capítulo horripilante.

[Dee]

This story has sickened me from the very first time I heard about it. I do believe in Karma and I send good Karma your way. Karma also struck the mother of Sean Goldman when she died giving birth. I know it's terrible to say but I believe that is why. It doesn't make any sense why the CORRUPT Lins e Silva is so determined to keep Sean. Does he really love him that much?? I don't think so. He would leave his baby daughter, his own flesh and blood, so that he can flee with Sean for a weekend to keep Mr. Goldman away from him. This just doesn't make sense. I've shed a few tears myself about this story and I pray Sean is returned to his father. I have written to my state representative and congressman and told them about this story and have signed petitions. Hopefully this will all come to an end very soon -- a very happy ending! The happy ending would be that David and Sean are reunited and live a happy life together and that Lins e Silva pays for his crime!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They have no right practicing family international laws when they don't abide by it themselves! They are EVIL people!

[Dee]

This story has sickened me from the very first time I heard about it. I do believe in Karma and I send good Karma your way. Karma also struck the mother of Sean Goldman when she died giving birth. I know it's terrible to say but I believe that is why. It doesn't make any sense why the CORRUPT Lins e Silva is so determined to keep Sean. Does he really love him that much?? I don't think so. He would leave his baby daughter, his own flesh and blood, so that he can flee with Sean for a weekend to keep Mr. Goldman away from him. This just doesn't make sense. I've shed a few tears myself about this story and I pray Sean is returned to his father. I have written to my state representative and congressman and told them about this story and have signed petitions. Hopefully this will all come to an end very soon -- a very happy ending! The happy ending would be that David and Sean are reunited and live a happy life together and that Lins e Silva pays for his crime!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They have no right practicing family international laws when they don't abide by it themselves! They are EVIL people!

[victoria]

concordo plenamente... o pai esta implorando por ajudas, pois ele jah nao sabe o que fazer!? vc jah imaginou ter seu filho e perde-lo sem motivos!? se ele nao fosse um otimo pai ele nao ligaria mais para o caso, faz 4 anos que ele luta desesperadamente pelo retorno do filho, nao eh "influencia americana", eh uma solidariedade a um ser humano que poderia ser russo, japones, qualquer cultura, isso eh um absurdo como as leis protegem no brasil quem tem dinheiro, a familia lins e silva cuida de casos internacionais e de familia, eles deveriam usar as proprias experiencias e saber que nao eh correto mudar o sobrenome na certidao de nascimento de uma crianca retirando o nome do pai biologico!! e bruna nunca reportou que ele fosse um pai ruim, isso esta fora de pauta jah que isso seria um alibe para os advogados dela, e isso NUNCA foi mencionado!!!! eh mt facil dizer se vira, "entre marido e mulher nao vou meter minha colher" eu acredito muito em carma, quem sabe um dia meu amigo vc naum precisara tambem da ajuda de outras pessoas, a gente nunca sabe o dia de amanha, eu quero muito que tudo isso se resolva e que sean retorne ao seu pai, e pais de origem que eh os EUA, eu sou brasileira, mas independente da nacionalidade, estamos falando de JUSTICA!!! vergonha para o brasil!!

[JULIA]

BRING SEAN HOME!!!!! WE ARE PRAYING FOR THIS DAD AND INOCENTE KID!!! WE BRAZILIAN ARE VERY SORRY AND WISH SEAN RETURNS SOON HOME!!! BEST WISHES!!!!

[Janina]

Bring Sean home! Expose the corruption in the Brazilian court system, and expose the abuse of power of the Lins E Silva family. They are disgraceful pigs. The evil it would take to rip a child from it's only biological father is something I hope we can all quash soon. Perhaps Mr. Lins E Silva's daughter should be brought to the US through kidnapping, and then mabye he'll have the decency to want to make a trade?
OK, so that sounded over the top . . . .but here I am in SHOCK that I am making a comment about the morally and legally reprehensible behavior by the Lins E Silva family. They don't love Sean, or they'd never keep him from his father. They won't even allow him to visit! What are they trying to hard? Perhaps they are abusing Sean in some way and don't want anyone to know?
Spread the word, Brazil needs true freedom of the press, that is Democracy, and Brazil needs a HUGE dose of it.
Thanks for your caring heart in this case, and stay safe!!!
Hoping to celebrate Sean's return home soon.
Love,
Janina