Bengal's Corner

" By Andrew Downie, Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor
Tue May 15, 4:00 AM ET

RIO DE JANEIRO - Rock stars are often angry young men and Tico Santa Cruz is no exception. But the tattooed lead singer of the hit Brazilian band Detonautas has plenty to be angry about. His hometown of Rio de Janeiro is a city under siege, with more than 6,000 homicides each year. Drug factions fight for control of the shantytowns that dot the city. Stray bullets from their firefights strike down two innocent people every three days. What ticks off Mr. Santa Cruz the most is that so few people seem to care. So he now channels his frustration into rousing Brazilians from their apathy with highly visible, creative forms of protest. (...) "


Hello, everyone,

I've read this story and I know many of my Brazilian friends will identify themselves here. Although I'm not from Rio, as Brazilian I know many of these points are common knowledge and fact throughout the country. The frustration trying to promote changes, the increasing apathy and the violence, etc. I still get shocked when reading something as the comment in this story by the retired teacher... How can someone be apathic before the shocking tragedy that happened with a little boy this year that stopped the country? We need more people like Tico screaming for justice. Unfortunately we don't have many like him in the government...

Bengal.