Brazilian president blames Aryans for crisis

[Mise]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7967546.stm

Brazil's Lula raps 'white' crisis
By Gary Duffy
BBC News, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Brazil's president blames wealthy countries for the crash

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has said the world's poor people should not be forced to pay for the global financial crisis.

President Lula said white, blue-eyed people - not Indians, nor black, nor poor people - had created and spread the crisis throughout the world.

He was speaking at a news conference during a visit by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Mr Brown was in Brazil in advance of the G20 summit in London next week.

Mr Brown made a joint appeal with the Brazilian leader for the world's biggest economies to provide $100bn to boost global trade.

Both leaders also appealed for the stalled round of Doha trade talks to be resumed.

'Irrational behaviour'

President Lula has long argued that poor and developing nations have been victims of mistakes made in richer countries, caused by irresponsibility or a lack of regulation in the world's banking systems.

It was not a surprise, therefore, that he would return to this topic just days ahead of the crucial G20 summit in London.

What was perhaps less expected was the way in which the Brazilian leader chose on this occasion to identify those to blame for the current economic situation.

Gordon Brown and Lula
Lula was speaking at a joint news conference with Gordon Brown

"It is a crisis caused and encouraged by the irrational behaviour of white people with blue eyes," the president said, "who before the crisis appeared to know everything, but are now showing that they know nothing."

If Mr Brown appeared uncomfortable with this claim, he did his best not to show it. Questioned by a reporter, President Lula expanded his theory.

"As I do not know any black or indigenous bankers," the president added. "I can only say it is not possible for this part of mankind, which is victimised more than any other, to pay for the crisis."

Mr Brown said he preferred not to attribute blame to individuals, and the rest of the news conference focused on a more conventional message of unity in advance of the G20 summit in London.

As well as the plan for a $100bn fund to boost world trade, there were calls for greater regulation of financial markets, strong words against protectionism and an appeal for the stalled Doha round of world trade talks to be restarted.

All I can say is, wtf.

 

[Camikaze]

Well, there may be something lost in translation. He obviously wasn't meaning it in a racist manner, but in a anti-rich-people kind've way.

 

[RedRalph]

If that is what he meant, its pretty appalling, but things do have a way of being lost in translation

 

[Mise]

I would also be tempted to put it down to translational, or at least poetic, license. However, he later clarified that he didn't know any black or indigenous bankers - a clear admission that he is speaking from a position of sheer ignorance.

 

[Luckmann]

Give us back our technology, you mud-scratching, spear-chucking subhuman!

Well, there may be something lost in translation. He obviously wasn't meaning it in a racist manner, but in a anti-rich-people kind've way.

I don't really see how you can loose "It is a crisis caused and encouraged by the irrational behaviour of white people with blue eyes" in translation, unless you wear a blindfold and ear plugs. Or possibly a brain 'off'-switch.

 

[Camikaze]

I don't really see how you can loose "It is a crisis caused and encouraged by the irrational behaviour of white people with blue eyes" in translation, unless you wear a blindfold and ear plugs. Or possibly a brain 'off'-switch.

Well, I don't know what the Portuguese for white people with blue eyes is, but it could just be referring to Westerners in general.

 

[Mise]

Why would the Portuguese call themselves "white with blue eyes"??

 

[classical_hero]

What did I do to cause the financial crisis?

 

[Dachs]

What did I do to cause the financial crisis?

You be keepin brothas down.

 

[Phlegmak]

Lula is obviously using race in politics. "White people with blue eyes" in Portuguese cannot be mistaken for "Westerners". No, he meant white people with blue eyes.

 

[warpus]

You know, if he had blamed the Jews, there'd be a huge outrage. Nobody cares about white men with blue eyes

 

[Winner]

It's not racism when Whites are the target, eh?

 

[Grisu]

thankfully, I don't have blue eyes, so I'm in the clear

of course, white people with brown eyes are responsible for global warming, so I'm not entirely innocent

seriously now, wth has he been drinking/smoking?

 

[RedRalph]

It's not racism when Whites are the target, eh?

I dont think anyone is saying this isnt racism, it clearly is, if the translation is accurate

 

[Bill3000]

I would also be tempted to put it down to translational, or at least poetic, license. However, he later clarified that he didn't know any black or indigenous bankers - a clear admission that he is speaking from a position of sheer ignorance.

Do you know any black or indigenous bankers?

 

[Azale]

I can't wait until luiz gets to this thread.

 

[Tee Kay]

Well, much of the world's wealth and power is concentrated in the hands of certain white individuals with blue eyes. That however doesn't make the remark any less racist and it's politically irresponsible.

 

[Phlegmak]

I dont think anyone is saying this isnt racism, it clearly is, if the translation is accurate

"Westerners" cannot be mistranslated to "white people with blue eyes". If it really is a "mistranslation", then the translator is a person with an agenda, or an amazing moron. The former is more probable.

EDIT: The most probable thing is actually that Lula said exactly what it's translated to.

 

[amadeus]

I'll be worried when I see Brazilian "war veterans" occupy farms.

 

[plarq]

I'll be worried when I see Brazilian "war veterans" occupy farms.

Do they really have war veterans to speak of?