The City Of Brazil By Rio De Janeiro - 1022 Words

The cities of Brazil are some of the most dangerous in the world. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, there were 40,974 murders in 2010. This means that for every 100,000 inhabitants, 21 are murdered --- compared to the global rate of 6.9. (â€Å"Violent†). â€Å"Rio de Janeiro is a tale of two cities. On the one hand, the glitz and glamour designed to impress the world and on the other, a city marked by repressive police interventions that are decimating a significant part of a generation of young, black and poor men,† said Atila Roque, Director at Amnesty International Brazil. (â€Å"Brazil†). Most Brazilians pride themselves in living in a multi-racial society, but they don’t realize how separated they really are. The residents†¦show more content†¦This class polarity is not only limited to Brazil though. All over the world, cities and people are separated, with people doing anything to taste the freedom beyond the metaph orical walls. When you are raised in such a setting, there isn’t much leeway of choice. You are either a gang member or killed by one. Murder is a normalcy in these cities. Leaders of prominent gangs switch off, in the ever-changing, dynamic hierarchy. The ones you least expect back stab you in the effort to make ends meet in a city that is continually at arms. Think of the people living in the slums as caterpillars. These caterpillars are prisoners to the streets that conceived them. Their only job is to eat or consume everything around them to protect themselves from the mad cities. While in this environment, the caterpillars notice ways to survive. One thing they notice is how much the world shuns them, but praises the butterflies. The butterfly represents the talent, the thoughtfulness and beauty in the caterpillar. The caterpillar goes to work on the cocoon, and soon finds himself trapped. He can no longer see past his own thoughts. By being trapped by these walls, certain ideas grow roots. Once the caterpillar is free, the butterfly emerges and sheds light on ideas and concepts that the caterpillar could never see. The caterpillar is finally free. (Lamar). Instead of defining the inhabitants of the favelas as â€Å"thugs†, we should try to understand them. Until we