Black Consciousness!

“Reggae fell into my hands like a blessing. In the old days I played a popular sound, like MPB, Sertanejo... then I felt that my music did not fit that rhythm... a protest sound, connected to the harsh reality of Brazil's ghettos... then Reggae came!!! Then I never stopped, I felt that this was the rhythm, that the lyrics entered clearly into the cadence of Roots Reggae..."

These are the words of a courageous man who faces abuse of authority with Reggae. Black, over 40 years old, 25 of them only in music. The militant musician João Terra was approached and humiliated by police officers before the television media, which always denied him space. Besides his career in the Reggae scene, he taught music to needy young people in the Freguesia do Ó and Brasilândia region and after this incident, lost the support of the City Hall that paid the expenses of this project. (see the column Reggae se Aprende na Escola).

Life goes on, but what about the honor of someone who suffers a false accusation? What happens emotionally to someone who suffers humiliations spoken from the mouth of an unprepared and racist police officer?
Abuse of power is an inadmissible practice; it violates the most elementary human rights and the democratic regime itself. It cannot be admitted that agents or representatives of the State, who must obey and guarantee the exercise of the fundamental rights of the human person, violate legal precepts and commit abuses and violence against a citizen who fights for the outskirts of São Paulo and takes young people off the streets to teach music.

Abuse of authority is inadmissible not only in this case, but in any other. It is common to believe that the security problem comes down to: increasing poorly instructed police forces in the streets and repressive measures, which often end up disrespecting the rights of the most marginalized segments of society: the poor and Black people. Are we going to let ourselves be silenced?

As Alexandre Carlo would say: (Natiruts vocalist)

No one is free from being humiliated, it is enough for that to find in an alley One or more blue horsemen, always with their swords in hand Taking your dignity and throwing it all to the ground...
(excerpt taken from the song: Cavaleiros Azuis)

The problem of public security is not solved by increasing policing in the streets; it has to be discussed and we must fight for a preventive, instructed and community police force, one that respects human rights and above all does its work decently. We can start by denouncing abuses of authority; this is essential to make practices that violate human rights cease. Remaining silent only helps perpetuate these attacks and increases violence against citizens.