The Media Tidal Wave

Brazilian government, I hope you're prepared, because the merda has officially hit the ventilador.

Since the New York Times story about the Goldman case came out on Tuesday, a number of Brazilian media sources have published the story. In the meantime, Sean's stepfather and stepgrandfather have been very busy little bees ignoring democracy and their country's constitution by trying to shut down as many stories as they could get their hands on. Two online Globo stories had all the names cut from them and their texts shortened, while they even managed to shut down the BBC story that was circulated on various online media sites yesterday. Though I wasn't surprised about Globo, I couldn't believe BBC had taken down the story. I imagine the Brazilian editors will have to respond to the headquarters in the UK about that.

This story survived on Globo and has tons of comments, despite not using names. Another story came out about Hillary Clinton's meeting with Celso Amorim, without using names as well. Then, around 7pm last night, a reader sent me a Globo version of the "deceased BBC" story. Finally, an actual print story came out in the physical newspaper yesterday, but it's written entirely without names and is clearly in favor of the stepfather's family, and as a result is sadly laughable:

 

The last paragraph reads:

"Alleging that the case is protected by the secrecy of Justice, not a single representative of the stepfather's family wished to comment on the case. A friend of the family, who asked not to be identified, said that [Sean's] father had already lost court cases in Brazil on the state and federal levels, since [the courts] have not considered the case a kidnapping. The friend also said that the boy is completely adapted to life in Brazil."

Meanwhile, Estado de Sao Paulo has actually used full names and details and blasted the Brazilian government yesterday with an excellent article (see the full translated text after the jump).

The American media, as usual, continues to cover the case, and now CNN got on board with a segment yesterday morning. NBC also gave an update on the case, discussing Hillary's meeting with Celso Amorim, during which the Sean case was the first item on the agenda. Better start unloading those sticks and carrots.

CNN & NBC videos after the jump.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Estado de Sao Paulo, February 26, 2009

Washington

By Patricia Campos Mello

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s meeting with American President Barck Obama on March 17^th will take place amidst a protest against the Brazilian government in front of the White House. The protest is being organized by the group Bring Sean Home, which is fighting for the repatriation of the boy Sean Goldman, son of David Goldman and Brazilian Bruna Bianchi Ribeiro.

The father has been trying for more than four years to get his eight year-old son back. David, who is American, married Bruna in 1999. Sean was born in 2000. Four years later, the Brazilian woman returned to Brazil with her son, asked for a divorce and went to [Brazilian] court to request custody of her son.

The Brazilian woman remarried in 2007 to lawyer Joao Paulo Lins e Silva. Last August, due to complications giving birth to her daughter, Bruna died. Sean continues to live with his stepfather, who has refused to give him back.

“I hope that the Brazilian authorities make the only correct decision, to reunite me with my son,” said Goldman. “There is no excuse and no explanation for what’s going on.”

Yesterday, the American Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, discussed the Goldman case in her meeting with [Brazilian] Foreign Minister Celson Amorim. “She said the case is important and sensitive, said Amorim. He emphasized again the Brazilian stance that the case “is a matter of the courts.” The White House doesn’t accept this position and considers the case to be a matter of international agreements, specifically the Hague Convention.

The Sean Goldman case is being mobilized by American congressmen and threatens to harm bilateral relations. There are resolutions moving through the Senate and the House of Representatives asking for Sean’s return. Senators recently proposed a resolution demanding that Brazil fulfill the requirements of the Hague Convention and let Sean return to his father.

Members of the group Bring Sean Home say that more than fifty American children in Brazil are in the same situation. “We encourage everyone to contact the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama before President Lula’s visit so that Sean’s kidnapping is on the agenda,” says an email sent by the organization. “Rio de Janeiro is one of the finalist cities to host the 2016 Olympics and we want Sean’s kidnapping to be taken into consideration when the winning city is chosen,” says the letter.

Comments

[Ray Adkins]

Rachel,

Just in case you didn't see, I found this on the "Daily Rio life" Blog, it is an interview with David Goldman in the Canadian media:

http://watch.ctv.ca/news/latest/fighting-for-custody/#clip140571

[Ray Adkins]

All,

I am accepting ideas for "PROTEST SIGNS" to be used in front of the White House on March 17th when president Lula visits president Obama!
I will definitely have a HUGE BANNER with " SEQUESTRADOR Joao Paulo Lins e Silva" in BRIGHT RED!
I want to see his precious name blasted all over the world media for what he really is, a SEQUESTRADOR!!!
Washington DC is not RIO, he won't be able to intimadate us here.
Come on folks, we need ideas for objective short frases, key words for PROTEST BANNERS, we will start production soon!

[Ray Adkins]

Rachel,

A sad consequence of this whole "SEQUESTRO" situation is that the relationship between Sean and his baby sister is seriously jeopardized.
He will eventually be returned to HIS HOME in the USA and the A WHOLE Joao Paulo Lins e Silva will have compromised any chance for Sean to come back to Brazil and visit his sister or vice versa.
That is one consequence the ARROGANT bastard didn't think through. He could have returned Sean immediately to David and they could be friends and visit each other and let Sean and the baby grow up knowing each other, this is probably not going to happen.

[carmen]

Olá ! Estamos tentando colaborar com o caso publicando à respeito....
Se pudermos ajudar mais , é só falar!
abraços
Carmen

http://anjoseguerreiros.blogspot.com/2009/02/voce-conhece-estoria-de-david-e-seu.html

[Roger]

Rachel,

The Folha story was actually by Patricia Campos Mello, the Washington correspondent for Estado de São Paulo. Thus follows that the story appeared on Estado de São Paulo and not in Folha. Even the type in the printed version you posted cannot be mistaken.

Since BringSeanHome also gave the credit to Folha, I think you probably got this info from there. They were wrong for once.

Best,

Roger

[Aline]

Is this really THAT serious? Is that what Brazilians have to resort to in order to get some 'spotlight'? This child belongs with the Father. Regardless of where the father is from. As long as the father is mentally sound and financially stable to raise his child. Growing up in Brazil with a mediocre English with an ugly Brazilian accent is the last thing this poor child needs. It is bad enough this man married an unsincere, dishonest, backstabber biatch, and had a child with her at worse!!! Men are so vulnerable and stupid at times!

[ellie]

That's why I don't like or read Globo. Unbelievable.

[me]

Aline, you are such a moron...

[Priyanka]

even if the stories are not using names or biased, the fact that the story is appearing in the mainstream brazilian press is a huge deal. hopefully the momentum will continue to build and this will lead to further progress as far as uniting sean and his father...

[Um tipo comum]

You Americans are always trying to turn everything into a political matter.
Always finding a way to manipulate other countries from any chance you've got.

What the Olympics has to do with this case? Blackmail?

And Ray, "DC is not Rio". What sord of statement is that?

Every post here makes me feel sicker.

The Amazon one was a joke. SAD.

"We don't want your damn Amazon". As you really didn't care
"We have bigger fish to fry". The classic superiority complex, the American ego will always arise sometime.

As someone said before, freedom comes first censorship. But never first common sense. And common sense was never one of your virtues.

One-sided view and prejudiced comments show your engrained mentality.

[Jan K.]

I don't think she meant it as an offense to Brazilians, when she said "We don't want your damn Amazon." It's just a matter of speech, really. Like when you try to emphasize something. But I do feel that Rachel has a lot of prejudice when the topic is "all things Brazil". It's quite noticeable that she has a love&hate relationship with Brazil, but what side is going to win her heart over? What saddens the most is that her POV attracts a lot of trolls, like Aline, to this blog and I honestly don't believe that's what Rachel is pushing for... Aline is not your typical American name, but it is pretty common in Brazil, which leads me to think that she's a very frustrated Brazilian with very low self-esteem issues and thinks that by acting like she's superior *cough cough*, she will actually be superior, therefore giving her the right to talk shit about her own people... very pathetic, indeed.

When Ray wrote that DC is not Rio, he was trying to say that we don't have the "gag order" nor the powerful influence and lawsuit threats from the Lins e Silva here to keep us from expressing our feelings regarding this very serious issue. He wasn't trying to offend Brazilians. At least that's what I understood!

I just hope that this case has a happy ending, with David and Sean together. It's very naive of Rachel to think that pressure from Hillary Clinton or even President Obama will have any power over whatever decision the Brazilian federal courts make. It is unfortunate that the Brazilian Government can't overrule whatever is decided by the judicial system. But that's how democracy works, here and there. And changing this means opening the doors to dictatorship and tyranny. That's not what Americans preach, nor what brazilians want, neither. One last thing: the USA government doesn't have a say in what city is chosen to host the next Olympics. That's is decided by a panel of judges, members of the International Olympic Committee...

Anyway, my point here is that we shouldn't be saying a bunch of nonsense or attacking each other, because this will lead to nowhere. But instead, unite and fight for the right thing to happen.

[Ray Adkins]

Dear Jan K.,

You are totally correct! I was talking about "Lins e Silva" influence and the gag order in Rio and not in DC where I will be going to protest on March 17th if Sean is not home by then...
Just for the record, for the gazillionth time here, I LOVE RIO! I go to RIO every chance I get, I have dear friends that are Cariocas, I love them, I have to confess that I have a hard time listening to the accent, but I love Rio and my Carioca friends so much that I put up with their awful accent.
( I also admit that the Boston accent is as irritating at times...)
Just to wrap it up, if I had to pick accents, it would be New Yorker for English and Paulista for Portuguese.
I AM A HUGE FAN OF BRAZIL, I also LOVE SAO PAULO, otherwise I wouldn't be reading this blog.

Dear "Um tipo comum",

Rachel's mention of the Olympic games is very well pointed out, if you have been watching everything that is going on in the US media in the past few weeks you would have learned that BRAZIL is the country with more cases of KIDNAPPED and NOT RETURNED children in the WORLD right now, 66 cases at this moment to be precise, that is beyond embarrassing, that is a real shame.
In all 66 cases, BRAZIL is disrespecting the HAGUE convention that BRAZIL signed.
How can BRAZIL think it qualifies to host the Olympics if it can't even respect YOUR own laws?
Laws and treaties that YOU ( BRAZIL ) signed.
I think it makes total sense, you don't respect laws, you don't get to host the Olympics, PERIOD!
Blackmail? ARE YOU F...ING KIDDING ME?
Return the STOLEN children and we will talk about it!
Don't you see that this whole event is a GREAT OPPORTUNITY for the BRAZILIAN JUDICIAL system to get their act together and help BRAZIL become a better place that respect laws and international treaties?

You wrote:

"You Americans are always trying to turn everything into a political matter."

Well, we are almost 300 million people and you just won the OSCAR for ridiculous generalizations!
Your affirmation would be as crazy if I wrote:

"YOU BRAZILIANS ARE ALWAYS KIDNAPPING CHILDREN"

"Always finding a way to manipulate other countries from any chance you've got."

What are you talking about here? The Goldman case? How are we AMERICANS trying to manipulate the Goldman's case in any way?
Were you talking about IRAQ? If so I do agree with you, WE ( BUSH ) DID IT, I agree.
What are you talking about?

Ray A.

[William]

Be prepared for page 19 of Saturday's O Globo.

[Ray Adkins]

William,

Please post it here if you can.
We can't get O Globo in Providence!

Thanks

Ray

[Roger]

YOu just would not believe in the story. The backlash has begun. The story is unbelievable and pure yellow journalism. Only taking a picture. How come names can bepublished, pictures can be published, nothing is out of bounds? What happened wiht the court gag order that yesterday made O Globo throw out all names?

As an attorney, it is sickening.

The LeS are in full-fledge PR effort against David now that they really fear losing Sean based on the Hague convention. They want to show it was not a kidnapping or abduction and that life in NJ was unbearable for poor Bruna.

These people are not going down without a mudslide against David.

Rachel, please take a picture of page 19 and publish it here. I don't have the capability as a commentator to the blog.

[Um tipo comum]

International treaties?
Kyoto would be a good one for we to start then...
Laws? You don't even respect UN.

And I wasn't talking about manipulate Goldman's case. But use the Goldman's case to do so.

I agree that a children stolen from the family is a really serious matter.

So let's talk about foreign people coming to Brazil taking our children from their families as "adoption".

Not only in Brazil.

And I'm not mentioning any specific country, but as we are now talking about Brazil and US. What is your government is doing about it?

Children are taken from their families to US with the excuse to have a better life.
This is also KIDNAPPING!!!

And YES, use the Olympics is BLACKMAIL.

I don't need to say that most of you think Vietnam, Gulf and Iraq were a good thing to do and are proud of it, not only Bush. And also find it necessary.

Well, but it's not the point, this argue is not taking anybody to anywhere, David's case is a serious matter and has to be treated as one. The case of child taken from his family has to have priority as well as a sensible and sensitive treatment. By the press and specially by the judicial system.

I hate the way Brazilians politician treat Brazil, they just don't give a shit. All they want is money, our money, their own people's money.

But don't you try to tell us as we should or shouldn't do things.
Your politics is: Listen what I say not what I've done.

Trying to make people follow the rules you've created, though not even you follow them.

[VQC]

A couple of things need to be clarified:
The US never ratified the Kyoto, but Brazil ratified the Hague. If the congress don't ratify a treaty it doesn't become law, and the country shouldn't be expected to follow it's rules by the assignees.
What do you mean about adoption being just like kidnapping? If any adoption is done illegaly, the country where the child lives and is taken, most certainly didn't enforce well enough its law.
About the wars the US got involved, I don't know one American that supports them. Nevertheless we all support the soldiers, and our contry for bad and for worse. You must understand that as well, as you're defending your country for the worst of it.
I feel comfortable to say the judiciary system in Rio is corrupted in every level, because I'm also a Brazilian citizen and I had the unfortunate experience to work at the "Forum".
Brazilians are known and proud by its outgoing, pretty people and by its natural beauties, but never by its fairness and just community or judiciary system. System which, by the way, based its new constitution almost entirely on the American one.
How can sometimes our laws be so good you copy them, but when you're argued about your interpretation of it, we Americans are crossing the line?
If it does cross interest with other countries, all citizens should be worried and participate.
If brazilians had the habit to fight for their rights, the polititians wouldn't act the way they do, as you said. And if they are corrupted, what makes you believe the judiciary isn't.

Americans support their fellow citizens. If Brazilians did the same, there would be so many less injustices and an absurd social and financial gap inside your society.
But as you said, all these are totally unrelated issues.

And as long as we have the freedom of speech, we'll make use of it. After all, if you were used to this kind of freedom, you wouldn't be offended by a suggestion, but would be looking for a way to improve.

[James11]

David will probably let Sean see his little sister because he isn't a heartless, arrogant, *****, but I wouldn't be surprised if JPLS wouldn't let this happen