Brazil bans Holocaust carnival float

As a result of a lawsuit filed by the Jewish Federation of Rio de Janeiro (Fierj), Brazilian judge Juliana Kalichszteim has banned the Unidos de Viradouro samba school from displaying a carnival float that graphically depicts the Holocaust. The float contains mannequins looking like dead bodies piled up on top of each other.

Unidos de Viradouro were planning to display the float in the upcoming Carnival as part of a series of disturbing floats depicting birth, fear and cold. The overarching theme of the floats is "It gives you goosebumps". According to Paulo Barros, the creative director of the samba school, the offending float was meant to be remind spectators of the Holocaust in a "very respectful" manner. However, Ricardo Brajterman, the lawyer for Fierj,

The monstrosity that is the Holocaust just cannot be combined with the excessively festive nature of the carnival, a festival recognised worldwide for its joy, humour, entertainment and eroticism.

In her decision, Judge Kalichszteim said that "Carnival should not be used as an instrument of hatred, any kind of racism and clear trivialisation of barbaric and unjustified acts against minorities".

If Unidos de Viradouro decide to proceed with displaying the float, the school could be fined (BBC).

I think this is a wise decision on the part of the Brazilian judge. Expression should be free in democratic societies, but certain limits are appropriate. Freedom of expression should not be used as an excuse for libel or disparagement. And, besides, people should use their common sense. If your neighbour's house burned down one day (God forbid), would it be appropriate to mount an exhibition of pictures depicting burned houses and install it where your neighbour can see it?

Visitor profile, 15 July to 14 August 2007

Welcome to the fifth installment of Notes on Religion visitor profiles!

This month (15 July to 14 August 2007):

This month, Notes on Religion received 238 visits, that is, 318% more than the previous month, alhamdu lillah. The average number of visitors during this period was eight a day.

Visitors came to Notes on Religion from every inhabited continent, alhamdu lillah. The largest number of visitors (39%) came from the United States, and Canada came a distant second with 15%. Brazil was third with 4%. Because the highest number of visitors to the blog this month came from the US, I'll convert all currencies cited into US dollars during the upcoming month, God willing.

Within the US, the largest number of visits came from California (15% of the American total). In Canada, 72% of the visits this month came from Quebec.

An overwhelming majority of visitors this month (84%) was referred to the blog by Blogger. As for those who were referred by Google, their most common search term consisted of the URL of Notes on Religion.

The most popular browser this month was Internet Explorer (59%). 90% of the visitors were Windows users.

Since the founding of the blog (15 March to 14 August 2007):

The total number of visitors during these five months was 787. The average number of visitors was five per day.

The largest number of visitors (34%) came from Canada. The second-highest number (33%) came from the United States. The United Kingdom came third with 6%.

Quebec accounted for 77% of visitors from Canada.

The biggest proportion of visitors (39%) was referred to the blog by Blogger. The most common search term entered by visitors who were referred to Notes on Religion by Google was 'ishaq nizami'.

The most popular browser was Internet Explorer (53%). 93% of the visitors were Windows users.

Pope in Brazil

Pope Benedict XVI is visiting Brazil, the country with the largest number of Catholics in the world. He is due to canonise Brother Antônio Galvaão, who is set to become the first Brazilian-born Catholic saint. Catholics account for 64% of Brazil's population.

On 13 May, the Pope is scheduled to open a meeting of about 200 bishops from Latin America and the Caribbean. The main topic under discussion is expected to be the church's steady and large-scale loss of members to various evangelical denominations. Abortion is likely to be another topic under discussion, as politicians in Mexico and Brazil have made several moves to weaken their countries strict anti-abortion laws (BBC).

Brazil govt. wants abortion debate

The Brazilian health minister, José Gomez Temporão, has called for a broadening of the country's debate on abortion. Brazil does not allow abortion, except when the mother's health is in danger, or if she is a victim of rape. According to Gomez, abortion is currently viewed as a religious matter, while he would prefer for it to be seen as a public health issue. The reason for his concern is that 200,000 Brazilian women receive treatment every year for post-abortion complications, usually resulting from abortions performed at illegal clinics.

Gomez is up against formidable opposition, though: the Roman Catholic Church, which represents Brazil's leading branch of Christianity, is solidly against abortion. Further, 65% of Brazilians want the abortion law to stay the way it is (BBC).

While it is certainly important for the state to try to preserve the health of women who fall victim to shoddy procedures at the illegal clinics, I belive that the state's first priority should be protecting the unborn. Perhaps this "broadening" of the debate should include a public education campaign on the dangers of using an illegal abortion clinic.