Opinion – Walter Casagrande Jr.: ‘I am poetry, rhyme, lightness; and you are a rifle

The other day, I received from a friend a video by music journalist Gilvan Moura, from the YouTube channel Pitadas de Sal. He reads a text by an unknown author that describes the loss of a friendship not because of political differences, but because of the distance from ideals, questions of principles and values ​​that determine who is who within a society.

The text is called “Friendships” and lists several differences in choices. “I’m Renato Russo, Cazuza, Caetano and Chico; you’re Amado Batista and Roger Moreira.” “I’m from books, magazines, newspapers, news, and you’re from fake news.” “I am for democracy; you for dictatorship.” “I am peace, you are conspiracy theory.”

“I’m university; you’re budget cut.” “I am charity; you are tithing.” “I am Pepe Mujica, Luther King, Nelson Mandela, John Lennon; you are Hitler.” “I respect hospitals, and you think an invasion of them is normal.” “I’m Paulo Freire, and you’re Olavo de Carvalho.”

“I applaud the graduating doorman’s son; you don’t.” “I’m for vaccine, SUS, science; you’re chloroquine, ivermectin, science denialist.” “I am Marielle; you are militia.”

“I am for the collective, for social justice, scholarship, aid, and you support the privileged.” “I am fauna and life; you are game.” “I am courage, and you are cowardice.” “I believe in the morals of fables, and you believe in gay kit in schools.” “I believe in the spirit, in life beyond the earth, and you are the death penalty.” “I am poetry, rhyme, lightness, and you are a rifle.”

“I am bush, animal, green, forest, shadow; you are fire, tractor and log.” “I am all colors, and you tolerate racism.” “I’m Mario Sergio Cortella, and you’re Ustra.” “I am Frida, colors and flowers; you are Damares.”

“I am for love; you strengthen homophobia.” “I am for evolution and you for regression.”

The text ends with a thank you: “Our friendship ended because I respect all religions and I’m a Christian; you just pretend to be one, but thank you for helping me to know myself and also to recognize”.

I thank you for this text, which inspires me to draw other parameters to understand the distance between those who vote on one side and those who vote on the other.

I, for example, am for Richarlison and Paulinho, while you are for Robinho, convicted of rape in Italy, and Bruno, who ordered the murder.

I am for myself, Raí, Juninho Pernambucano; you are for Neymar, Thiago Silva and Felipe Melo.

I support Carol Solsberg, Isabel Salgado, and you support Ana Paula Henkel and Maurício Souza.

I’m Fernanda Montenegro and Bruna Marquezine; you, Regina Duarte.

I’m Father Júlio Lancellotti, and you’re Kelson, Kelmo, or whatever.

I am for Pastor Henrique Vieira; you light a candle by Silas Malafaia and Magno Malta.

I am for the businessman Guilherme Leal, from Natura, who defends education; you, for Luciano Hang, who wants to fire teachers.

I am Michelle Obama; you, Michelle Bolsonaro.

I’m Silvio Almeida; you, Sergio Camargo.

I’m Marina Silva; you, Ricardo Salles.

I am for indigenous peoples; you are mining.

I am forest; you are pasture.

I’m Eduardo Suplicy; you, Roberto Jefferson.

These are some of the many differences that make us lose a friendship. It has nothing to do with political choice. And it has zero to do with heart team or religion.

When both sides have access to information and are aware of who stands for what, all these distances sum up the chasm between each other’s principles and values.