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9/1/1989 - Rights and Wrongs by Ann Mische

N OT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUTWRITER SCONSENt INSTITUTEOFCURRENTWORLDAFFAIRS Rua General Bagnuolo AEM I Vila Prudente Rights Wrongs So Paulo Brazil 03152 Mr Peter Martin September West Wheelock Street Hanover NH 03755 Dear Peter Brazilian culture strangely contradictory comes attitudes about On encounters everywhere expressive valued sensuality samba dance skirts stretch blouses winter parties invariably sexual jokes warmth embraces between friends More nudity appears billboards prime television allowed U S censors breasts bottoms freely shown genitals after hours On other finds strong moral conservatism based repressive patriarchal values teenage girls locked their homes preserve their purity marriage abortion prohibited sexual education enter public schools women especially among lower classes expected remain their homes their pleasure forgotten while their philandering This attitude likely roots Brazil strongest cultural influences European Catholicism African spiritism When black slaves shipped sugar coffee plantations forced replace their native religions Christianity their masters What happened super imposition figures saints African deities These passionate figures libido complex personalities given great loves rages rivalries The religion strong corporal expression gives mystical curing practices Umbanda Macumba Afro Brazilian dance rhythms colorful inebriation Carnaval Imagine super imposed suffering accepting figure Vir Maria Passionate expression meets pious abnegation It enough create sexual ambivalence healthy youth Reflecting these contradictions I began wonder confusions could create heads Brazilian youth The contrast between repression permissiveness reflects paternalistic attitude limited various dimensions being minor Brazil To minor different being simply young because implies series restrictions privileges relation The family state express their protective control those under limiting activities could theory prejudicial their physical moral development These limits remain place until person reaches maturity which himself And Brazil other parts world defines maturity terms numbers drinking working Ann Mische Institute Fellow studying youth eaucational movements Brazil Since Institute Current World Affair Crane Rogers Foundation provided fellowships enable outstanding young adults outside United States write about international areas issues Endowed bythelateCharlesR Crane theInstituteisalsosupportedbycontributionsfromlike mindedindividualsand foundations AEM This tends misdirect discussion maturity along bureaucratic lines It tends create interesting rites passage birthday driving United States Brazil spree pornographic movies turning young adult described The confusion created bureaucratic definition maturity reinforced electoral novelty Brazilian constitution reduced voting years Youth years option election although their obligatory unlike population As I discover Brazil country world which teenagers right But right deepens troublesome discrepancies legal concept maturity For example considers youth mature enough years serve apprentice It considers But maintains floor years activities driving purchase alcohol tobacco access pornography gambling bearing maintaining years penal responsibility In other words youth expected contribute first economic political country moral criminal matters still subject protective parental restrictions state In newsletter I discussed proposal popular movements defense children National Statute Child Adolescent which passed National Congress would substitute current Code Minors I examined definition social rights incorporated Statute revolutionary insistence children youth subjects rights rather objects The statute attempts combat paternalism current legislation although I commented AEM would require changes economic structure beyond scope Statute But while statute innovates assuring child adolescent right health education other basic necessities I bothered several vestiges paternalism proPOsal The statute maintains practically intact legal limits moral questions mentioned above alcohol cigarettes pornography matters right travel motel without parental authorizatio These restrictions entitled special protective measures justification defend child right types activities respect peculiar position person development In smaller children argument minors protected their convincing practical foundations But adolescents question individual choice begins assume growing importance The teenager needs learn experience often decisions assume consequences Prohibition futile least wants smoke motel anyway arrange ID Far enforcing responsibility prohibitionist attitude reinforces irresponsible unreflecting stance adolescent regard activities Most importantly respond adolescent gradually develop independent decision making ability It coinc idence central participant elaboration statute Pastoral Menor organ Catholic Church works street children While Latin American church broken historical barriers social questions oppression poverty point confrontation Rome cannot personal mOral questions especially those related Why example AEM question abortion birth control mentioned section adolescent right health despite strong presence these matters Brazilian youth A section reality teenagers simply definition their supposed rights As result document coming progressive initiative which proposes combat paternalism reproduces paternalistic morally sexually restrictive youth predominates Brazilian culture I raised these questions nternational seminar So Paulo early October The Child Adolescent Low Income Metropolis The seminar presence representatives UNICEF other international agencies participants countries Latin America Mayor Luiza Erundina PT Worker Party opened seminar along Paulo Freire author Pedagogy Oppressed currently Erundina education secretary So Paulo Although seminar important uniting various movements children Latin America I doubts I relation Statute The problems infant mortality abandonment street violence inadequate conditions study discussed their known destructive dimensions0 But again children adolescents lumped together social categorization ignored important developmental diferences For example about pedagogy rights which children learn defend their position subjects rights But about pedagogy choice which adolescents develop awareness responsibility society their respect their responsibility choosing their styles social interventions Without emerging adolescent concern freedom definition ideal social rights risks turning state paternalism During panel discussion about proposed Statute I swallowed microphone managed express flustered Portuguese doubts about treatment adolescents Statute One public attornies helped elaborate Statute admitted certain relation adolescents although enumerated various points thought reduced paternalism He respond questions about abortion sexuality perhaps because Catholic sister Pastoral Menor expression While affirmed proposal claim perpetuity invited suggestions changes I heard other reference these questions during seminar As I gnawed these questions I decided speak teenagers themselves about their viewpoint matters I asked several teacher friends their classes about rights responsibilities youth juicy questionnaire asking their opinions about should legal legal should exist series forbiddens voting driving motorcycles viewing pornographic films magazines traveling going motels without parental authorization smoking drinking using drugs having abortion working marriage The three schools I visited public schools slightly differing social levels ranging lower middle class downright In cases teachers brought their classes consulting school authorities As teacher school housing project walls In third entering school slightly better neighborhood I subjected rigorous going AEM school principal wanted documents authorizing research It I anything against apologetically could agent Fidel I Tomorrow I parent upset I authorization After sweet talking promise bring documentation following given green light conduct debate In school I group students class periods The sacrificed their usual recess routine asked continue until night session In another school I talked different classes minute blocks enough discussion before packing group The dissatisfied I group first class followed around banging shouting broken English I speek American In I collected questionnaires students ranging scattered adults In three cases clear starved discussion We never about these things I animated group clustered around after period session It helped course I norte americana The hushed curiosity I entered jokesters testing their English phrases Ei I I flashed smile suggested conduct debate English since spoke They nearly collapsed laughter embarrassment I gained their alliance during times chaotic discussion Luckily themselves helped disciplining excited discussions debate managed maintain involvement until I opened debates umbrella question capacity their lives I explained legal voting restricted activities drinking pornography penal responsibility based legal concept discernment The defines discernment which person supposedly gains capacity conscious decisions assume consequences The cautious attributing capacity themselves Their responses reflect their conceptions moral standards culture times tension between I examine their attitudes blocks compar tendencies emerged I VOTING The highly divided merits newly instituted The topic fresh everyone since deadline voter registration preceded intensive television campaigns enthusiastic teenagers exhorting their peers their chance participate democracy Despite these appeals students responded questionnaire approved Interestingly approval voting among students while those under approval higher Those already reached voting willing grant right their younger classmates their wanted included But younger students defended lower voting while personally prepared consider general ready assume responsibility As prepared others think about anything registered because influence their friends AEM I examine deeply implications voting another newsletter What emerged strongly preoccupation whether youth their feitas heads sufficiently right rather categorically Before person votes should prepared If adults preparation imagine youth Of course everyone There youth clear headed adults The desire participate election accompanied doubt uncertainty attributed times their education I think youth prepared prepared because caught without warning CARS MOTORCYCLES TRAVELING ALONE Predictably limit younger eager wered right drive Over those under thought driving should reduced But voting older students restrictive those thought reduction driving driving should raised Why The argument cited during debates irresponsibility youth The voando flying heads repeatedly One defiant aroused laughter applause defending reducing driving because younger fresher heads learn faster In motorcycles approval reduction slightly higher In which motorcycles nearly numerous cheaper begin riding although legal getting license About traveling maintained protective attitude While thought traveling without parental authorization could reduced willing liberate while defended maintaining limit Under present legislation minors traveling without their parents parental authorization signed stamped approval judicial authority The proposed Statute Child Adolescent eliminates necessity judge maintains requirement signed parental approval It adult students especially those parents vigorously defended measure Let child travel alone He irresponsible Anything could happen situations prepared handle It voice defended lowering limit children learn responsibility gradually accumulating experience Most accepted legal assumption suddenly magically person turns responsible Only courageous enough question paternalism attitude If never learn things yourself never become responsible You learn little little SMOKING DRINKING DRUGS In substance I surprised strongly prohibitive attitude In drugs marijuana verdict almost unaminous thought should remain illegal But cases drinking smoking votes prohibition alcohol cigarettes A small group thought these could liberated everyone drinking smoking while divided their votes between years Intrigued their strong rejection these activities I asked smoked drank tried marijuana A strong majority raised their hands But these things should prohibited Their logic these substances therefore should AEM prohibi But teenagers curious things A friend great forget problems They The prohibited makes attractive But wrong should condemned I intrigued their defiance these matters their inability contradiction should prohibited I further asked whether thought prohibition should This thought enabled analyze deeper nature prohibition It agreed prohibition doesn The decision smoke drink smoke drink should person What needed education discussion I think talks would drugs Here talks about They pretend doesn exist We feeling PORNOGRAPHY MOTELS ABORTION In areas related their attitudes similarly restrictive While majority agreed teenagers should allowed purchase pornography before biggest block proposed limit while willing liberate entirely Here again I challenged asking pornographic magazines before Almost everyone raised their hands amidst giggles chatter Are kidding joked I started seven The consensus start In limit activity But liberate encourage protested Encourage I asked innocently She blushed embarassment words Another deeper pornography gives unreal It illusions peoples heads films magazines Okay prohibit I found capable defending clearly pornography should liberated because doesn matter discussed family school Kids learn about somewhere Once again deeper problem emerged discusses orientation prepared And where preparation lacking prohibition fills blank When rather looking harder Going motel synonymous illicit romance thought pleasure should remain privilege those defended raising risked lowering admitted liberating entirely Why If liberate everyone Is wrong No teenagers mature enough serious They should stick going movies kissing making Is eally teenagers Their nervous smiles revealed difference between think should Where Can NOO0000 It hidden motels street The rushed hidden reinforces dirty shameful wrong This doesn doing natural pleasurable exploration their sexuality As after effects strong cultural prohibitions remain Abortion received second highest prohibition exceeded Of remaining thought should liberated The imposed limits mostly Their justification immediate categorical ending crime AEM should condemned Nonetheless admitted knowing someone abortion pushed willing agree maybe could justified I other teachers tried expand debate talking about woman control stuff opinion They agree however number illegal abortions Brazil especially among adolescents could avoided information discussion about Although willing prohibition agreed without education prohibition little WORK AND MARRIAGE Not surprisingly highest number votes elimination limits areas marriage For these socially approved expressions maturity question irresponsibility seldom raised Over agreed youth should allowed under Those wanted raise working argument irresponsibility rather study We shouldn study complained This vivid protest these youth night session public schools disastrous combination exhausted students apathetic underpaid teachers authoritarian poorly equipped administrations little educational vision Studying these conditions great majority working class teenager little chance entering university The public quality University So Paulo tough entrance richer private school students prepared while lower quality private colleges charge exorbitant tuition The result inherent falsity frustration built education offered these The distance between dream reality clear I asked write careers would presently The being engineers business administrators military officers occasionally lawyers doctors The girls dream journalism psychology business administration teaching Presently offices banks sales counters factories receiving extremely salaries having little chance professional training Universities aside openings technical courses extremely limited But despite underlying frustration questions whether these years enough The themselves affirm their responsibility independence regards independence admit regards voting drinking They doing their lives As marriage seems scare While marriage received highest percentage votes liberation received highest percentage votes raising would restrict It clearly although marriage their future I interesting discussion group older students ateacher class mostly married women returning school after their grown While conservative questions marriage looked other bemused almost conspiratorial fashion It should abolished exclaimed woman My experience marriage another One after another loose their doubts frustrations about marriage Really I prepared married It I think wrong I again I wouldn This discussion women Brazilian culture their struggle overcome their sacrifice burial family I think daughter should married early I Even letting daughter motel before AEM I The responses these So Paulo teenagers leave series questions What emerged discussion strong feeling unpreparedness doubt regard their capacity discernment defiance moral standards claim accept while practice contrary What roots moralism sense inadequacy since clearly related phenomenon Are teenagers immature irresponsible claim flying heads innate characteristic adolescence Or there perhaps other reasons their responses I Have simply internalized label society handed being minors definition immature rightfully subject protective measures If would their behavior become responsible society stopped labeling minors Did profess agreement moral standards temper their defiance because I authority learned expre false morality which practice front authority If values maintain within their groups peers Is their willingness accept paternalistic restrictions state feeling unpreparedness relation study their future perspectives general In political social economic factors influenced preparation What effect example childhood within dictatorship adolescence within turbulent uncertain transition democracy What effects country current economic instability structural imbalances distribution wealth What influence flood information values arriving means communication consumism technology changing family structures How these forces teenager image confidence spirit conformity For newsletter these remain questions raised answered But comes clear ambivalence expressed these teenagers If cautious challenging moral traditionalism their families educators keenly orientation precisely because their worlds bigger those previous generations At confess their inadequacy affirm consider themselves prepared their parents They greater access means communication education financial independence expanded sexual freedom If their frustration great because their exposure dream greater And economically educationally excluded dream should responsible Why advantage their priveleges minors Current youth enjoy They interested responsibility wrote A disagreed We right express ourselves Many people think silly ignorant already responsibility Both right The contradiction persists society beset contradictions found response Um Received Hanover