::
No, Government
Coupons
President
Lula da Silva hasn't read the Bible. Or why would he
say, "It is not written anywhere, not even in the Bible, that
one needs to go without food for days". Work, the best antidote
against
hunger, does not seem to be a priority for the new administration.
"There was hunger in that land", says the
first book of the Bible, when Abraham traveled down to Egypt, "as
a pilgrim, because hunger was widespread on the land". In Genesis
itself we learn that another famine descended on the land, "after
the first one, which happened during the days of Abraham". The
whole land of Egypt had enjoyed seven years of abundance. Seven years
of hunger followed, all abundance was forgotten and hunger consumed
the earth. "Abundance will not be known on earth because of the
famine to come; because it will be severe".
With
hunger widespread, Joseph opened all the store houses and sold everything
to the Egyptians, because hunger prevailed on the land of Egypt. There
was also hunger in the land of Canaan. "The famine was very severe
on the land. The Jewish people said to the pharaoh: "We came
as pilgrims to this land; because there is no grass on which the flocks
of your servants can graze, because hunger is severe in the land of
Canaan". The land of Egypt and the land of Canaan were weakened
because of hunger.
Hunger
was extreme in Samaria, I Kings tells us. In II Kings, Elysium tells
us that hunger is the will of the Lord: "Raise and go, you and
your family, and travel where you can travel; because the Lord called
for famine and famine will come over the land for seven years".
In Psalms, the Lord spares the hungry and keeps them alive: "And
the eyes of the Lord are over those who fear him, over those who await
on his benignity, to deliver them from death and to keep them alive
in hunger".
Still
in Psalms, again hunger meets divine designs. "He called for
hunger over the land; he denied them all sustenance from food".
This same god, in Isaiah, makes hunger his government tool: "And
the firstborn of the poor will be feasted on, and the needy will lay
down safe; but I will make your roots die of hunger and your remains
will be destroyed". Also in Isaiah, anyone deviating from the
Lord knows his destiny: "Because thus says the Lord God: my servants
will eat, but you will suffer hunger". Also in Jeremiah, hunger
is an instrument of divine justice: "thus says the Lord of legions;
I will punish them; the youth will die upon the sword, your sons and
your daughters will die of hunger".
Hunger
is a recurring scourge in the Bible. To mention every time the phenomenon
occurs would be exhausting and redundant. But behold, in this year
of grace of 2003, a new interpreter of the Bible appears in Brazil,
assuring us with all certainty that hunger is not in the Bible. The
name of the novel exegete is Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and
he did not wait even ten days to take his new professorial office.
On
the ninth day of his administration, he pontificated: "It is
not written anywhere, not even in the Bible, that one needs to go
without food for days". It is normal for uneducated people to
think they understand the Bible just because they heard or read excerpts
from it several times during the course of their lives. Coming from
a president, though, such statement testifies against a country's
entire culture.
Hunger
permeates the Bible. You don't even need to read it in order to know
that. Biblical peoples were desert peoples and it doesn't take a genius
to conclude that hunger followed these men in their paths. However,
while we do find hunger in the Bible, what we don't find it is a State
feeding its famished. From the sweat on your brow you will get your
sustenance, the Lord says to Adam, also in Genesis, after the latter
had tasted from the fruit of the forbidden tree. When there was hunger
in Egypt, Joshua does not donate food to the Egyptians. Joshua sells
it.
But
this was a long time ago. In our days, the precept is different. With
a coupon from your government you will get your sustenance—that
is the new law. No more sweating. At least that's what we perceive
from the cornerstone of the new PT (Workers' Party) administration—to
end hunger in the country by giving food to the hungry. Work, the
best antidote against hunger, allowing people to eat without waiting
for hands-out, does not seem to be prioritary. If we see Lula's program
fully accomplished, at the end of his administration we will have
a crowd of well-fed beggars, all in line, their hands stretched out,
begging alms from the government. Zero hunger? Ditto for dignity.
The
program to fight hunger started out well. January 10, a Friday, in
Piauí state, following a visit to a bolsão de miséria
[impoverished area] in Teresina, the president and his ministers proceeded
to the most luxurious hotel in town to participate in a luncheon offered
by the State government for 250 people—local authorities, politicians
and advisers. That's what daily Folha de S. Paulo tells us.
In the menu, sautéed lamb, fish with shrimp sauce, caipira
(domestic) chicken with molho pardo (dark sauce), carne
de sol (dried meat northeastern style) and paçoca
de pilão (regional meat and flour dish).
For
dessert there was an array of tropical sweetmeats made with lime,
guava, bacuri and jack-fruit. An excellent start, no doubt about it:
the government team surveying the best diet to satiate the famished.
It reminded me of a historical episode which took place in Porto Alegre,
during an event hosted by the gaúcho PC. Following
a rich and abundant feijoada (bean stew with meats), the militants
decided to sing "The International." They had hardly started
the verse "raise, famished of the earth" when they could
not resist and cracked up laughing. Facts, when they choose to juxtapose
themselves, can be ironical.
While
vultures glided over the dirt-paved square and women fainted under
the intense heat, waiters dressed in white jackets and bow-ties served
iced water to the ministers and Lula. According to the Chief of Staff,
José Dirceu, the ministers had a lesson in reality. If we use
the same logic, the slum-dwellers had a lesson in power. They did
not participate, granted, in the sumptuous ministerial feast. But
at least they saw up close one of the symbols most dear to the powerful—waiters
in white suits and bow-ties.
Touring
favelas (slums) is a favorite recreation activity for Germans,
French, Swedish and other citizens of the First World. The fad seems
to have arrived in the Third now—to the disgust of many, true,
who probably were not yet contaminated with this European idiosyncrasy.
The tour of the distinguished ministers, thank goodness, is always
quick. A few hours of dust on a dog day, in the company of ugly and
toothless people, compensate for four years of special privileges
and air conditioning in the corridors of the Presidential Palace.
As
to hunger, better talk about in a more appropriate environment. At
the Brasília's luxurious Piantela, for example.
Translated
by Tereza Braga