Bolsonaro makes Trump look like a perfectly reasonable liberal. He actually joined and spoke at an ultra-right social distancing rally, and when asked about the constitution replied "I am the constitution".
Oh for the love of... Several months ago, I told a friend that it seemed like Italy, the United States, and the United Kingdom were all vying for the gold medal to see who would become the most hateful democracies in the world. On occasion, Brazil would pop up as a potential bronze medalist, but I discounted them since their democracy isn't as established as the other 3. Maybe I need to re-think that?
It's nice that you said "several months ago", because it's almost a year that the most hateful right-wingers as Salvini are out of the government in Italy. As an Italian, anyway, there are many countries I would surely hate to live in way more than in mine. Of course, this whole discussion needs an agreement about the concept of "democracy": there are many countries in the world that formally are but sure can't be considered so: for instance, I don't think you could say Russia is a democracy (or it would be up there with your personal top three). What about Turkey? Formally it is, but... yup, Erdogan doesn't actually let it be. Ever heard about Hungary? They're even a member of UE (although there have been discussions about kicking them out): do you consider them "democracy"? If yes, I can assure you, from first hand witnesses, that living there it's way worse than living in Italy has been since WWII. Bottom line: unless you define "democracy", I wouldn't agree about Italy ever being part of the top 3 worse ones in the last decades, not even in our worst Berlusconi's era. Even with Salvini at the government some months ago, there were a lot of balancing forces in the state apparatus and anyway its party didn't even have the major share in the government itself!
You're right, it's a fine line, but I guess the strengths of the institutions is really the barometer. Of course, in the US we are seeing those institutions diminish right before our very eyes in the Trump era, and it will take years for these to recover to how they were only 3-1/2 years ago. I remember when Indira Gandhi was assassinated, and people worried about India's future, but at least at the time, the democratic institutions were strong enough that the country more or less was able to continue on without turning into total chaos. Of course, with Narendra Modi in charge, we'll need to re-think that situation.
Chris Cross, John Prine, Pep's mom, KAT's mom.... These are all sad, to be sure, but these are NOT celebrity deaths. Really. I don't understand celebrity culture, but many people get way over involved in the lives, and deaths, of famous folk. And so far, this pandemic has spared the A List celebs. Presumably the rich have better health care and much bigger homes to retreat into, but we haven't seen a death like a Princess Di or a Kobe Bryant. We live in a society filled with flat-earthers. You know: If I haven't seen the earth from outer space, it must be flat, because the only input I accept is my own first hand experience. We've all talked about the destruction of education on the part of the right before. There are vast swaths of America -- and I suspect 100% of those protesting stay-at-home orders -- that will only believe that COVID 19 is a threat until it becomes real to them via the death of a Kardashian or an SEC football coach.
Think about: Rodrigo Duterte, Philippines (free elections since 1986) Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkey (1923) Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil (1988) Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela (1958) Vladimir Putin (1990)
Well, I must have struck a chord with my 'Olympic Democracy Crash' competition. Yes, I'm well aware of the situation in Hungary, but that country wasn't ingrained with democratic institutions until recently. Apparently, the Hungarians couldn't handle it. I was mostly concerned about each of my 3 'contending' nations and how they had taken hard swings to the right after decades of trying to provide services to benefit the people who lived in those countries, whether they were native-born or foreign guest workers. It just seemed to me that the welcome mat all 3 nations had put out for other nationals had suddenly become a turned back as these people were now seen as mistrustful and suspicious characters.
Great band but the whole punk thing was just an act. I mean they had a keyboard player and an excellent one at that. They were really a bunch of rich kids from what the English call "the stockbroker belt", the wealthy suburbs to the southwest of London.
Was surprised not to see Manu Dibango's name at the beginning of this thread. Anyway, it's 3 months later now, but still... RIP: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-euro...e legend Manu,from his home country, Cameroon. If you've never listened to his music, now's a good time to rectify that.
I posted about it in the Famous Person Has Died thread in Music back then. I didn't know it was Covid that killed him.