Why Bolsonarists continue to insult Madonna

Bolsonaristas cursed Madonna a lot when she performed her show. The reasons are known: Madonna is an artist, a woman, she does not depend on men, she is impudent and still promotes LGBT culture. All bad.

Almost a week later, they continue to curse. But not anymore — not only, at least — for the same reasons.

“She should have held a minute of silence for the tragedy in Rio Grande do Sul.”

“She should have donated a million dollars to help the South.”

“She should.” “She should have that.”

And, when someone talks about the South, there is always a Bolsonarista to shout: “but what about Madonna?”

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Madonna, evidently, has nothing to do with the suffering of the people of Rio Grande do Sul. Nor is anyone under any obligation to send money to anyone. Much less Madonna, who isn’t even Brazilian — in fact, it’s worth asking the Bolsonarista who complains that the singer didn’t send money to the South: and you, dear, how much did you send?

Bolsonaristas continue to talk about Madonna for three reasons:

1) You have to have something to fight about, fighting is vital for extremist movements. The fight is the source of everything, it is what guarantees relevance and repercussion.

2) You have to set the agenda, and Madonna is an easy topic. As she has many fans, there will always be a huge number of people ready to accept the provocation and defend the singer.

3) Bolsonarism needs to talk about the tragedy in Rio Grande do Sul… but it needs to avoid the subject. After all, the issue that matters here is the environment — and Jair Bolsonaro and the politicians who support him are a kind of exuberant and proud symbol of aggression against the environment. (Not that politicians of other colors are innocent: they are not, but the symbol itself is the former president.)

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Madonna is a scarecrow, a Bolsonarism resource to change the subject.

Until then, Neves died, Bolsonarism is Bolsonarism. What is tragic is that both Bolsonaro’s moderate voters (yes, they exist) and anti-Bolsonaro voters allow themselves to be guided so easily and fall into the trap.

And instead of seriously discussing the terrible tragedy that is still unfolding, they insist on discussing a show that once was.

^{(By Ricardo Rangel on 05/09/2024)}