[Ecommerce] World Social Forum - Brazil - free sw

[Pedro de Paranaguá Moniz]

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Lessig's words on the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil,
regarding free software and access to information/knowledge:
http://www.lessig.org/blog/archives/002400.shtml


IMG_0061.jpg

I walked out of my constitutional law class, climbed into a car to go to
a plane to fly to Chicago to fly to Sao Paolo to fly to Porto Alegre to
get into a car to come to this. Brazil is hosting the World Social Forum
<http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/index.php?cd_language=2&id_menu=>,
and Barlow and I will be on a panel with Manuel Castells and Gilberto
Gil <http://www.gilbertogil.com.br/index.php?language=en> on Saturday.
But Thursday night, we visited the Youth Camp
<http://english.acampamentofsm.org/>, which in part this year is devoted
to demonstrating and developing tools to support free software and free
culture.

We arrived in the middle of a concert. Gil was asked to speak. As he
went to the mic, the tent fell silent. Hundreds were packed into a tiny
space. Gil began to describe the work of the Lula government to support
free software, and free culture, when a debate broke out. I don't speak
Portuguese, but a Brazilian who spoke English translated for Barlow and
me. The kid was arguing with Gil about free radio. Two minutes into the
exchange, about 8 masked protesters climbed onto chairs on one side of
the tent, and held posters demanding free radio. A huge argument
exploded, with the Minister (Gil) engaging many people directly, and
others stepping in to add other perspectives. After about 20 minutes,
the argument stopped. The band played again, and then Gil was asked to
perform. For about another twenty minutes, this most extraordinary
performer sang the music he's been writing since the 1960s, while the
whole audience (save Barlow and I) sang along. When the concert was
over, Barlow, Gil and I were led out of the tent. It was practically
impossible to move, as hundreds begged Gil for autographs, or posed for
pictures. At each step, someone had an argument. At each step, Gil
stopped to engage. Even after Gil was in the car, some kid rapped on the
window, yelling yet another abusive argument. Gil, with the patience of
a saint, opened the window, and argued some more.

This was a scene that was astonishing on a million levels. I've seen
rallies for free software in many placed around the world. I've never
seen anything like this. There were geeks, to be sure. But not many. The
mix was broad-based and young. They cheered free software as if it were
a candidate for President.

But more striking still was just the dynamic of this democracy. Barlow
captured the picture at the top, which in a sense captures it all.
Here's a Minister of the government, face to face with supporters, and
opponents. He speaks, people protest, and he engages their protest.
Passionately and directly, he stands at their level. There is no
distance. There is no "free speech zone." Or rather, Brazil is the free
speech zone. Gil practices zone rules.

Even after the speech was over, the argument continues. At no point is
there "protection"; at every point, there is just connection. This is
the rockstar who became a politician, who became a politician as a
rockstar.

I remember reading about Jefferson's complaints about the early White
House. Ordinary people would knock on the door, and demand to see the
President. Often they did. The presumption of that democracy lives in a
sense here. And you never quite see how far from that presumption our
democracy has become until you see it, live, here. "This is what
democracy looks like." Or at least, a democracy where the leaders can
stand packed in the middle of a crowd, with protesters yelling angry
criticism yet without "security" silencing the noise. No guns, no men in
black uniform, no panic, and plenty of press. Just imagine.

posted by [ Lessig ] on [ Jan 28 05 at 4:10 AM
<http://www.lessig.org/blog/archives/002400.shtml> ] to [ good law
<http://www.lessig.org/blog/archives/cat_good_law.shtml> ] [ post
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************

Pedro de Paranaguá Moniz
Masters in Law (LL.M.) candidate, class of 2004/2005
Queen Mary, University of London