There have always been homeless people. The reasons are varied; a great many suffer from mental disturbances, causing them to avoid society and its rules.
Defunding of subsidized mental care certainly contributed to the numbers. Without doubt, our economic system has always been a major contributor to homelessness. The system itself generates poverty as it does wealth.
As we all are witnessing, people have taken to the streets in Paris, Lisbon, and Barcelona, demanding the right to proper affordable housing, and protesting against speculative rental pricing, geared mainly toward the tourist industry. In Lisbon and Porto, protesters have been setting up tents in the main squares in order to make their point. Students are especially hit. Both main cities have become completely unaffordable, with others following. Young people are angry all over, and it’s about time. Surprisingly, our police responded violently on the
first day; the disturbing images made it seem like it was happening in another country. Fortunately, this hasn’t deterred them; the camps and chants continue. Our current conservative government seems to be doing the DT, by dismissing the acts, with the Prime Minister even calling them ‘selfish’. In France, protests always seem to take on a war-like tone. The French are fed up and they show it. The unfortunate looting and burning are already trademarks of a people that demand immediate action. Undoubtedly, there are many involved that play a
part solely for the opportunity to get their hands on free stuff, while others are participating for a chance to take out their frustrations on glass windows and parked vehicles. In Barcelona, thousands of people came out to prevent the removal by a landlord of an elderly lady from the apartment where she had lived
for decades. She was removed anyway, only to die a couple of days later. It’s clear that this is not about looting. People are being pushed beyond their limit.
In Toronto, residents have been feeling the real estate pinch for longer. House prices and rents have climbed to incredible levels over the past 20 years. To live and work anywhere near a major city takes more sacrifice than ever before, and it continues to get worse. There are many today that, even with all the effort they can muster, can’t make it work at all. That is what it’s like for many people here in Europe too. So it leads me to wonder how we got here. We didn’t do this to ourselves because we aren’t driving. All the politicians, all the corporate citizens,
who always claimed to act in our best interests, have led us here. It’s the only explanation. It has happened in every country in the Western world. Countries that have different governments and cultures end up, with few exceptions, with the same societal problems. It’s not a coincidence, it’s intentional.
For most people, life takes effort, but many that are alive today can remember being able to afford many things before, that are now out of their reach and out of the reach of generation ahead of them. This is where we have been steered, through no fault of our own, other than the blind trust in those who should have our best interests at the forefront. What a crock.

Fiquem bem,
Raul Freitas/MS

I was lucky to be born during a time that music was in a period of renaissance. Rhythms of all kinds surfed the airwaves, touching the hearts and minds; speaking to us. The 1970’s was when I became ‘music aware’, so to speak, and it was then that it became a part of me. I’ve probably mentioned this before, but one of my best early recollections, is mowing the lawn with the push mower while blasting the Beatle’s ‘Revolution’ single on my parent’s little record player, in the living room. I was ten. There was so much to choose from. From the sixties on, rock was king; with everything from psychedelic to punk, but genres like funk, disco, even electronic music, all thrived because fans, I believe, were more open to new sounds, and beats. Sitting in front of the stereo with your friends was one of the most enjoyable things to do. There’s something to be said about shared experiences, especially when you’re young. From my experience, the eighties saw not only the increase in variety, but an increase in the types of music a DJ could play during any given night, while still pleasing everyone. I had that experience as a DJ. I remember, even then, being amazed that the same people would fill the dance floor whether I played new wave, ska, punk, rock, reggae, or pop. Radio stations, the main source of new music, were much more independent, and mostly privately owned, but great many of us also counted on word of mouth, and friends that lived in other places, to discover the new bands. Lots of vinyl and cassettes. 

As we can all see, society is being guided toward individualism. Even music is now only usually played into headphones and earbuds; even at home. It’s a fact that most households no longer have a family stereo. Many of us are in our own capsule, wherever we go, often oblivious to what’s going on around us. It’s great that everyone has their suggested lists, but music also needs to be shared; and I don’t mean bars, they are one of the cultivators. The culture of getting together over music, to listen and talk, needs to be more cultivated; it gives people more reasons to be in the company of friends. I think this will also serve as a catalyst to turn music back into the carrier of the message, the voice of the people. Mainstream music has very little diversity, and even less of a message. For the 

most part, it’s nothing but love, relationships, sex; all great themes, but mostly empty calories. Where are the sounds and the words that move millions, that create change, that make us think? They’re out there, by the thousands, but we have to go looking for them. Today’s mainstream has put most people in sleep mode, but they have a responsibility to nurture the culture of music and to unleash it on the public. We need diversity in mainstream music. We need to hear more than what the algorithm suggests. Hats off to those who are already doing something to combat the mainstream head on. There must be plenty of you out there who are way ahead of me. My wife and I did our bit by passing on our love of music to our two children, who today are deeply into music, never tiring of listening to the old, and seeking the new. I’m so glad we played a part in that. Start them early, with music from your past. 

Fiquem bem, 

Raul Freitas/MS