Some Neighborhood

Regarding “Xuxa’s Very Big Neighborhood,” Jeb Blount’s profile of the Brazilian multimedia star (April 19):

Five hundred years after Columbus’ arrival in this hemisphere, here comes Xuxa, Brazil’s answer to the Good Neighbor Policy, a backlash and cultural mirror from the shadow of Sugar Loaf Mountain

Certainly Xuxa’s message translates very well. It is the language of racism, sexism, materialism and oppression. It is international, the language of imperialism, the International Monetary Fund and multinational media commercialism. It’s as American as Coca-Cola.

Her charity for impoverished children, like Mother Teresa’s, may superficially garner accolades. But, of course, the same institutions that impoverish and murder the children--her “shorties”--benefit Xuxa financially. Her wealth is ill-gotten. She has marketed sexism and racism, and a beauty concept based on racism and sexism.

The demand for her products shows what kind of values she really promotes. While death squads prowl and hyper-inflation undermines the “handfuls” of cash she gives away, Xuxa both distracts from the problems and detracts from the solution. Latin America does not need jobs if those jobs create useless consumer products while people starve. Street children in Rio have more desperate needs than remembering to brush their teeth.

K. KAMATH

Santa Monica