INDIGNANTE

Dear Editor of The Times,

On the Celebrity Watch section of The Times issue of this Friday, 13th/Feb/2009, Ms. Caitlin Moran commented on a photo of Tom Cruise and his family on a beach in Rio de Janeiro, where they are overwhelmingly surrounded by inhabitants of said city, in the article referred to as the "population of Flip-flops land".

I have come across the term "flip-flops land" on many occasions in different contexts.

For some reason, however, I can't understand the connotation of "population of Flip-flops land" in this specific article without thinking that it was rather prejudicial, to say the least. I believe she meant to be funny, but I think she got it wrongly. It is plain prejudicial and shows a tremendous lack of respect.


I wouldn't be so shocked if I had read such a statement in an English tabloid. But reading it in a respectable newspaper like The Times shocked me indeed.

As a member of the "population of Flip-flops land", I wonder if Ms Moran knows anything about Brazil at all. Or if she knows that Brazil is one of the world's leading producers and exporters in many different markets and has a significant role in the world's economy. I assume she is not aware of this information. She would be surprised to know how hard the population of Flip-flops land works.

As well-informed as journalists normally are, I can only assume that writing about the celebrity world restrains one's knowledge beyond the red carpet.

All in all, I feel very pleased to be able to say without hesitation that the most respectable newspapers in Flip-flops land would never refer to the population of other countries with the same sort of mocking nicknames.

Kindest regards,

Ale S.A.L.

PS: Flip-flops land é usado para aquele destino de viagem onde o turista vai descansar e passar o dia de chinelo (flip-flops). E o Brasil é mesmo famoso pelas Havaianas. Mas na notícia do Times o tom foi de deboche, como se o Brasil fosse uma terra de desocupados (o famoso cliche praia, caipirinha, carnaval e índios). Veja a notícia aqui, procure o titulo Tom Cruise. No site não aparece a foto que aparece no jornal (em papel), que reforça ainda mais essa conotação.