They silenced our cry for a culture of peace.

Despite the silence of the mainstream media, the end of October and the beginning of November were marked by a series of demonstrations in the country's main capitals against religious intolerance and in favor of freedom of worship. Organized mainly by movements and leaders of Afro-Brazilian religions, the marches were a cry of resistance to the growing number of attacks against Candomblé temples in Brazil, triggered by the invasion of two Candomblé temples in the Baixada Fluminense region by drug traffickers in September.

In Brasília, protesters delivered a document titled "For Peace and an End to Violence Against the People of Axé" to representatives of the Chamber of Deputies and the Supreme Federal Court (STF). The document reaffirms the need for state action to ensure the constitutional right to religious freedom, respect for diversity, and the restoration of a culture of peace among adherents of different religions.

Beyond the official stance of Afro-Brazilian religious leaders in relation to public authorities, these demonstrations gain strength and appeal because they are marked by a feeling of reclaiming solidarity and seeking a common identity among the terreiros (Afro-Brazilian religious centers). That is, the aggression against some terreiros was able to mobilize a mass and trigger resistance marches throughout almost the entire country.

A small spark was ignited. These mobilizations emerge as a cry in favor of the civilizing decision that aggression and intolerance, against any group whatsoever, must be seen as a problem for the whole of society.

The demonstrations also made it clear that the issue of religious intolerance and minority rights must extend beyond the mainstream media agenda. The deafening silence surrounding the marches in this media segment reveals that attacks against temples and followers of Afro-Brazilian religions only merit space in the so-called "major newspapers" within a context of cheap sensationalism, using violence as a stratagem in the unbridled pursuit of audience share.

The real discussion of the problem and the proposal of serious policies to combat these abuses are of no interest to the country's traditional, rancid, and prejudiced elite. Therefore, they work to silence the issue, to keep it off the agenda. For those who still work to maintain privileges and who, in a veiled and shameful way, defend the "Big House & Slave Quarters" model, Black people and the poor, and consequently their traditions and cultural, artistic, and religious expressions, should not go beyond the plantation's backyard.

At the risk of falling into ostracism and sectarianism, another issue that impetuously arises in the resistance against religious intolerance is the need to expand the discourse beyond the movement itself. The marches of October and November brought to light an organic mass capable of social mobilization on the agenda; however, the movement must not speak only internally, remaining aloof from the demands of other historically repressed sectors, or it will be doomed to failure.

The rise of authoritarianism, violence, radicalism, and lack of dialogue is a setback that harms society as a whole, not just the religious centers and followers of Afro-Brazilian religions. A recent example of the escalation of this culture of hatred in our society, beyond the issue of religious intolerance, was the decision by federal judge Carlos Moreira Alves, ratified unilaterally by the Supreme Federal Court (STF), which allowed the correction and grading of essays on the National High School Exam (Enem) that disrespect human rights.

Human rights are civilizational values ​​enshrined throughout the world. The struggle to maintain these values ​​is also, necessarily, a fight against religious intolerance and for a world that respects peaceful coexistence among human beings, regardless of race, gender, social condition, religious belief, and sexual orientation.

The signs of the rise of intolerance do not stop there and are increasingly alarming. This Tuesday (7), a group set fire to a witch doll with the face of the American philosopher Judith Butler, in front of the venue where the colloquium "The Ends of Democracy" was being held, in which the philosopher was participating. The debate was organized by the University of São Paulo, in conjunction with the University of California, where the philosopher teaches.

The perverse symbolic weight of burning witches at the stake, a typical action of the Middle Ages and the Catholic Inquisition, was accompanied by slogans in favor of "family" and "tradition." Linked to Judaism, Butler is one of the world's leading figures in the study of gender theory and the defense of democracy. The philosopher has positioned herself in favor of a Judaism not associated with state violence.

In this context, education plays a fundamental role in shaping a society that fully respects human rights and, consequently, religious freedom. Therefore, the court decision regarding the ENEM (National High School Exam) and the attacks against Butler are also setbacks that affect all those who dream and fight for a society that respects cultural diversity and all religions and expressions of the Brazilian people.

The marches in October and November kicked off the resistance against religious intolerance. However, real progress and achievement lie in expanding the culture of tolerance and building a society where everyone is respected, valued, and lives together in peace. These concepts are fundamental to consolidating democracy and the rights of minorities in our country.