The State of the World?

If you read the last post, you know I am struggling with the discovery that the world, namely Rio, is not in actuality as I wish I could view it through my rose colored glasses. Instead, the inequality and injustice of our realty has recently slapped me in the face--hard, knocking off those rose colored glasses I had previously never removed. I spoke to the guarda de pascina (lifeguard) yesterday afternoon upon leaving from my sunbathing post next to the pool, asking him to please explain to me what happened the night before with my friend who was watching my daughter. The first excuse given was that she doesn't live here, therefore she isn't permitted to swim. When I pointed out the dozen non-residents currently swimming, the excuse changed to the fact that she is a Baba (nanny). I reiterated the fact that she is not a baba (as if that should matter) and she is my friend and colleague. He apologized profusely to me, but somehow it doesn't matter. An apology cannot make up for this type of situation. The good news...I successfully "argued" in Portuguese. When I retold the conversation to my friend who is fluent in portuguese, she said, "I understand exactly what you said. I'm actually quite impressed that you were able to communicate that well. That's great." Language gives an amazing amount of power.

My overriding question/concern: Is there a place in the world where classism and/or racism doesn't control the underlying functioning of the society? Somebody please tell me because I would like to know what is wrong with the state of our world. It is 2007, right? People are still people, right? Why is it so hard for that to be accepted? Why is it so hard to get along without judgement, without inequalities, without mistreatment? These situations make me feel very alone, as if I am the only one in the world who just doesn't get it.