The Burning Season: The Chico Mendes Story (1994 TV Movie)

Edward James Olmos: Wilson Pinheiro

Quotes 

• Wilson Pinheiro : I keep on telling what's good on education without organization?

  Chico Mendes : And I keep telling what's good on organization without education?

  Wilson Pinheiro : We're gonna organize.

  Chico Mendes : 100 men without education is a rebel. One educated man is the beginning of a movement.

• Wilson Pinheiro : Jesus was a simple man. He came from simple people. He was like you, like us. He said very simple in a parabole. You take an ordinary stick and see what happens. Simply. Very easy to break it. But... you get the same kind of sticks and you put them all together. And what happens? Stand up.

  [invites a man on the audience and gives him a bunch of sticks] 

  Wilson Pinheiro : Break it. Break'em! C'mon. Try it.

  [invites another man to do the same thing] 

  Wilson Pinheiro : Break it! No, can't do it. Not the strongest man in the world can break these sticks. Why? Because they are all together. Together we're united. Think about it. Now, if Jesus was here today right now what he would do? Now tell me, if he would be right up here kneeling down, praying? Or maybe He would put his body between the chainsaw and the rubbertree? On Santa Fé, where I grow up, there are no more rubbertrees. There are no more Brazil nut trees. There's no woodtree. There's no more armaillos, no monkeys, no birds, no butterflies. There are no people. 340 familes have been burned down out of their homes just this year. Are we gonna let that happen in Cachoeira?

  [the audience replies "No!"] 

  Wilson Pinheiro : Are we gonna let that happen here in Cachoeira?

  [again "No!] 

  Wilson Pinheiro : We must defend what it's ours!

  Jair : How can we do that without guns?

  Wilson Pinheiro : We have the law on our side. The law says we have made productive use of the land. Therefore, we have to right to it!

  Jair : The law doesn't mean much around here.

  Wilson Pinheiro : But it's all we got. I know that the ranchers can buy the police, can buy the judges but they can't buy the law. Not the lair of the law. It belongs to us. Now, tomorrow the union is going to march to save the rubbertrees. Am I gonna go out there alone?

  [the crowd replies "No!"] 

  Wilson Pinheiro : I can't hear you. Am I gonna go out work there alone?

  [they repeat "No!"] 

  Wilson Pinheiro : You're gonna be with me?

  [the crowd replies "Yes!"] 

  Wilson Pinheiro : We're gonna be together? Are we gonna be together?

  [they repeat "Yes!" and applaud]