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To: elmatador who wrote (32940)	5/3/2003 1:40:46 AM
From: Raymond Duray	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 74559

elmat, I can confirm the awful U.S. policy of police to assume any citizen who gets out of his vehicle to talk mano-a-mano with a police officer is considered a mortal threat. This shocked me recently on a trip to visit friends in Portland,OR. I was detained in a nearby suburb of Portland, Oregon, where I was on a mission to find a Greek deli to surprise my hosts with some dolmas and souvlaki for our big fat Greek dinner party. Not knowing the area, I was driving below the speed limit on a commercial avenue, endangering no one, in order to read the roadside signs to find the deli I was seeking. All of a sudden, I've got a huge sound of sirens from the rear, and a light show that would put the Grateful Dead to shame. I pull into the lot of the next commercial establishment and we have half an acre for the "confrontation". I immediately get out of my truck and am immediately chastised by the local police for doing so. I decline to get back in my rig or down on my knees and ask if I can help him. This befuddles him and he tells me that I'm driving erratically. I tell him I'm not local. This befuddles him further. After ignominiously asking to put his nose on my face to smell me for alcohol, he directs me to an out of the way and inconvenient Greek deli several miles out of town. America. Land of the free and the home of the brave. This cop will think twice about his demeaning "breathalizer" test now that SARS is a distinct possibility in his immediate aerosol future. <g>

To: elmatador who wrote (32940)	5/3/2003 8:02:46 AM
From: WaveSeeker	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 74559

Not in planet US. There you step out of the car and the patrol man hit for his gun, shouting: "Get inside you car, Sir!" "Hey, sorry, I'm no trouble, officer? "Get inside you car, Sir!" This time you know, either you enter your car, or he draws the gun and shoot you and he is just doing his job. I prefer the barrel of the M-16 of the Nigerian military on a check point inside my Peugeot because I know he will not shoot at me, unless I drive by without stopping, in which case I would be asking for it. Got any more specious, silly anecdotes? Again, I ask you why Brazilians are leaving their country for the United States. They seem to prefer this country over Nigeria. We won't get into Brazil's special relationship with Germany - that can get a little touchy. Threat Assessments: Brazil Update: March 30, 2003 Kidnap threat: High Crime threat: High General comments U.S. Department of State Warnings: On April 14, 2003 the U.S. Department of State released a Warden Message regarding the crime rate in Brasilia. They reported a rise in the crime rate in the Federal District impacting both residents and tourists. There is special concern about the number of home invasions and robberies by armed assailants and an increase in burglaries of cars parked on streets. Americans do not appear to be specifically targeted. Crime: Crime is also a problem in Brazil, especially around the hotel and restaurant districts of the major cities. Armed robbery is more common in Sao Paulo and Brasilia. Pick pocketing and petty theft are common everywhere including hotel lobbies. Crime in all cities typically increases after dark and in areas adjacent to public transportation access. Recent crime incidents near the U.S. Consulate in Sao Paulo have prompted the Regional Security Officer to advise all consular employees to refrain from walking late at night, especially on poorly lit streets. Daytime robberies in this affluent area, known as the Jardims neighborhood, have increased in recent months as well. According to the U.S. Consulate General in Sao Paulo other areas of the city continue to experience record high levels of crime. According to statistics, over 12,000 murders were committed in the city in 2001. Additionally, the consulate notes that criminal activity is primarily conducted by well organized gangs that are typically better armed than the police. These gangs have become increasingly sophisticated and use greater amounts of force against those who resist them than in past years, including the use of hand grenades and other explosives.