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2005-10-24 Caribbean-Latin America

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Posted by Steve 2005-10-24 08:40|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Last year, there were 36,000 shooting deaths.

Ya notice how they never break down the numbers into murders and self defense.

Steve you had your finger right on the trigger with the statement about personal responsibility.

And lastly: socialist government=firearm confiscation, every time. Just like here the Brazilians will be fighting their government for their rights for years to come.

Posted by BrerRabbit 2005-10-24 12:23|| 2005-10-24 12:23|| Front Page Top

#2 This is telling: "If I had the money, I would have a weapon to try to protect myself and my family," she told the BBC. "The police are never going to arrive in time and if they do, they may kill you."

Brazilians may prefer a socialist state but they don't trust it. 2 of my most favorite firearms were built on Imbel(Brazilian)receivers. They make lots and lots of guns.

Posted by Sock Puppet OÂ´ Doom 2005-10-24 13:09|| 2005-10-24 13:09|| Front Page Top

#3 I don't post much, but I'd probably be the forum's resident Brazilphile. Violence and corruption aside, it's truly a remarkable country.

That 36 000 number is for murders, but I think that figure is low, especially since Sao Paulo has move than 10 000 a year and Rio has a lot more. You people just can't comprehend the amount of violence that occurs there.

My ex-girlfriend's cousin and wife are cops in SP and some of the stories I heard were pretty scary. I think he's an honest cop because he is a good guy. I never debated him about guns, but even when he was off-duty, he always carried a gun with him, which speaks volumes. I even saw this pic of him at the beach with his wife and he had a pistol shoved in his swimming trunks and his wife had one attached to her bikini bottom. This is no joke. So, that will probably tell you what they think of a gun ban.

Posted by bonanzabucks 2005-10-24 16:48|| 2005-10-24 16:48|| Front Page Top

#4 Thanks, BB. First-hand knowlege of a country is valued here at the 'Burg.

Posted by Seafarious">Seafarious 2005-10-24 16:50|| 2005-10-24 16:50|| Front Page Top

#5 You people just can't comprehend the amount of violence that occurs there.

A coworker of mine was carjacked in 'suburban' Campinas-SP back 1997. (Actually he was a passenger, and didn't speak Portugues... he came thisclose to being snuffed for noncooperation as I understand it from the driver of the car.)

The girl I was seeing there never stopped at intersections after dusk. Too dangerous. And she warned that to see a big, black Suburban coming your way was a sign of the Apocalypse. Or something. Maybe not quite THAT bad... but bad. (My own Portuguese was pretty sketchy, too.)

Still, I enjoyed myself immensely and would go back in a heartbeat.

Posted by eLarson 2005-10-24 18:25|| http://larsonian.blogspot.com]">[http://larsonian.blogspot.com] 2005-10-24 18:25|| Front Page Top

#6 eLarson: What were you doing over there?

Some more stories. I donât know a single person down there who didnât get their car stolen. One friend of mine was carjacked, but they didnât steal anything. He says they were high on drugs and just left after terrorizing them for a few hours. My exâs cousin (the cop) had his car stolen once. He found out who did it and he and some other cop buddies went and found the guy and killed him. And this is when they were off duty. He said it was good he was âoff the streetsâ.

Yeah, I heard about not stopping after dusk. But then, lots of Brazilians in Sao Paulo or Rio donât even leave their homes at night! My friend wonât drive alone after 8PM, even in the safe neighborhoods.

Itâs amazing how they let crime slip so far. Brazil is a country with loads of potential and could really make something of itself if they got their act together. Crime and corruption are the biggest things holding it back.

Posted by bonanzabucks 2005-10-24 21:55|| 2005-10-24 21:55|| Front Page Top

23:56 Seafarious
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