8.23.2005

Pot, Meet Kettle

As you probably know, recently British police killed an innocent Brazilian citizen who they mistook for a terrorist. It was obviously a huge mistake, one that needs to be investigates, and the family of the slain man should be justly compensated for their loss. Although tragic mistakes such as this are bound to occur, there was, justly, international outrage over the inicident. But one group should keep its outrage to itself: the Brazilian government.

It is no secret that the Brazilian police force often acts as a death squad when it concerns the impoverished “street children” and other groups in Brazil. Human rights groups estimate that in 1999 alone 14,000 people were murdered by these death squads. Street children are a targeted group. Poor, and often homeless, they often resort to petty crime. The police come in and act as judge, jury, and executioner. Other times, these children are simply considered an unsightly nuisance. In 1993, fifty children were sleeping outside a church in Rio DeJaniero when police opened fire, killing eight children.

The Brazilian government has no moral authority to complain about anyone at any time until it cleans up its own act.

Here is alink to an article by Adam Carter detailing the problem: “As far as I am concerned, these are not people, they are lice and I crush lice.”

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