February 24, 2005
Setting the Record Straight
Ok, this has got to stop! We Americans seem to delight in displaying our ignorance about Brazil. The latest example comes from no less respected a source than Reuters. The headline said the following:
Brazil Environmentalist Shot in Rain Forest
The article itself contained the following information:
Dionisio Ribeiro Filho, 59, was shot in the head with a shotgun at the Tingua federal reserve, about 19 miles from Rio de Janeiro city, after he defended it for over 15 years from poachers and illegal palm tree cutters, police said on Wednesday.
I added the italics in the above quote. If you are only 19 miles from Rio, YOU ARE NOWHERE NEAR THE RAINFOREST!
Perhaps a little illustration is in order.
Notice that, in this picture, the rainforest region is shaded a dark green. Also, notice the little red dot on the southeastern coastline. That is Rio. Is it anywhere near the rainforest? No, it is not. The distance between the two is over 2,000 miles!
Also of note in the article was the following statement:
"We suspect some of those people he opposed may have murdered him," local police superintendent Roberto Cardoso told Brazil's O'Globo national television network.
One thing I am sure of: it was not the people who were in favor of him!
Posted by Andrew on February 24, 2005 12:49 PM.
Comments
Posted by: Handsome Tom at February 24, 2005 1:35 PM
Somtimes the smartest people are the dumbest too. Besides the rainforest is only a few "inches" away from Rio lol
Posted by: JC at February 28, 2005 12:31 AM
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I think they're looking at it all wrong, I have a feeling I know precisely why these poachers and illegal plam tree cutters shot him. In fact its quite obvious. The poachers and illegal palm tree cutters finally found out that the rain forest was nowhere near this guy who was defending it. So all this time that had been searching in the wrong place, and because that would annoy anyone (especially people of such questionable character as these people) it is obvious that this is the reason they shot Dionisio.
I must say I commend Dionisio, in fact he's probably a genius to be able to so utterly confuse people for so long that he was defending something that was in reality not close by. Good on ya mate!