posted
Yup...that's it. Do you want to know why I came from the Police Station and why do I have this swollen right eye? Because I'm stupid! Because I messed up and will probably end up loosing my job. Sorry if I feel angry. I have to vent a little. So, in one of my classes (I teach in some "favelas" here in Rio) there is a young girl (17 years) called "Jo"(not her real name). She is nice, bright and likes to study. Some times, I noticed, she does not come to class, and sometimes, when she comes, she's awfully hurt. Two days ago she had a broken arm. Finally, I got the nerve to talk to her and ask what was happening. She told me it wasn't a big deal. It was because her father sometimes got a little violent when he smoked or used cocaine. Well...I got another teacher and, together, we told her it WAS a big deal. After that, she cried and told us she have nowere else to go. After that, I was VERY dumb. Me and the other teacher invited her to sleep one night in my house, one night in the other teacher's house. Before that, we went to the police station (we needed to file a complaint and ask the police if our arrangement was allright, since she's a minor, you know). They said that it would not have a problem if it would be only for a couple of days (enough for them to find another solution). I kept working as normal, but tonight her father showed up, entered my class, pointed me a gun, punched me twice, ordered the girl to go home (she went) and told me he would talk with the local drug dealers.
I guess I'm a real bastard, because I should be worried about "Jo", but I'm mostly worried about my own security for now on.
I know nobody here can do anything but, as I said, I had to vent. Posts: 1785 | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
Not knowing the laws in Brazil, I'm only guessing by trying to give you hope. Still, this incident may not cost you your job, and may actually have made the case for the police to intervene a little stronger. Good for you for being a good person trying to do the right thing. Whatever happens, your deed has given me inspiration to not turn away from those in need.
Posts: 1170 | Registered: Jan 2003
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posted
:: hugs and offers icepack :: You tried to do the right thing, if anything else, it showed Jo that there are good people out there willing to try to help. Satyagraha
Posts: 359 | Registered: Jun 2001
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posted
I just got some serious respect for you, guy.
Worry about the drug dealers. There are a lot of crack addicts or lowlifes who're willing to kill for money or drugs -- I'd assume that's all the more true in Brazil. Get some kind of weapon, if you can, and learn how to use it. Even a knife, if you can't carry a gun -- intelligent use of it can make all the difference in a fight.
I wouldn't worry about your job at all. You should be commended by your superiors.
As far as Jo goes, are there no social services you can appeal to? Jesus christ.
If you want to help her get out of the country, I can help. When she becomes legal, she can apply for citizenship -- if that fails, she can, in a purely legal sense, marry me for a green card and divorce me a year or two later. I'll have to look up the possible penalties of what I'm fairly certain is a crime on some level or another, but if it's at all doable, I've got no problem helping her escape that life.
Good luck, dude. Let us know how it turns out.
Posts: 3293 | Registered: Jul 2002
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posted
Ok...I was seriously angry, tired and beaten-up when I wrote my last message. So, it needs some clarification.
See...I'm not worried about loosing my job because my superiors would think what I did was wrong. It wasn't. The problem is: if Jo's father talked to the drug dealers and they decide that I'm not to enter the "favela" anymore, well...it's sad, but their word is law, over there. We call it "poder paralelo" (paralell power) over here. My superiors would rather fire me than put my life in risk.
Oh, yes: my life is not in risk. Nobody should worry about that. I'm not worried. Jo's father is probably arrested or on the run, right now. As the police officer told us, he went a little too far when he threatened (and punched) me. As for Jo, the relief association's president (in which building I teach, over there) told us that he would try to find her a place to live and work in another favela (where I also teach) where another drug gang hold sway (so, even if her father has some clout with local dealers, he won't be able to get her back). I'll only know how it worked out next monday.
I'd like to thanks Hatrack forum for just being there for me. I know I have not written much, and that I should post more comments on other people's threads, and I'll really try to do that more often, ok?
And don't worry, guys. If I loose this job, I won't be unemployed. I got another one teaching at the brazilian air force academy. It's preety nice and pays well. I'm only teaching at night in the "favelas" because I'd like to teach my classes until the end of school year (december, here in Brazil) and see them graduated. If there's some problem and I can't I'll be fine, and there would be some other teacher taking my place over there.
Thanks, people. I'm really better now, after some sleep.
Posts: 1785 | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
That's very sad that the drug gangs are so powerful in Brazil. I hope things change soon. Though, I'm glad to hear you'll be doing o.k., I imagine that you'll be very hard to replace.
Posts: 13123 | Registered: Feb 2002
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posted
Wow, I'm so glad things look a little more favorable now. I got so upset and angry about this, and was trying to think of what we ought to do. Also I worried that if something happened to you, if you just stop posting, we would never know what was going on or if you needed help or anything.
I am proud of you for what you've done. I wonder if you might not ought to keep a pistol with you in the future, in case anyone should threaten you again. I don't know what the laws about that are there. Anyway, it's something to think about. In my very rough high school we discovered that those who were known to be armed and determined to fight back were the ones who got left alone by the baddies.
Best luck and best wishes. Let us know what happens to Jo, whenever you hear. She's very lucky she had you and the other teacher to take an interest in her and to protect her.
Posts: 2843 | Registered: A Long Time Ago!
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posted
Dude, if you're going to play Knight in Shining Armor, might I recommend spending some of your time exploring Brazilian Jujitsu?
Or even Capoeria, for that matter.
Doing the right thing with the best of intentions is a wonderful and heroic act. But Heaven has enough idealists - let's try to keep a couple around for a little while, neh?
posted
I did not plan to post here until I had some news about the subject, but I think there are things worth telling:
1) Getting a Weapon: Here in Brazil it is very, very difficult to lawfully buy a weapon. We recently even aproved a new weapon legislation. It is almost impossible for a civilian to own a firearm over here. The government is even buying weapons from people who want to get rid of them. Of course, it does not prevent the drug dealers to get M16s, AK-47, AR15, Uzi and even anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons.
2) Learning how to defend myself: don't worry, guys...I was two times Judo Champion of my State (Rio de Janeiro). Of course, it was almost 10 years ago, but I think I can still defend myself. The problem is: you don't react when some crazy guy enter your class (where there were 29 students, many of them women and elders) armed and yelling. And why not acknowledge that I was paralized with fear? So I got struck twice across my face...nice...if I tried anything, I could have been killed (or one of my students, who know)?
3) If any of you intend to come to Rio de Janeiro some day, please do. It's not a lawless city. It's preety safe over here. Of course, the "favelas" are a whole different world. As a tourist you would not want to visit them, I guess. Rio is one of the most visited cities in the world, and one of the most beautiful, too. I'm a little afraid that I'm spreading some negative images about my city. If some hatracker someday come to Rio, I'd be honored to show him/her the city.
Well...I guess that's it for the time being. Tomorrow I'll know how things proceeded.
Posts: 1785 | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
i'm finding your job most interesting there and have some wonderings about it.
i grew up in venezuela, for 8 years at least, which i figure is relatively similar to brazil, but i didn't live in a big city or anything.
i was just wondering why you are teaching in a favela for a relief outfit or whatever. i'm doubting it is for the pay. your english is also quite good, making me wonder if you have ever gone abroad or if you learned it there.
about your story...scary stuff. you handled it most well. i salute you.
posted
As much as I respect Judo and believe me, I do respect it - the techniques are limited to throws and groundwork.
Jujitsu deals more with joint locks and standing restraints rather than Judo's mat pins.
As for showing restraint in class, yes - I think you made the right choice.
But I also submit, had he not opted to strike you twice and instead became more hostile, you would have been hard-pressed to attempt disarming and restraining him.
Even if you never use the knowledge, it's better to have it and not need it.
And you're right, having a weapon of your own would have simply escalated matters with innocent bystanders paying the price.
posted
I still do not have news about Jo or Jo's father (only at night, after I come from work), but I'd like to answer some questions:
Resnos:
"was just wondering why you are teaching in a favela for a relief outfit or whatever. i'm doubting it is for the pay. your english is also quite good, making me wonder if you have ever gone abroad or if you learned it there."
Hi, Resnos. I was a college teacher until this year's beginning. Unfortunatelly, I was fired after getting my PHD (since they would have to give me a big raise, in accord to brazilian laws). I wasn't overly worried, because I was selected to teach at Brazilian Air Force Academy, but that job would only begin some months later (last month). So, I was selected to enter the city public teaching department. The only available spot was teaching in the "favelas". I needed the money, the pay wasn't bad and I thought I could benefit from the experience so... You should realize that, unfortunatelly, there are not many teaching jobs available over here for a Portuguese Literature PHD. Since we are entitled to a better salary, most schools do not want to hire us. Fortunatelly, there are government, military and the biggest universities. I'll get by :-) About my english: I learnt it here in Brazil. I never went abroad, unfortunatelly. I honed my second language thanks to RPG books like D&D and english-subtitled animes
TMedina
I like brazilian jiu-jitsu a lot. I'm a big fan of Jiu-Jitsu and "Vale-Tudo" (Mixed Martial Arts) competition (one of my favorites is american UFC - Ultimate Fighting Championship). Of course it's important to know how to defend yourself. That's the reason why my mother had me training judo, when I was a child. I wish I could get back training martial arts, but I'm just too busy right now. Maybe next year, who knows?
posted
Wow, for someone with a PHD in Literature, you're really, really cool. You help people out at some risk to yourself, you play (or at least read) D&D, you watch Anime. How cool is that?
Posts: 903 | Registered: May 2003
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posted
You're a mensch, Eduardo_Sauron. I'm really sorry it turned out that way, both for you and for her. I often wonder if I'd have the cojones to do something like that, and I know many people wouldn't-even to the point of reaching out and taking an interest in Jo's life and suffering.
You're not remotely a bastard in the moral sense (I don't know your parents, though ). If you said you weren't worried about your own safety at all, I'd think you were kidding yourself or lying.
Of course, wielding a weapon when dealing with drug dealers is as likely-perhaps moreso-to get you killed than not. They've got more guns, more knives, more willingness to use them first, and more experience using them on people than non-military honest citizens ever will. So certainly don't go THAT route-but you wouldn't anyway.
Anyway. Like I said, you're a mensch. Keep fighting the good fight, if you can-it makes the world a better place; and I say and mean that never having been south of Miami. Thank you.
Posts: 17164 | Registered: Jun 2001
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I can not voice how much respect I have for you after what you did for Jo. It often takes an extremely brave soul to do the right thing. Whichever God you believe in, he/she is most certainly smiling on you right now.
Posts: 701 | Registered: Jul 1999
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posted
Hi, people. Just came from work and, as I promised, here are the news I got. Not everything is alright, but I guess it could be worse.
The good news are: Jo's father is on the run. Not only from the police, but also from drug dealers. It seems they (the dealers) had some greater problems with the police this weekend because of the "incident" with the teacher (me) attacked in class. I hope the police get him first, or he'll be killed. The bad news are: after running, he beat Jo's mother, Jo and her smaller siblings. One of them, a 1 and a half year boy was badly beaten and is in the hospital. I don't know how well (or not) he is. Jo did not come to class today, but I was told she will return as soon as things calm down. I guess it could be worse.
Well...that's it, for now.
Posts: 1785 | Registered: Oct 2003
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