Emotions running high....

I'm constantly checking the news and Bring Sean Home blog today, and the facebook group for the cause as well waiting to hear news...

And apparently, finally there was good news to be had... according to a news report, David Goldman did get to see his son today.  Hooray!!! A major feat but what this man deserves is to take his little boy home.

I was first introduced to the story from Rachel's RioGringa blog, she has been a huge support to David Goldman, and really helped get this story out (the Brazilian media has refused to cover the story).  For more background on the story, check her site out. David Goldman is the man who was featured on Dateline NBC last week for his absolutely infuriating struggle to see his child, who was kidnapped by his mother at age 4, brought to Brazil illegally, denied permission to see his father by his mother and now by his stepfather.  The boy's mother has since passed away, and still despite court orders, David Goldman had not SEEN his son in over 4 years, because Sean's STEP-father, a powerful lawyer, has him. It's absolutely tragic. Terrifying to see what powerful people can accomplish - keeping a child away from his only biological parent? It's horrific.

If you haven't heard anything about this story yet, watch the Dateline NBC hour-long interview with David and Meredith Vieira that aired about a week ago. It tells the story from start to finish and is very moving, yet frustrating to watch because this situation is so infuriating.  Watching over home videos and photos what an amazing father David seems to be makes it even more emotional. And emotional I am right now... watch the Dateline piece and you'll be, too...

Comments

[Patricia]

This is the most stupid blog i've ever been too. Someone joking with the ice skating in Rio.. of course it's terrible.. it's Rio.. it's like you getting tan on the central park...

Brazil is a 3rd world country where lots of people starves, don't have even clean water and when it rains they lose their homes. We have no shame of that, we work a lot to change this situation but 3rd world countries will never be able to go ahead since de 1st world countries pretend to help when they aren't helping at all just procteting themselves and creating a situation even more worse.. and with americans that always asks me the most stupid things about Brazil.. those of us who has a better situation have to learn in school the history of all countries, learn lots of languages, travel to several countries..

By that we try to make a difference to our country and not to be totally unpolite to people from other nations..

Please try to understand.. Brazil is a country trying to go ahead with a history of colony country.. the corruption in politis still existis and there isn't money enough to everyone.. since most people don't make enought money to even pay taxes..

try to read a bit.. Banker of the Poor for example...

Wish you try to enjoy the good things in Brazil like I do when I travel, and not complain to everything that is different from my loved country Brazil.

I miss so much the happiness and the will to help of brazilians when i'm traveling.. we might not be a 1st world country.. but here sure there is love..

Thanks for you attention.

[Daily Rio Life]

Patricia,
I don't expect that you will ever read my reply as why on earth would you return to "the most stupid blog you'd ever been to" - now really?
But for everyone else's benefit, I will respond. One of the most difficult things about writing a blog that is read by people of different cultures is conveying humour. My sense of humour is frequently misunderstood and taken badly, particularly by Brazilian people. The fact that sarcasm does not exist in Brazil causes a lot of confusion. There are many examples on my blog of things I write in what I perceive to be a lighthearted manner only to be taken the wrong way by Brazilians.

I did not mean any offense about the ice in Rio - in fact, I think it's great. When I commented on how my husband and I would not be enthused to play hockey there it is simply because of a SAFETY issue - hockey is a very full-speed-ahead kind of game, and the idea of my husband being catapulted straight into a pillar in the middle of a rink is not a good one. See? We have the love too... Bottom line - ice with pillars in the middle = inappropriate for hockey. That's all I'm saying.

It is too bad that you were so quick to judge my blog, and therefore me, and my perceptions about Brazil based on what I perceive to be just reading a few entries. This blog is almost a year old and in it I share many of the benefits and splendors of Brazil, in fact a lot of my regular readers compliment me on my ability to put a positive spin on situations that may be perceived by others as negative as far as adjusting to life as a foreigner in Brazil. If you read more, you'd see that I actually quite enjoy living here and have even written about some of the issues you mentioned. But instead, in this case, I feel you were quick to judge. Not that you have time to return to "the most stupid blog you've ever been to" of course. I also enjoyed your assumption about what I have and have not read...

[Des]

Well said! It's true you can't please everyone - but I always love reading your blog! :)

[Daily Rio Life]

Thank you!