This week’s film Bus147 synopsis emphasis on the brutality of violence that a majority ofpeople in the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil face.  In America we tend to avoid or consider thelifestyle of others in other parts of the world because we live in a land of luxurywere a majority of our people don’t have to worry about going hungry, seekingshelter, or living on the streets at young ages. Many of us have not enduredthe emotional and physical strain that a Brazilian endures every day in orderto survive to see the next day. We Americans are not beaten by police officialswhose job titles are to protect the city and not contribute to crime.  We Americans don’t see high crimes of murderby police officials to our family and friends due to rage. We Americans takefor granted items such as our 62’ inch plasma tv’s in every room of ourhousehold, our minimum of two vehicles per one family household, our king sizedbeds with memory foam and feather down pillows.  A Brazilian’s land of luxury such as Sandro’sconsisted of a bedroom to his own, a locked door, a job, and to better himself.

Rotker brings up a sad yet true reality that citizens ofLatin American capitals not only live in fear but also live in some of the mostdangerous conditions on earth. Rotker gives us an inside excerpt  in The Drive-by Victim to allow us to understandthe feeling of what it’s like to be involved in a crime as the victim as well asthe reason of the robbers acts of inhumane crimes. Rotker also reminds thereader that the acts of the criminals is not necessarily to harm you as the victimbut usually commit these crimes to survive or to protect a loved one such thetaxi driver stating: “We’re thieves man, not killers. Do you know why we dothis? Because they hurt one of the guys in the gang and we have to get 3million pesos tonight. Were all unemployed!” In the film Bus 147 Sandro holds up hostages in a bus for reasons I believewhat he thought was his only to become “famous” due to his incapability’s to readand write. We see in the film that Sandro never has the intent to kill any ofthe hostages and even lets some go. It shows that the people on the streets arenot inhumane and live to get by.

Guillermoprieto speaks about the mariachis and the typicallife of the Mexican with parties, liquor and food. The unique qualities ofincorporating the KFC, McDonald’s, Denny’s and Coca-Cola emphasisGuillermoprieto’s view on Mexico being modernized by the influence of its northernneighbor the United States. Although Mexico goes through a phase where money andfinding work becomes slow, Garibaldi refuses to leave as the other mariachibands do. We see that unlike Brazil crime does not outburst when times becometough, and they are well fed, and rejoice for social gatherings. To a Brazilianthis scenario would be a new eye opening experience to them yet is common to us.