U.S. State Dept wants student newspapers to publish propaganda

[rockedthevoteinMA]

So I'm the editor of our school (college) newspaper, and this showed up in the mail today. Does this have anything to do with the withdrawal we made last week, from the International Legal Protocol?
http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=505

Media Note
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
February 28, 2005


International Travel Safety Information for Students

As the time approaches for spring or summer breaks, many college students are getting ready for that much anticipated trip abroad. Most will have a safe and enjoyable adventure, but for some the trip will become a nightmare. A number of vacations are ruined by one or more of the following: drugs, alcohol, disorderly behavior, and preventable accidents.

Each year, more than 2,500 American citizens are arrested abroad -- about half on narcotics charges, including possession of very small amounts of illegal substances. A drug that is legal in one country may not be legal in a neighboring nation. Some young people are victimized because they are unaware of the laws, customs, or standards of the country they are visiting.

Besides drugs, alcohol can also cause trouble for U.S. citizens traveling abroad. Students have been arrested for being intoxicated in public areas, for underage drinking, and for drunk driving. Disorderly or reckless behavior is to be avoided. In many countries, conduct that would not result in an arrest in the United States may constitute a violation of local law. Some young Americans go abroad assuming that local authorities will overlook such conduct, believing that they are immune from prosecution in foreign countries because they are American citizens. The truth is that Americans are expected to obey all of the laws of the countries they visit, and those who break these laws could face severe penalties, including prison sentences.

Being arrested is not the only misfortune that can occur on a foreign vacation. Young Americans have suffered injury or even death from automobile accidents, drowning, and falls, in addition to other mishaps. While these accidents are sometimes chance occurrences, many are caused by alcohol or drug abuse. Sadly, other Americans have been sexually assaulted or robbed because they have found themselves in unfamiliar locales or are incapable of exercising prudent judgment while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2005/42811.htm

So these freaks want me to publish their BS for them? No thanks! :puke:

[rockymountaindem]

1. I don't see why that's propaganda or BS.

There's a similar warning (though far less detailed) in US passports. Considering the level of intelligence and behavior of some of those college students who go to Mexico every year, I can see why the US State Dept. would want this published. Every US citizen who gets arrested in a foreign country is more work for the State Dept. I'm sure they want to avoid both that, and having to worry about our image being sullied by drunken US tourists flouting the law.

Besides, did you hear about that woman facing the death penality in Indonesia for supposedly trafficking marijuana? That's the kind of things these warnings are for. Don't be offended.

[rockedthevoteinMA]

4. No I didn't hear about that. Thanks for your input.

I had never seen one of these press releases before, and I thought it was odd they were mailing them out to the school papers.

Now that you mention it - I'm not one of those spring break crazies, but I have heard stories. (I thought it was common knowledge to not be too stupid in other countries, but there's always exceptions to that in this world...)

[rockymountaindem]

5. Glad to help.

The State Dept. is one branch of the government that I have a lot of respect for even now, Condi Rice notwithstanding. I met a State Dept. consulate officer at a dinner here in Canada two weeks ago, and she was telling me about her first experiences in the foreign service 3 years ago. She was in Albania and had to spend six weeks trying to get a US citizen out of jail there. She went to the prison to visit him multiple times a week, mentioning that she had to carry his shit bucket out of the cell before she could even go in there.

Things like that are the reason the State Department kindly asks US citizens not to get arrested for stupid reasons in foreign countries. It's also part of their job to protect us. Seeing as how a lot of our citizens can't even find foreign countries on a map, a lot of them aren't going to realize that they could get in big trouble for what may seem like minor infractions.

And if you think it's common knowledge not to be stupid in foreign countries, then you haven't seen MTV Spring Break. Mexico is pretty lax I guess, but other countries, particularly in SE Asia, are a lot less tolerant.

[Kolesar]

2. that sounds like the briefing we young seamen in the US Navy got.....

...before debarking for an evening of debauchery in Barcelona. "If la guardia says stop, you stop"

[madrchsod]

3. this is sent out as a public service

message and should be printed in every college paper. alot of people don`t realize that the us government can do very little for anyone who is charged with a crime in different country.well unless you are very well connected

[sandnsea]

6. You might add the treaty info

So kids know they have even less protection than they used to. They need to know how things are if they travel to other countries.

[yorgatron]

7. you might also encourage them to stay home,

or only tour countries that are completely on our side,like great Britain (thanks poodle boy!) or maybe Poland? i forgot Poland,they ARE still with us,right? really though,they should stay in the good old U.S.of A. and stop all that nonsense about "broadening their horizons" and all the rest of that liberal propaganda. :eyes: (on edit;needed punctuation)

[sandnsea]

Excuse me?

How does informing kids that Bush withdrew from the International Death Penalty Treaty become partaking in propaganda???

Click and read, you might learn something. And decide to start spending your time targeting Bush.

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=505

[rockedthevoteinMA]

9. Good idea sannsea

there was another letter enclosed, but I can't find it on the web. It mentioned how if students were arrested, there wouldn't be much the consular could do. I'll have to copy it at school tomorrow.

[Az_lefty]

8. I went to Mexico last weekend.

Rocky Point was a blast!
Drank too much, spent too much, no problem.

[caligirl]

10. my son wants to do a trip to china next summer. Any reason this

might be a bad idea? Its a trip with profs and students.

[rockedthevoteinMA]

11. there was an article posted in late breaking news last week

about how the US state dept withdrew from the international treaty on the death penalty, and I remember people commenting on how it would affect US citizens traveling abroad. I'll see if I can find it.

(I don't know the legal ramifications- it sounded like a big deal though)

On edit: can't find the LBN thread, but here is the article from a German paper.

Bush Administration Defends Decision to Withdraw from International Legal Protocol

Mar 11, 2005 Washington

The State Department is confirming the United States is pulling out of the Optional Protocol to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. But it is stressing that it remains committed to the broader convention, which has governed global diplomacy since 1963, and that the United States is not walking away from international commitments.

The administration action stems from a decision by the International Court of Justice in the Hague last year requiring U.S. courts to review the cases of more that 50 Mexican nationals facing execution in Texas and other states.

They had claimed their rights were infringed by the failure of U.S. local officials to inform Mexican consular officials of their arrests.

President Bush late last month told Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to direct state courts to abide by the decision of the international tribunal.

That presidential decision will stand. But in subsequent action this week, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice notified the U.N. of the United States' withdrawal from the Optional Protocol, which allowed the International Court to intervene in U.S. cases.
http://www.politinfo.com/articles/article_2005_03_11_3946.html
more at link

[sandnsea]

12. This is routine

Like most of the posters have said. Some people have the idea that if they get in trouble in a foreign country, they can just go to the embassy and all will be taken care of. Not true. That's the point of the State Dept putting out the info.

As long as your son doesn't plan on committing any crimes, he shouldn't have any problem.

[rinsd]

13. What freaks?

This is a State dept. PSA before Spring Break telling the knuckleheads to keep it cool lest they end up in the foreign pokey.