Once, that was the case. In the Middle East, American activists used to just have to yell "I'm an American!" and even armed troops melted before them. No one dared touch them. Not any more.
LadyinRed, is it the press who are having a field day over this case - or is it FR? There have been innumerable threads on this one person's death, full of posts making jokes, insults and exulting over the happy event. Everyone wants to get a word in. In these circumstances, I would say it is Freepers who are having a field day.