I have no problem if you wrote about the fact, but you choose a bad way.
"Cops here can and will stop anyone, for any reason, or no reason at all. This is permitted by law, the way the system is currently set up". This is your statement, I wonder what smoke did you have when you write this. May be they do differently in your country. And it's just only one example that make me don't like you article. There are many others but I don't want to make it too long here.
Then in other reply to me you talk about your American way. I'm as a Vietnamese was so irritated reading that. Many others Vietnam would feel the same. American is just a kind of people, you have your way and we Vietnamese have our way, it never have a never will be the same. We know what is good way for us because it's Vietnamese culture, it last for thousand years that could not be changed in short term. Could take a hundred years. And we don't need a young guy from some where come to tell us what to do. If you really want to do it in good manner, learn Vietnamese way first.
You live in Rome, act like a Roman. You are living in Vietnam (Ha Noi probably) now, I guess, act like a Vietnamese. You won't feel any good if you are different. I'm sure that you crossed the red light sometime, no helmet riding bike, walk across the street somewhere but not in the zebra line like any other Vietnamese etc and you are happy with that. Let's just enjoy yourself living here in Vietnam, I'm sure that Vietnam is one of the most beautiful countries in the would. Leave the traffic Police problem to us, we will solve it better soon than later.