Talk:US teen missing in Aruba feared dead

This news story is a product of ridiculous bias. No one would care if it were a Kenyan teen. I'm listing for deletion as not notable. Superm401 21:48, 11 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Although this technically is news, I agree with Superm401. NGerda 21:49, Jun 11, 2005 (UTC)

• I was wary to post this because I was afraid of comments like this, however - Aruba is a tourist island, most of its income is from foreign tourists. This could become a starting block for a downslide in the island's economy, as many US travelers don't think it would be safe to travel there. We could be facing a number of different things with this specific case. It's the fact that she was a tourist, in a nation where tourism as a large economic provider and a low crime rate (which might've attracted people to the island), which I think makes it a news-worthy item. --Mrmiscellanious 23:19, 11 Jun 2005 (UTC)

But if the crime rate is low, then how is this news? It would be news if it was in an area with a high crime rate; we would want to report on that. But the point that Superm401 was trying to make is that the only reason that this is getting so much press attention is that it happened to a white, blonde, American girl who has a cute face I don't know if any of you remember the Samantha Runnion case; the trial was held a block away from my high school. She had big blue eyes and a cute face [1], and her perpetrator was Mexican, adding icing to the corporate media's cake. It got a lot of press. NGerda 00:24, Jun 12, 2005 (UTC)

The crime rate being low is what makes something news instead of a special report. Most news is events that are uncommon (such as a major crime in a low crime area). --Cspurrier 00:27, 12 Jun 2005 (UTC)

But are we merely imitating the rest of major corporate news by giving much attention to relatively minor events? NGerda 00:28, Jun 12, 2005 (UTC)

In no way. As stated before, the US has much involvement with this island's economy. It's more than a missing person, at least I think so. While the major networks are covering it fully, I don't think we should ignore it completely. If we reported this around 12 articles, it would get obsessive; but just one article that can be a much larger issue than it seems at the current time is definitely something news-worthy here. --Mrmiscellanious 01:29, 12 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Agreed, as long as this doesn't get to be a big story. NGerda 01:30, Jun 12, 2005 (UTC)

Stop cruise ships from docking in aruba until case is solved.

it is quiet obvious that aruba is not performing the appropriate interrogation of the suspects now in custody. there have been too many stories with a lack of confirmation on each occurance of possible guilt.

to get the proper attention from the aruba officials do not allow american cruise ships to make further stops at aruba until the case of the missing student is solved.

That link at the bottom

is misleading. The suspect didn't confess to killing her, it says there had been a "sort of confession"

Then could you please fix it? We can work from there.  :) NGerda 04:13, Jun 14, 2005 (UTC)

Being from the US and also vacation in Aruba, the US is over reacting. Granted Aruba authorities may not be investigating the incident as the US would, but how many unsolved murders occur in the US? Meaning, the US doesn't have much room to say how another country should approach their investigation.

Chris

Missing American in Aruba

I am an American who has visited the beautiful island of Aruba. I must start out by addressing the comments on this site by saying that Americans, by nature, are very patriotic and protective of their own. Anything to do with an American in a foreign country will attract the U.S. media. As far as this case is concerned, I think that it comes down to a cultural difference and the various elements of this case. For example, the length of time it took the authorities to find and arrest these young men, the interrogation process, just the overall snail pace. I am also aware that, like many other islands, Arubans are never in a hurry to do anything which is part of the allure that attracts tourists, especially Americans. However, considering Ms. Holloway’s impeccable background and the bizarre circumstances, this is not a case that the authorities should take their time on. My gut tells me that there are more facts than the public has been made aware of and that these young men know more that they are saying, especially the Dutch man. I wish that they could be extradited to the U.S. so that we could get to the bottom of this. I wonder why the authorities are not searching the rocky areas of the North Shore near the lighthouse. As for the comment about the many unsolved crimes in the U.S., I agree. But one must take into account that the U.S. has a much, much larger population, hence more crime. In any event, I pray for her and that they find her soon.

I believe Natalee Holloway is the victim of illegal drugs. Who would take a High school Class to such an awful place? The following is taken from the State Department's Web page.

Aruba. Aruba is a transshipment point for increasing quantities of heroin, and to a lesser extent cocaine, moving north, mainly from Colombia, to the U.S. and secondarily to Europe. Drugs move north via cruise ships and the multiple daily flights to the U.S. and Europe. While the transshipment of heroin is of growing concern, evidence in 2004 did not support a finding that drugs entering the U.S. from Aruba were in an amount sufficient to have a significant effect on the U.S., but the eastern and southern Caribbean is an area of concern to the U.S. The island attracts drug traffickers with its good infrastructure, excellent flight connections, and relatively light sentences for drug-related crimes served in prisons with relatively good living conditions. This problem is further promulgated by the Netherlands Antilles’ law enforcement successes in Curacao during 2004, which necessitated a change in route on the part of the traffickers in the region.

Aruba and Natalee

I would like to remind everybody in the USA that it took four months to California police to arrest Scott Peterson and that nobody had ever said that US police was corrupt or incompetent. If the body of poor Lacy had not showed up on the shore in early april, Scott would still be a free man. So please quit lambasting the Arubian police and the dutch legal system and stop talking about "foreign corruption". I would like too to remind you that Mr Ebbers was recently sentenced to jail for faking 11 billions dollars in the company books, cheating shareholders and employees in a way unheard of before. And this took place in America not in Holland or any other foreign country. Please be a little bit more modest and humble when you talk about foreign countries or do not be surprised if people outside America end up hating you.

Stating the obvious

So Joram said that something bad must have happened to Natalee? Well,well that is really world news, right: him stating what we all already know. Does that mean he is guilty? Hardly more than you or I when stating the obvious. But then he is only a Dutchman, so guilty. Do I detect a whiff of old Southern bigotry? Let's lynch 'em! Preferably in front of all the cameras of fox news, MSNBC, CourtTV who make their money out of this kind of spectacles.

As far as drugs are concerned: what nobody seems to realize is that Aruba had invited the police of a foreign power (the FBI) on its territory for quite some years now, because the Arubans did not want to be taken over by the Medellin cartel. This is also one of the reasons the island refused to become completely independent from Holland. Aruba has been a strong ally of the US in the War on Drugs. Now that this war is not important to Americans anymore Aruba is now useful as the little guy that can be bullied. It's a nice distraction from -say- the news from Iraq.

Visits to Aruba

Been to Aruba 11 times in the last 10 years, and going back in Sept for 12 days. If these 3 young men and the father are not made to account for the disapearance of Natalie, it will be my last trip. Suspose something happen to my wife or daughter during a trip there, and I had to deal with the inept investigation. No way. If this case is not solved, I will do anything I can to make sure people avoid the island. Does it Matter?? We, my wife and I have personally taken 8 guests, been responsible for 20 people going to Aruba, and have many others considering a trip there. It may matter just a little.

Aruba and Natalee

Americans can be quick to condemn the Aruban government for not doing enough to solve this case. But on the other hand it does nothing to quench the flames of anger and fustration when we see the Aruban people in the streets cheering on Johran when he is released from each round of question. When see this one has to wonder what are they happy about. He got off the hook or they pulled to wool over on Uncle sam once again.

what where Natalee's parents thinking

I was discussing this with my son one night and I stated that I don't understand parents who let their teenage childern take off to foriegn countries right after high school. I think Natalee had no idea what the real world is like, looking that the pictures of her life in Alabama one can say it was atleast comfy. My son retorted, who has a similar background, " You mean when we where in Antigua you wouldn't have allowed me to go the Shirley Heights alone." I said absolutely not and if it was going to be a major point of discontentment that we would have accompanied him there and this would be twice as true if he were female.