Thanks for understanding my points!
I think the arrogant American media (with the notable exception of Greta, and maybe a few Fox reporters such as Rick Leventhal) are HURTING the search for Natalee by causing undertandable resentment amongst Arubans.
I think the arrogant American media (with the notable exception of Greta, and maybe a few Fox reporters such as Rick Leventhal) are HURTING the search for Natalee by causing undertandable resentment amongst Arubans.
I agree. Besides the resentment, the media amplifies any animosities between interests and strains the resources of investigators. It would not surprise me if the media #'s exceeded the total number of investigators on the case. OTOH, you have public interest that the media serves but that doesn't change the fact that the media can overwhelm the resources available to meet their needs.
While I see your point, I think the opposite is true. The rest of the world blames Americans, no matter what they do. The parents of this poor child is there just to get answers. For the most part, though not entirely, the Arubans have banned together and obfuscated the search. I think the family has been patience and tolerant beyond understanding. The rest of the world, apparently including Arubans, want the result of our hard work and capitalist economy, in this case, in the form of tourist dollars. But when we apply those same principles (hard work and persistence that helps define our national character) to get to the bottom of a problem--which in this case is probably the murder, at least the kidnapping of an American citizen--then they resent it? No, I think they are the ones who need to do the soul searching to determine the dark underworld they are trying to protect.
Those in charge of this investigation, those with any real authority (as opposed to some cable news commentators) have been something far short of impressive. Whatever their legal system, the majority of questions have been about the investigation.
As I remember one of the security guards originally detained hoped that authorities would burn in hot lava (or some such thing). There have been numerous reports about Aruba LE refusing the FBI's assistance even though we know they have a track record around the world of successfully partnering with authorities in investigations. One of the search team spokesmen has sworn off talking to LE in Aruba because he's sick of the politics.
I'm no fan of O'Reilly or Geraldo but to think they have a role (Fox News isn't even broadcast there as I understand it) in impeding an investigation in a land of documented corruption and political objectives that may put them at odds with Holland, just doesn't make sense.
Some reporters have said that Arubans are afraid to cooperate with this investigation for fear of losing their jobs. You have two classes of society on Aruba -- the elite and everybody else. It would be interesting if one of their youngsters disappeared in similar circumstances. Would they simply sit and take it? "Gee, you're letting the men go who were with her last and who lied repeatedly about what they did that night. Okay. Oh, the father of one, a judge, has been obstructing justice? Let him go, too. Okay. I'll just sit here and hope bits and pieces of my daughter wash up on the tide. Oh, you're letting two more go? They can keep their passports and leave Aruba? Wonderful. Guess my daughter doesn't matter. Fine. I don't matter, either."
Or would they, like Natalee's family, hound the LE night and day, demanding justice?
This reminds me of that 'Mississippi Burning' movie with Gene Hackman, the story of those three civil rights workers who were beaten and shot and put in an earthen dam by the cops, KKK. Emmett Killen (Till?)-- whatever his last name is, that 80 year old killer, was finally sentenced to 60 years in jail for his part in the murders.
The same community mindset is alive and well in this case. Arubans want this to go away, they want Natalee's family to leave, they want life to go back to normal, with Americans once again spending big bucks on Aruba and not lifting rocks to see the evil on this island. They don't care that
an innocent 17 year-old is probably dead.
Well, if Joran goes to college in the US and disappears, a victim of foul play, (God forbid), it would be justice if the cops bungled the investigation, arrested the wrong people, then let guilty parties go despite their having lied repeatedly and obstructed justice. We could tell the VDS's to go home, what's wrong with their family? Maybe Joran was unhappy and ran away, maybe he committed suicide, yada, yada, yada." Would they like it? Probably not. But it's always different when it's your child. As it is, the VDS's prefer to have their probably guilty son walk free as a bird than face justice and reveal what he did with Natalee's body.
It certainly reveals what kind of character and integrity they have. None. They let Joran run wild, drink, do drugs, run around all night, drive without a license, gamble, and this is the result. He'll commit more violence. He's blamed his mother for this mess, saying that if she'd been home, he wouldn't have gone out. And presumably, Natalee wouldn't be dead and he wouldn't be in all this trouble. It's his mother's fault. Any psychologists care to dissect Joran's mindset?