[pamlet]

I agree that Birmingham probably has fewer problems than the cities mentioned. However to say that because kids are from a suburb of a small city in the south they are not as aware of what is going on in the world is rather sticking your head in the sand. We lived in Raleigh, NC for 12 years... while we were there we lived a number of places.. including the suburbs. I can tell you there were drug problems in the "best" public schools - and with kids of very wealthy parents. In fact I can say from working in the mall for a number of years... the "wealthier" the neighborhood - the more messed up the teens were.

I have no idea what the social make-up was of Natalee and her group... I do know I heard her mother say that Jug's son had been on the trip to Aruba a few years before and even told them about C&C and what goes on. Beth said she had talked to Natalee about it.

I think where everyone is getting all wound up is some weird feeling that somehow if Natalee wasn't "perfect" she wouldn't be worth worrying over. Well I really don't CARE if she was "partying".. she's gone and her parents have spent over 2 months looking for her.

I DO think that while we as onlookers don't need to know - WHOEVER is doing the investigating needs to know exactly what happened that night and all week. It could lead them to a number of things.. That's where I get concerned.. that no one really seems to KNOW what went on that entire week.

[onyx]

Natalee is a native of a little town 30 miles west of me, called Clinton, MS. She lived there throughout her junior high school years.

[truthluva]

Well...shoot...was going to bed, but... There's no sand around my head. I know for a fact that most of the kids from small southern towns are not AS aware of potential threats to their safety as kids from larger cities. This isn't that hard to believe. Also, please not that I never said there was no crime, just a lot less of it. Kids being "messed up" happens here too. Rapes and murders, however, are less here than in big cities. Crime statistics bear that out. Okay...now that you intigued be enough to stay up post, this is what I will be doing in the morning>>>

[cajungirl]

I think some know and aren't telling,,Aruba LE is very cagey and the Holloways have been muzzled by threats of abandoning the investigation.

It is secretive.