Posted on 10/06/2011 5:41:05 AM PDT by Kaslin
From now on, parents who plan to send their children abroad to study in a foreign nation should sit them down in front of the TV set and watch replays of the Amanda Knox saga. It has all the elements of a true-to-life lesson in the dangers of turning young men and women barely out of their teens into innocents abroad.
Youngsters -- and many parents -- are clueless when it comes to the customs and laws in other countries that lack many of the safeguards which we Americans take for granted. They should study the Amanda Knox case. It is a clear warning that -- unlike here in the United State -- in many foreign countries the accused is automatically guilty until proven innocent.
Consider this: Amanda Knox spent four years in prison before being tried in court on charges that ultimately appear to have been baseless. Moreover, her chief accuser himself now faces trial and possible imprisonment for misconduct. She was made hostage to a system of justice where the accused is guilty until proven innocent and she was locked away until a trial in court could take place, which in Amanda's case took 48 long months behind bars. .
Four years in an Italian slammer -- four years of waiting for a trial and a chance to tell her side of the story!
It is said that ignorance of the law is not an excuse for violating the law. That's true here, but no consideration in given to Americans visiting foreign nations, who cannot be expected to understand all the ins and outs of the laws of those nations.
It is true that foreign travel is broadening. It can also be hazardous for young Americans born and bred in the best and fairest nation in the world, where the court system is designed to protect their rights and freedom of the citizenry -- an uncommon idea in many nations abroad.
I can readily understand why some parents believe that study abroad enhances their offspring's education. But I cannot understand how some parents can send their youngsters off to foreign counties to be on their own in a totally alien environment where many of the safeguards to their freedom, common here in the United States, simply do not exist. Many parents should consider accompanying their children on excursions abroad.
Parents need to wake up to the fact that the United States is the best and fairest country in the world. Our God-given freedom guaranteed by the Constitution is the reason why we have become the wealthiest nation in the word. Parents should educate themselves and their youngsters on the laws and customs of foreign nations before sending them abroad to study; otherwise they run the risk of losing them to an alien system of justice.
Amanda was lucky. You and your family might not be so lucky.
I'm guessing her family had vast resources to fight her case, hire Italian lawyers, make numerous trips to Italy, bribe the necessary officials, etc.
Ann Coulter would beg to differ.
Her September 7, 2011 column
http://www.anncoulter.com/columns/2011-09-07.html
I thought that this was an appeal and not the trial which took place a couple of years ago.
Secondly, we have our own problems with Nifong type prosecutors, crooked cops and judges and stupid jurors.
>>I can readily understand why some parents believe that study abroad enhances their offspring’s education<<
OMG, why?
So they can study to become socialists or elitists? We need to stop idolizing the Europeans. They are in FAR worse shape than we are.
Most Americans visiting foreign countries are not present when their roommate is slaughtered.
This woman knew exactly what happened and by her lies through her expensive attorneys knew full well the extent of her participation.
Foxy Knoxy got away with murder and even though the sentence would have been 26 years she'll live many more years than that with her conscience full of the horror she either participated in or knowingly abetted.
VERY interesting.
Guess mom and dad had enough money to spring her.
I heard they are not wealthy. They took out second and third mortgages, maxed out credit cards and are now deeply in debt.
I disagree with the theme of this article -- for instance if you want to study archaeology or paintings the best place IS Italy. Amanda Knox was learning Italian and the best way to learn a foreign language is to live in that country
Somehow grandma had $150k to use for her defense. Parents both filed for bankruptcy I believe. Me I can’t even afford to send my kid to most colleges here in the states.
Not necessarily. To really learn a foreign language as Amanda knox was doing, its best to live there.
>>Not necessarily. To really learn a foreign language as Amanda knox was doing, its best to live there.<<
We have people here in the states who are fluent in Italian. My Goddaughter learned Italian here.
Knox was formally studying Italian, German and Creative Writing. All of which can be found right here at home. Informally, she was studying how to party.
My grandma took me to Europe at age 12 to visit relatives. Everyone was so poor, even the people who thought they were rich compared to others in their country! It didn't make me idolize Europeans - it made me completely against socialism. Maybe you have to be at least college-age to be dumb enough to fall for the socialist paradise myth, even when confronted with the facts.
My grandma took me to Europe at age 12 to visit relatives. Everyone was so poor, even the people who thought they were rich compared to others in their country! It didn't make me idolize Europeans - it made me completely against socialism. Maybe you have to be at least college-age to be dumb enough to fall for the socialist paradise myth, even when confronted with the facts.
i would think that natalie holloway would be a much better precautionary tale, given that there is far less controversy abotu anything she might haave done.
you are probably correct about Amanda's reason for being there as "studying how to party"
Exactly.
Amanda’s parents are divorced. They are middle class, NOT wealthy. Each parent took out second mortages on their homes, maxed out their credit cards, and nearly drove themselves to bankruptcy. Amanda’s sister had to quit college and took two jobs to help the family’s financial situation.
The cost of hiring an attorney in Italy and the occassional trips by air from Seattle to Italy were not cheap.
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