Amanda Knox: A Cautionary Tale

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.

You don’t need to travel to be enriched.

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I don’t think I ever said that. I live in Baltimore so I have had the privilege of visiting DC many times. Have worked there as well.

Of course, those who don’t live/work in DC would actually have to travel to get there, so we sort of agreeing with one another. Perhaps you meant travel overseas?

NOw that the kids are grown and out of the house, I have had the opportunity to do both, discover my own country a bit more, as well as some excellent overseas adventures.

>>Who am I to quarrel with you if you believe you can have the same experiences from the comfort of your computer chair as if you were actually there, walking Nativity Square when the call to prayers sounds?<<

I just don’t care at all to spend the amount of money, time and risk to my safety. For what? Some memories and pictures. Meh.

There are people to love, babies to kiss and laughs to share. Because when I’m in the nursing home, no one is going to care about the places I’ve been. And I’ll have more than memories to keep me company. People are important and I plan to touch as many as I can.

George Washington:

“Why, by interweaving our destiny with that of any part of Europe, entangle our peace and prosperity in the toils of European ambition, rivalship, interest, humor or caprice?”

“Nothing is more essential, than that permanent, inveterate antipathies against particular Nations, and passionate attachments for others, should be excluded...The Nation, which indulges towards another an habitual hatred, or an habitual fondness, is in some degree a slave. It is a slave to its animosity or to its affection, either of which is sufficient to lead it astray from its duty and its interest.”

“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.”

October 5, 2011 8:19 AM

For Amanda Knox, freedom comes at hefty cost

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/10/05/earlyshow/main20115856.shtml

Wed, Oct 5 - 11:43 am ET

Amanda Knox’s Family Went Into Crazy Debt To Save Her

http://mommyish.com/stuff/amanda-knoxs-family-went-into-crazy-debt-to-save-her-346/

...four years of waiting for a trial and a chance to tell her side of the story!

Her side of the story??? Uh, the author probably means "tell her sides of the story", plural. Innocent people don’t make up a string of alibis that fall apart the minute the phone records are examined.

“I was at my boyfriends, sleeping, phones off”.
“No wait, we rented movies online."
“What? My boyfriend said something different and our computer records show that didn't happen?”
“Ok, then I was there when the bar owner did it, covering my ears for an eternity as she was murdered.”
“What??, 100 people were with him ALL night?"
"Ohh, guess I better do some cartwheels."

Then there's her own 'myspace' post, bragging about screwing a stranger on a train. SHE told the cops she screwed seven guys since she got to Italy. Then you could ask her SURVIVING roomates what they think. They were disgusted by the nonstop man parade to her bedroom her leaving her vibrator out, right next to their toothbrushes. Ever notice how the other two roomates don't seem to be defending Amanda? They got her number, thats why.

According to the first flatmate, Amanda phoned, and the 12:08 conversation went someting like this:

Amanda: "Hi this ia Amanda, just arrived home, the front door is open, there's blood everywhere, I took a shower and got Raff. Meredith doesn't answer her phone, we tried to get into her room, but it's locked. Do you think something might be wrong?"

Filomena: "The flat was open, blood everywhere.. and you took a shower?" According to Knox herself,, she had hung out with the “real killer”. Amanda was pressuring Meredith to have sex with him. They made a move, it went bad, and Meredith ended up dead. The fact that the guy from Ivory Coast made a deal to avoid trial (while admitting nothing of what he did) does not in any way prove Amanda wasn’t involved up to her eyeballs.

Here's a good summary of the top ten Amanda Knox lies, posted by freeper rimorel:

Top Ten Amanda Knox Lies

Anyway, I know there are plenty of freepers here who say, "Sure, Amanda Knox is a sociopathic liar and a skank, but that doesn't make her a killer!" Well that may be so, but I have no doubt she was somehow up to her eyeballs in the murder, even if she wasn't the one who plunged the knife 40 times.

All that's left to see now is if Amanda Knox has the decency and shame to try to fade away into anonymity. ...Or will make endless promotional appearances on TV ("family lawyer" by her side) for the next year, followed by a book and a movie?

Meanwhile, another family has lost their daughter forever.

Thanks to freepers DesertRhino and Oztrich Boy for much of the above info.

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