[neb52]

I don't watch to much TV, so I am not aware of the coverage of this case. But local TV covers missing people fairly well and they are usually Hispanic, especially the kids. So I am not for sure about the race issue that this reporter is talking about. Perhaps its just the National News stations. Why is he even screeching about that. Its not like we as Americans have an control on what they cover, and combined its not like that many Americans are even watching. There's what 5-6 million that watch CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox and MSNBC? Thats hardly a big percentage of Americans. Its also my understanding that Fox grabs onto one thing and beats it to death until the story comes to a conclusion.

[MinuteGal]

"It was 1:30 AM and she drunkenly climbed into a car with three young men........"

Where has it been established beyond doubt that Natalee "drunkenly" climbed into a car with (one, two, ten) three young men?

From the tenor of this article, and with a broad brush, this Brit reporter has declared Natalee guilty of all the things he disapproves of in Aruba.

She becomes the perp rather than the victim.

Too bad she was born blond and pretty and has a determined family that is using every means of strategery to counter the secrecy, cronyism and possible cover-up surrounding the fate of their daughter.

The only thing this writer is correct about is the cynical and circus-like media coverage. It's shameful.

In fact, I believe the media is actually making things tougher for the family. The media hype and sometimes unfounded LE-bashing causes resentment and more secrecy.

Even the family is not criticising Arubian LE like the media is doing just to create more drama and ratings for their audiences.

Leni

[elli1]

'Swedish'?

[Vigilanteman]

'To be blunt, blonde white chicks who go missing get covered, and poor, black, Hispanic or other people of colour who go missing do not get covered,' said Tom Rosenstiel, director of the Project for Excellence in Journalism.

Freaking nimrod. I don't suppose it would have anything to do with the tireless efforts of Natalie's mother now, would it? < / sarcasm>

[Fred Nerks]

"And the awful truth that Natalee's death would not have rocked America so much if she had been black. Or Asian. Or poor. Or a boy."

That's as far as I got; the America-bashing never stops, does it?

[Liz]

The tiny island, whose 100,000 population is crammed into a space smaller than Manhattan, has only had one murder so far this year. ,B> Crime is rare. Drugs are less common than in any comparable US city.

Snort----crime is rare b/c nothing is a crime according to the notoriously ultra-liberal Dutch. In the Netherlands, life is cheap. Prostitution is considered no big deal as is their penchant for euthanasia on demand. Aruba is also notorious as a stopping-off point for drug cartels.

The fact that 17-year old Joran was prowling casinos and bars, targeting young tourists---perhaps armed with date rape drugs to assure a score---is also indicative of liberal Dutch permissiveness.

Natalee's parents sent her to a place under the erroneous impression that values they prized predominated on Aruba.

How wrong they were.

What with its liberal Rube Goldberg justice system, a population with apparently no compunction about lying straight into the TV cameras, Aruba is the personification of Liberal Lies and Deceit Unlimited.

[jocon307]

"The tiny island, whose 100,000 population is crammed into a space smaller than Manhattan,..."

Well, millions of people live in Manhattan, so, what's the point? This author is close to hysteria, he makes Natalee's mom look like a model of composure by comparison.

[johnb838]

I don't think that Aruba is specifically to blame over and above the others, although it does sound like little Amsterdam in the Islands. But all these islands are all about hustling the naive American tourists. People need to wake up and realize that all this name calling about "Ugly American" is intended to get you off your guard and make you feel guilty and make it easier to part you from your money, or your clothing, or whatever they want from you. They were hostile when I was a kid but it is so much worse now. Life is cheap. It can happen to you or anyone.

The whole spring break drunk fest is stupid as well. It is just asking to be taken advantage of, and possibly be hurt or arrested. It needs to stop.

And teens... when I was very young, say 12, I thought "nightclubs" were dangerous places. Then I became 18-21 and I thought a sweaty nightclub packed to the gills with sweaty bodies drinking their tails off was a good place to be. Now I realize they really ARE dangerous. Don't go. Don't be "cool". Don't follow, lead. Course, nobody listens, but things are so hostile today.

[Unam Sanctam]

And the awful truth that Natalee's death would not have rocked America so much if she had been black. Or Asian. Or poor. Or a boy.

Maybe, maybe not. It is smug and unverifiable to posit a hypothetical like this. And such a typical Leftist outlook -- victims are of greater or lesser value depending on their ethnicity or sex.

[Capt. Tom]

Yet it is always cases such as Holloway's that win the headlines. She joins a list of American obsessions like Laci Peterson, Elizabeth Smart, Chandra Levy and Lori Hacking. All obsessed the media in recent years. All are pretty, middle-class and white.

Hey they obsesed over me too.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Natalee's death would not have rocked America so much if she had been black. Or Asian. Or poor. Or a boy.

An unexceptionable statement of fact.

Journalism is negative and superficial - and the disappearance of a pretty girl is a perfect excuse for hype. When Jessica Lynch was recovered, that story dominated the news even though that news hit at the same time as news that Coalition forces had smashed Saddam's defenses at the potential choke point of the Coalition advance.

Which is historically significant, "Coalition breaks through to the suburbs of Baghdad" or "Jessica Lynch Rescued - see photo"? Historically, it's the former, journalistically it's the latter.

[Mortikhi]

Personally Im sick and tired of hearing about this case. Every time it comes on the news I switch the channel.

Id rather they get back to me when there's actually something to report, like 'body found' or 'confession made'.

[Mike Darancette]

'To be blunt, blonde white chicks who go missing get covered, and poor, black, Hispanic or other people of colour who go missing do not get covered,'

I've noticed that the great majority of woman teachers who molest their pupils and are covered by the news are cute white women. Why are poor, black, Hispanic or other people of color not covered too?

[monkey]

The tiny island, whose 100,000 population is crammed into a space smaller than Manhattan

Yep. Manhattan is big sky country.

[reformed_dem]

She joins a list of American obsessions like Laci Peterson, Elizabeth Smart, Chandra Levy and Lori Hacking.....blonde white chicks who go missing get covered...

Uh, of those listed, the only blonde was Elizabeth Smart.

[skr]

It's true that we don't hear much about missing non-white children and teens, but how is that the fault of the public when these other disappearances aren't reported by the media?

[SandyB]

They dont give any coverage either to women who have ccw and are armed, and who do not go missing.

If Natalie had went to Florida instead, and carried a handgun with her on her person, she would not be on the news at all when someone tried to abduct and kill her.