Dr. Phil Calls for Boycott of Aruba

[DawnCt1]

I just finished Dr. Phil put on a very compelling case that not only was Aruba sloppy in their investigation but there may have been attempts at obstructing the facts, obstructing private and FBI investigators and comlicity on the part of "someone" who was tracking Natalee's movements from three houses. There is speculation that she could have been sold into the sex slave industry. The Caribbean is rife with such trafficking, involving up to 100,000 young women and children. The case of Amy Bradley was also discussed with some compelling evidence that she may also be alive. Personally, I don't need to go to Aruba. If I take a cruise, I will take one that avoids Aruba. I don't think that Dr. Phil could be considered "reactionary or hysterical". He seems pretty down to earth to me and this is from someone who watches very little day time tv.

 

[CathrynRose]

I just finished Dr. Phil put on a very compelling case that not only was Aruba sloppy in their investigation but there may have been attempts at obstructing the facts, obstructing private and FBI investigators and comlicity on the part of "someone" who was tracking Natalee's movements from three houses. There is speculation that she could have been sold into the sex slave industry. The Caribbean is rife with such trafficking, involving up to 100,000 young women and children. The case of Amy Bradley was also discussed with some compelling evidence that she may also be alive. Personally, I don't need to go to Aruba. If I take a cruise, I will take one that avoids Aruba. I don't think that Dr. Phil could be considered "reactionary or hysterical". He seems pretty down to earth to me and this is from someone who watches very little day time tv.

Bill O'Reilly suggested the same thing - and I tend to agree.

 

[mtblujeans]

I didn't see the show. But, I think that is kinda' unusual for Dr. Phil to put himself out there like that....so he must really feel strongly about it!!

 

[DawnCt1]

I didn't see the show. But, I think that is kinda' unusual for Dr. Phil to put himself out there like that....so he must really feel strongly about it!!

He had some heavy hitters on there. Former FBI investigators. Two investigators that have rescued more than 30 children from the sex slave trade. Active FBI agents and continuing involvement with the FBI in this case. To me, the case Dr. Phil presented wasn't one of careless, sloppy policework but deliberate obstruction with perhaps deliberate, premeditated corruption at a very high level that becomes perpetuated. Particularly when paired with the Amy Bradley case. And those are just two that we know about.

 

[Chuck S]

I think Aruba ia as safe as anywhere else as long as you follow the basic safety rules for travel. Like be aware of your surroundings, travel with a group, don't venture out alone...common sense stuff.

Any place can be dangerous if you act irresponsibly.

 

[DawnCt1]

I think Aruba ia as safe as anywhere else as long as you follow the basic safety rules for travel. Like be aware of your surroundings, travel with a group, don't venture out alone...common sense stuff.

I think that Aruba gives an appearance of being "more safe" than many of the other Caribbean islands but this call for a boycott isn't about being a safe tourist, its about sending a strong message to the Aruban authorities that they haven't and still aren't doing all that they could and should have done to solve this case. To me, that is the issue. I know when I go to Jamaica, St. Thomas, etc, that there is more safety in numbers. It is this issue with the possibility of complicity in the child sex trade that concerns me.

 

[Hillbeans]

I followed this case every day when it first happened, and I know i'd really like to see some kind of closure to the case, whether Natalie is still alive or not.

I wouldn't think Dr. Phil would call for a boycot of anything without some hard hitting facts.

I'm curious to see the show later this afternoon. I did see a preview and they made it sound as if there was a mystery phone call with a voice that sounded like Natalie?

 

[mtblujeans]

.....It is this issue with the possibility of complicity in the child sex trade that concerns me.

 

[Chuck S]

I just love it when the US says to other countries, "Do it OUR way, or you won't get our tourist $$$."

It IS about practicing common sense, remember, even WDW (to use your words) "gives an appearance of being "more safe" than many" other destinations. Reality and perception are two different things. It is THEIR country, not ours, and you accept certain risks when traveling internationally. If they had followed common sense, and NOT ventured out and wandered off with strangers, the "opportunity" to be abducted would not have been presented. When you leave with strangers in Las Vegas or any other US city, bad things can happen.

 

[poohbears5]

It is this issue with the possibility of complicity in the child sex trade that concerns me.

 

[Free4Life11]

I didn't realize Aruba has a sex trade. But then I've heard that even in the United States some people are abducted and forced into sexual slavery.

 

[DawnCt1]

I'm curious to see the show later this afternoon. I did see a preview and they made it sound as if there was a mystery phone call with a voice that sounded like Natalie?

That's correct. An expert voice analysis indicated that it "could" be her voice. They also said that the best "expert" would be a mother. In this case, Natalee's mother is a pediatric speech pathologist. That is news to me and it does elevate her opinion in my eyes. DS 18 was in speech therapy from the age of 17 months until he was in 8th grade, so I know the nuances that they focus on and that I learned to focus on. I believe her.

 

[rigs32]

But who does a boycott hurt? Not the officials, but the normal citizens whose income depends on tourist dollars. What if people boycotted LA because they "bungled" the OJ case or the US in general because we "bungled" Iraq.

I say that in quotation marks because there are facts the general public does not know for sure in all three cases.

 

[DawnCt1]

I didn't realize Aruba has a sex trade. But then I've heard that even in the United States some people are abducted and forced into sexual slavery.

Apparently the sex trade in the Caribbean is alive and well. Most islands are within a day's sail of each other and movement off of the islands, corruption and lack of serious law enforcement contribute to the proliferation of it.

 

[TLHB70]

I am not saying that I believe she is alive and involved in sex-slave-trade activity, but I can tell you that it is extremely possible. I wrote about it in a thread when the Holloway case first happened. My family lived in Venezuela for about a year. (Well my DH was there about 1 1/2 because he went a month early to find us a place to live.) I can tell you most assuredly that kidnappings take place very frequently. I can also tell you that they favor kidnapping the blond hair, blue eyed people because they are "different" than the locals in appearances. We loved going to Aruba when we lived in Venezuela because it is beautiful and it was CLOSE. There is a ferry that travels from Venezuela to Aruba and back again several times a day. Also, if anyone had a private boat the trip would be very possible. In other words, she could have very easily ended up abducted, taken to Venezuela and then on into other South American countries, Cuba, etc.
As far as the boycott...............I understand that it is unsolved and possibly not handled the best way. However, that is all over in our country. There are so many unsolved crimes here. Look at JonBenet Ramsey. I firmly believe that should have been solved. I also believe that politics played a lot in the case. The majority of the people of Aruba have reached out to the family and tried to help. I don't believe they are guilty of anything wrong. I feel terrible for the Holloway family, but I would travel there. I felt safe. As a matter of fact, my DH and I are looking at a trip for mid December to Aruba. We love it there.

 

[Disney Ella]

Following that thinking, we should also be boycotting places in the U.S. where missing persons cases were barely investigated and mishandled. If that happened, there would probably be a long list of places we'd have to avoid.

 

[DawnCt1]

But who does a boycott hurt? Not the officials, but the normal citizens whose income depends on tourist dollars. What if people boycotted LA because they "bungled" the OJ case or the US in general because we "bungled" Iraq.

I say that in quotation marks because there are facts the general public does not know for sure in all three cases.

The boycott hurts those who are dependent upon the tourist industry, thus they would in turn put pressure on those in charge of law enforcement to rectify the problem. Aruba is a Dutch colony and believe me, they have extremely generous unemployment compensation and welfare benefits. No one on Aruba would starve by a long shot. The unemployment benefits and welfare benefits I heard about first hand from our tour guide when we were there a couple of years ago. The OJ case wasn't particularly bungled. I think the evidence was clearly there to convict. The jury was racist. I also don't think we "bungled" Iraq so I won't even comment on that.

 

[corie161]

My sister and her new DH are there as we speak. They had this trip planned long before the Holloway incident.

I tend to agree that a place is only as safe as you allow it to be. I still can't get over the fact that her friends let her go alone with strange guys in a strange country...I could never do that. I'd have to convince her not to go, and if that didn't work, well then I guess I'm going along. Safety in numbers.

 

[DawnCt1]

Following that thinking, we should also be boycotting places in the U.S. where missing persons cases were barely investigated and mishandled. If that happened, there would probably be a long list of places we'd have to avoid.

You could chose to do that. But following YOUR line of thinking, then we should never take any action, boycott, etc. to correct a wrong in one or two cases if we can't do it for everyone. I think that given the great amount of publicity and international attention, there is indeed an opportunity here that doesn't exist in so many cases. There is an opportunity here to affect a change. How inconvenient would it be, if anyone was going to the Caribbean to take your business elsewhere. If I book a cruise for April, I will not chose one that stops in Aruba. I would let the cruise line know that and why.

 

[DawnCt1]

My sister and her new DH are there as we speak. They had this trip planned long before the Holloway incident.

I tend to agree that a place is only as safe as you allow it to be. I still can't get over the fact that her friends let her go alone with strange guys in a strange country...I could never do that. I'd have to convince her not to go, and if that didn't work, well then I guess I'm going along. Safety in numbers.

Corie, I agree with you, and if they could relive it, I am sure that all them would agree with you also. Teens tend to think of themselves as invincible. There are times when I think I am invincible. When I broke my elbow skiing, I was absolutely shocked that it could happen to me!