Natalee Holloway Is A Victim of Irresponsible Parenting

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Natalee Holloway Is A Victim of Irresponsible Parenting
by Dave Gibson, Columnist

November 10, 2005

Dave Gibson If Beth Holloway Twitty (Natalee's mom) is looking to point the finger of blame for the tragic loss of her daughter--she need look no further than a mirror.

She allowed her eighteen year-old daughter to celebrate her high school graduation, by taking a trip to 'Sin Island.' Thousands of young Americans choose Aruba as their party destination because they can legally drink and gamble and illegal drugs are so readily available. Over 70 percent of Aruba's tourists are Americans, who use the island as a place to toss away their inhibitions and civilities.

Natalee's distraught mother has been roundly criticizing Aruban officials since her daughter disappeared on May 29th.

It was discovered that Natalee had joined seventeen year-old Joran Van Der Sloot (no doubt for a late-night romp) on the night of her disappearance. Van Der Sloot along with two Surinamese brothers (Deepak Kalpoe, 21 and Satish Kalpoe,18) were arrested and questioned as to Natalee's whereabouts.

Joran Van Der Sloot is the son of an influential Dutch family living on the island. Paul Van Der Sloot is a member of the legal community and reported to be a 'judge in training.' The elder Van Der Sloot who was briefly detained in the investigation, reportedly told his son: "If there is no body, there is no case."

Natalee of course, is still missing and the case seems to have reached a stalemate. For months, Aruban officials refused to allow FBI investigators to play an active role in the case. Considering the Aruban government's lack of experience with murder cases (there was one murder in Aruba last year), most of us find the refusal of help to be puzzling.

However, Aruba's beautiful beaches and crystal clear waters hide a sinister activity. Aruba has long been a jumping-off point for drug smugglers--bringing South American cocaine to the United States. Aruban and Dutch officials have largely accepted the role their tiny island plays in the drug trade. They do not want the FBI peering into their dirty laundry.

Despite what many Americans believe, when we as U.S. citizens travel outside of the country--we no longer posses the rights granted us by our Constitution. We also become subject to the laws and unfortunately the corruption of foreign governments.

Although a Dutch protectorate, Aruba is basically a banana republic. In addition to being a willing party in the international narco-trade, Aruban police are no doubt ill-prepared to conduct a serious murder investigation. However, it was not the government of Aruba who purchased a plane ticket for young Natalee. The bottom line is that it was her parents who allowed her to travel to a "Girls Gone Wild" environment.

Natalee's mom is beside herself with grief. She is also desperately seeking to place blame upon everyone...with the exception of herself. The fact that Natalee was allowed to travel to another country with little or (apparently) no adult supervision--is symptomatic of just how permissive many American parents have become.

This article represents the first time I have heard Natalee's parents publicly criticized for their role in this tragedy. The lack of responsibility placed upon her parents is another glaring example to the erosion of personal responsibility.

One of the duties of a parent is to say "NO." Unfortunately, more and more parents seem to find it impossible to utter that dread word. All too many parents now choose to be more of a buddy and lees of a parent to their children.

The sad fact is, had Natalee Holloway's parents said no to her request to visit an alcohol and drug-fueled paradise--young Natalee would now be attending her freshman year of college. Instead, her mom and dad are now searching for her lifeless body.

Would you send your eighteen year-old daughter on a week of debauchery? ***

Photo of Dave Gibson courtesy of staff files