ARUBA … DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS … “Justice for Natalee” Protest and Reminder to Aruba at the Houston Travel Show

ARUBA … DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS!!!

They have been to New York City twice, Boston twice, New Orleans, Valley Forge, PA, Miami,   St Charles, MO, and now Houston, TX. Do we need to remind you Aruba, Don’t mess with Texas. Congratulations to the people who helped reminds potential travelers that Aruba has provided no answers or “Justice for Natalee”. The mission continues by those individuals who demand the truth and justice for missing Alabama teen, Natalee Holloway.

It seems that Aruba truly does not have a comprehension of free speech. No wonder people are afraid to come forward to tell what they know regarding Natalee. However, Aruba … you are not in Kansas anymore. Welcome to America … The home of the free and the land of the brave.

I found out later from the convention coordinator that the Arubans complained incessantly about us and even confiscated one man’s tote (yes, they really had the audacity to do that)! He also told me that the Arubans seemed to have trouble understanding that nobody could turn us away as long as we did what we were told. I guess Arubans really don’t understand free speech as we know it.

The following the the words from one of those individuals, Dan in TX, that took the time to help provide, Justice for Natalee”. Kudos to all … a job well done. Don’t forget to listen tonight to the Dana Pretzer show as more accounts will be provided from the Houston Travel Show protest.

“What?! That girl’s still missing?”

 Of all the countless positive, supportive comments that I heard that whole day, that one genuinely shocked exclamation stands out in my mind. But we found out one thing again and again and again throughout the day: Houston, Texas loves Natalee. Before the protest even started, a retired HPD detective saw my boycott tee-shirt and expressed his support for the boycott as I waited for the others to arrive.

Two wonderfully dedicated, savvy, intelligent people named Vicki and Richard have been organizing or helping to organize small protests at any travel and tourism show that the Aruba Tourism Association has a booth at for the last 18 months. They’ve been in New York City, Boston, Miami, and New Orleans in the past. This weekend, the ATA is at the Houston Travel and Adventure Show. So are we.

 There’s not many of us- only eight- but that was enough. We took up positions outside the convention center in small groups, signs and pamphlets in hand. None of us have ever done this before, but those who had gave us a lot of good advice: do exactly what the police liaison tells you do, be friendly and polite, keep a pamphlet in hand at all times, and don’t be afraid- you’re here for Natalee and her family. Oh, and there may be news crews showing up to interview the event coordinator. That would be me.

 Great. I am not at all photogenic.

 I’ve never met any of them before, but I had a great team of protesters. Laura drove all the way from Dallas to be there. Molly brought her whole family to help, not to mention a picnic lunch, too. Lynn and his wife Ellie are old enough to be my grandparents, but they were there, ready to fight the good fight right along with us.

 It took me all of about ten minutes to realize that this was going to be easier than I thought, because people are incredibly supportive. Between 11 am and 4 pm we handed out each and every one of seven hundred pamphlets and over a hundred totes that we had. At the end of the day, all we had left was one stack of our ‘backup’ flyers and one stack of business cards. The only negative comment we heard all day was from a man who obviously knew nothing about the case. Hundreds to one are odds I’ll take any day.

 The support truly was amazing. It crossed gender lines, generations, and races. For those of you who think that Natalee would not have the attention she did if she were a minority, well, you’re dead wrong. Half the people who stopped to talk to us and offered their support were African-American. We didn’t expect to talk to men the size of pro linebackers about Natalee and hear that depth of genuine concern, but we did. A rickshaw driver (yes, they have those downtown) stopped by and offered his help displaying boycott advertising on the back of his rikshaw. We could not keep pamphlets in our hands. We gave our few precious totes only to those who had the deepest sympathy for Natalee or who were willing to take a tote past the Aruba booth, and we still ran out. Other people were more than willing to drop by and tell the Arubans how they felt. One lady took a bag in to show them, then decided to keep the bag and hang it in the window of her shop in Houston.

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Aruba Boasts of 13.6% Increase in Colombian Tourists … To Bad they Only Represent 1.74% of Aruban Tourism

Sound the horns and let the pigeons loose in Aruba … there was a 13.6% increase in visitors to Aruba from Colombia. Aruba, your tourism is saved. I guess you have nothing more to fear and worry about from people expressing their First Amendment Constitutional Rights to protest and have their voice be heard in demanding “Justice for Natalee” at travel shows in the United States.

The bad news for Aruba is that their good news is a double edge sword. First, Colombian travelers only represent 1.74% of their tourism as a whole. This is hardly something to get excited about. The increase of 1580 tourists a year is not the things that should get the ATA and AHATA ready to through a party.

Secondly, Aruba better figure out what the likes and dislikes are of their greatest percentage of tourists to their island. Americans do not like change, especially when they go to the same tourist destination. Aruba has already lost those that consciously relate “Justice for Natalee” and missing Natalee Holloway to Aruba. Now they will lose the people that went to Aruba for the same old, same old vacation for years and years. To tell the average person from America that there is a 14% increase in Colombians to the place that they consider a tourist destination is hardly a ringing endorsement to go to Aruba. That is the perception. The more Aruba brings in other types of tourists, the less Americans will travel there. That is the reality.

UPDATE I: Here are some Island Getaway spots to travel to in the US

Do you feel the need to go to island getaway places? Why go abroad when there are some great places to visit in the United States.

Number of Colombian visitors increases  (Amigoe: March 30, 2008)

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Flying the Safe Friendly Skies of Aruba? Aruban Unions no longer going to guarantee the minimum staffing like Police & Air Traffic Control

As Spring Break and Easter weekend is upon us Aruban public employee unions are on strike and have gone against a recent judges ruling that they will no longer provide minimum staffing. What does that affect? Just minor and unimportant services like police, fire brigade, immigration, and air traffic control. Doesn’t that instill a warm safe feeling to those about to fly to Aruba.

ORANJESTAD – The public employees’ unions are no longer going to stick to their word before the judge last Friday.  They are no longer going to guarantee the minimum staffing of vital government services like police, fire brigade, immigration, and air traffic control.

According to spokesperson Hendrik Croes of Aruba Airport Authority (AAA), management has decided that in case the air traffic controllers walk out, they will redirect aircrafts with destination Aruba to the airports of Curacao and Bonaire.  “Despite the minimum staffing, the airport is at this moment not troubled by the strikes.  Only problem is that everybody that is present, must work extra hard.”

Other media reported yesterday that the minimum staffing does lead to obvious problems.  Because of that, two aircrafts arrived later than was scheduled.  Croes contradicts that:  “The reason was that yesterday, the airport of Curacao didn’t give clearance for departure when the aircrafts wanted to go.”

Nobody of the government was available this morning for comments on the announcement of the union to no longer guarantee minimum staffing.

Unions: No longer minimum staffing  Amigoe: 3/19/2008

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Natalee Holloway: Aruba, Still Stuck on Stupid … Besides Suing Greta and the Media, Here are Some other Suggestions

Just recently Aruba and the AHATA sent a letter to Greta Van Susteren threatening legal action if they continued to slander Aruba regarding their tourism and the Natalee Holloway investigation. Slander was defined by actually telling the truth as to what has transpired since the disappearance of Natalee Holloway in 2005. This is why its so easy to boycott Aruba. When people take so little responsibility for their actions and blame others, it becomes an easy call to condemn.

Besides the obvious, that there is freedom of speech in the United States, criminal defense attorney Michael Cardoza pointed to another obvious fact when it comes to proving damages.

If you are sued, you can talk about it even more. This law suit is about as well thought out as their investigation was, or this threatened lawsuit.

How are they going to prove damages, number one? Damages cannot be speculative. (Read full transcript HERE)

Since Aruba wants to ridiculously threaten people with legal action who are doing nothing more that stating the truth, we thought we would provide Aruba a further list of people that they need to sue who are to blame for their countries dwindling tourism.

VAN SUSTEREN: The other thing is that nothing is stated in here, nothing specific, nothing at all. What is it that we said? That they have not solved the case?

WILLIAMS: That there are idiots down there doing the investigation.

Here are some more suggestions, feel free to add your own as well.

#1. Menno Dolman, criminal law scholar of the University of Amsterdam and Hans Nijboer, criminal law expert of the University of Leiden. Both of these astute criminal scholars criticized and referred to the Aruban investigation into the disappearance of Natalee Holloway as follows:

• It is incomprehensible that police, after an important tip about the location of Natalee Holloway’s body, to not go search immediately.”
• “This is very strange”. “Normally the area is closed off immediately, to dig and search for clues, but not in Aruba”.
• “Total madness”
• “This is a total error”.
• “You do not give out information that only the guilty could know.”

#2. Steve Cohen, the Aruban Government Spokesman. Cohen had constantly made statements that the case was botched in the first 48 hours and even made a reference on Court TV during an interview with Red that evidence may have disappeared. Watch the VIDEO here.

The misses opportunities happened within the first 48 hours … But I will agree with Red, there is no question that the physical evidence that existed at that point which was critical in solving this case either disappeared or was not there.

It was Steve Cohen who was the one who said that “suspects had sex with Natalee Holloway”. Then Cohen took back those comments as the OM and ATA became incensed and unhappy over his truthfulness.

#3. Joran Van der Sloot Defense attorney Joe Tacopina. How many times did Joe Tacopina call the Aruba police, prosecutors and investigators incompetent? Also, Joe Tacopina needs to be sued for his continual throwing mud against the wall defense of Joran Van der Sloot. After all, what’s good for Joran Van der Sloot is terrible for Aruba.

#4. Joran Van der Sloot. In many ways, including the obvious, if it were not for Joran no one would ever need cover this case. Also, Joran Van der Sloot has kept this case in the media with his continual need for attention. So many times many had thought the story of Natalee Holloway had drifted from the media’s eye only to be brought back by actions of Joran Van der Sloot like law suits, book deals and being caught on tape. Aruba … your favorite son Joran has affected your tourism more than anyone.

#5. LESLEY VANCE, ALABAMA STATE REPRESENTATIVE:

Well, Tucker, as we had indicated before and we said at news conference today in Montgomery, we have nothing against the people, the citizens of Aruba.  Our concern is with the leadership and the government officials in Aruba.  We don‘t believe they have come forward.  They should have.

Well, you know, Tucker, this is one of the things that we have also that we can do a little bit later on, but we are hoping that what we are trying to do now by the boycott of Aruba will certainly bring the officials down there to the table, so to speak, and do something and bring those who are responsible for Natalee Holloway‘s disappearance, bring them to justice.

And that‘s all we‘re asking, is bring those who are guilty and bring them to justice, and then we can all get on with our lives. 

#6. BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR. Add another media type to the list.

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Aruba and the AHATA Suing Greta Van Susteren for Slanderous Statements about Aruban Tourism & Natalee Holloway Investigation

ARUBA … STUCK ON STUPID

ARUBA SUING GRETA VAN SUSTEREN AND OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS FOR SLANDEROUS ABOUT ARUBAN TOURISM INDUSTRY AND THE NATALEE HOLLOWAY INVESTIGATION.

“They are threatening to bring legal proceedings if we don’t stop our false and misleading and malicious rhetoric.”

Greta Van Susteren’s response to the idiotic and nonsensical letter from an American attorney threatening the law suit was … “BRING IT ON”.

Greta says, “bring it on, sue me please, I want to get all these people under oath, I would love it”.  The panel jokes, but Greta reinforces she wants them to sue her.  She could depose police, it would be a field day.  Panel member says this was about as well thought out as the investigation was.

In what can only be just another example of the ridiculous, pathetic and inept conduct that Aruba has provided to the world as they have dealt with the disappearance and investigation of Natalee Holloway, Aruba continues to be stuck on stupid. So Aruba and the AHATA wants to sue people for their First Amendment Rights? Aruba, you may be a Banana Republic where people are afraid to voice their opinions and discuss the truth for fear of reprisal. In America … WE THE PEOPLE are not.

How ignorant could these Aruban officials continue to be and the AHATA? They are spending money to threaten law suits against the American media, who will in turn provide Aruba with some of the worst PR imaginable. WHO DO THESE PEOPLE CONSULT WITH?

UPDATE I: Excerpts from Greta’s On the Record with some of the most comical responses from Greta and her panel in what only shows how much of a joke that Aruba has made of such a serious situation as a missing and presumed deceased, Natalee Holloway.

The first thing we need to do if file something against this ignorant, incompetent lawyer who would send a letter. You cannot defame and sue a country. This lawyer should have his bar card re … Even you on behalf of this company this country … get real. (Ted Williams)

My response to this Ted is “bring it on”. Will you please sue me. Sue me right now. I will waive all requirements of service. I want to get all these people under oath and depositions. Because I would love it. (Greta)

I am going to resign from the practice of law because I feel like an idiot that I even share the same membership as this guy. (Bernie Grim)

If you are sued you can talk about it even more. You know this law suit is about as well thought out as their investigation was. Or this threatened law suit. How are they going to prove damages, number 1? Damages can’t be speculative.  (Michael Cardoza)

It may now go down because he has now refreshed in the public memory that they couldn’t find Natalee Holloway in Aruba and so now he may have hurt tourism in that country by this stupid letter. (Ted Williams)

UPDATE II: It Looks Like Aruba (AHATA) Will Have to Sue Former Spokesman Steve Cohen and Joran Van der Sloot Attorney Joe Tacopina as Well

If the AHATA wants to sue media outlets in a pathetic attempt to try and silence “Freedom of Speech”, it would appear that they will have to sue former Aruban government spokesman Steve Cohen and present Joran Van der Sloot attorney Joe Tacopina. Both have also made, according to Aruba’s definition, slanderous comments against Aruban tourism and the Natalee Holloway investigation.

Watch the Court TV video from 12–23–05 with Steve Cohen, Joe Tacopina and myself. It seems that Cohen agrees with my point that they investigation was botched from the outset … how slanderous!