A very strange thing indeed happened to my comments posted on the "Justice for Natalee" thread here on January 10, 2008. I'll duplicate it here, in the interest of free speech and my voice being every bit as valid as any others. Miss Oprah, you are a proponent of the 1st Amendment aren't you? My post contained no libel, defamation or inappropriate language, therefore, I am repeating it below and look forward to having my 1st Amendment rights honoured by asking you to refrain from deleting it this time. Thanks in advance. Ms Holloway reports she knew immediately, within seconds of receiving "the call" that Natalee had been kidnapped in Aruba yet the first poster she distributed in Aruba read like this: "Please call me Hootie, I miss you and love you. Mom is here on Aruba and I really want to talk to you. Please call me on my local cell phone XXX XXX" Big Hootie. What mother learning that her daughter has missed her flight home escalates the scenario immediately to kidnap rather than the logical thought of accident, injury or illness. Ms Holloway's first poster appears to make it clear that she had insight into Natalee having absconded of her own free will. Perhaps Ms Holloway could be asked on January 16 to explain the inconsistency of that poster with her insistence to the media that Natalee had been kidnapped ... actually that Natalee had been drugged, kidnapped, gangraped, killed, put into a fish trap and dumped in the ocean. As of today's date there continues to be no evidence of a crime committed against Natalee and certainly no evidence that she's dead. Of note, the FBI's website describes Natalee as "SEEKING INFORMATION", not KIDNAPPED, not MISSING, not ENDANGERED ... Oprah, this is more than a valid question and in the interest of presenting a balanced interview, it would be great if you could address this issue with Ms Holloway.

Hi, Thank you for your interest in Oprah.com. Your posting previously was removed because it violated the House Rules. We sent you a message notifying you of this via the Private Message feature here on Oprah.com (Your Stuff>Private Message - above). Please read the House Rules if you are not familiar with them. They can be found on the main message board page.

Additionally, Ms. Winfrey's schedule doesn't allow time to read or respond to message board postings. The best way to contact Oprah or her Staff is to use the EMAIL US link from the Oprah.com drop down menu.

Thank you for asking and please have a great evening.

-HarpoBear, Oprah.com Community Producer

First of all I would like to say that I don't like Joran van der Sloot. Even if he's not involved, which I highly doubt, he's arrogant when he should be humble. In interviews he tends to have a smug grin on his face. But to be honest, I don't like Beth Holloway either. Please before you make a judgement, let me clarify.

I can not imagine the pain she must endure. I mean, if my child would go missing, I would be beside myself. The reason I don't like her is the fact that she's not telling the truth. She painted her daughter as an All American Girl, who never misbehaved, did good at school and had a good relationship with her parents. The truth is, is that Natalee went to rehab just shortly before she went to Aruba. She ran away from home two times and had constant fights with her mother and stepfather. An Aruban taxidriver testified that she had Jug Twitty and a friend in her car and that they told her Natalee had been to rehab. Her friends and several island inhabitants testified to the police that she was doing belly shots with several guys in the bar. Even her friends told her to take it slow and not drink so much. She was seen smoking weed on the beach. Natalee was not the innocent little girl as her mother portrayed her to be. Of course I understand that she wants to protect her daughter, but frustrating police investigation by telling lies is unacceptable to me.

Furthermore, I dare you to find people on Aruba that still have contact with Beth on a friendly basis. The truth is, there aren't any. Beth Holloway has managed to insult almost every person that tried to help her. On Aruba, the Holloways have left a trail of people who were initially goodwilling towards them and helpfull but later broke off any contact. For instance, several Americans that live on the island, who helped her from the beginning, don't have any contact with her anymore. They just had enough of her antics. People who stood by her from the beginning but were not prepared to go along with her outrageous comments and lying. She even accused someone who helped her, an Aruban entrepeneur named Charles Croes of an attempted rape when he didn't want to help her anymore. Why didn't she press charges? Not because she didn't have the guts, she even told it to several people, but because she knew it was a lie.

Her hysterical behaviour and lying are disgusting. The attack on Aruba; the FBI was involved in this case from the get go (and so they have failed too because the case is still unsolved) but yet I don't see her blacklisting America does she? The second day Natalee was missing, she was hanging up posters with the text : Natalee kidnapped by Joran van der Sloot. I mean, that is just sickening. She attacked the Strategic Communications Task Force that was initiated by Aruba saying that it was started to 'to combat the negative media and to combat us'. But the truth is they paid hotel stays for her, arranged press conferences for her, collected the money donated to her. I mean why all the lying? Is it because they tried to protect her and nuanced her outrageous comments which in her turn she perceived to be a disloyal act? Jug Twitty said that Natalee didn't have a bank card with her ("it was still in her bedroom in Alabama") but in the cab he told his friend she had withdrawn money two times after her disappearance.

There are so many unsolved questions is this case. It's just so sad. I personally think that Joran van der Sloot and the Kalpoe Brothers ARE involved. I don't believe Joran and his attitude is despicable. I just don't trust Beth Holloway, I'm sorry. She has offended too may people. Not because she wanted the truth, but because she wanted to retain the image of her daughter. Understandable but not a justification for all the lies.

HarpoBear, with all due respect, I've checked "My Stuff" and my Private Messages and that inbox is completely empty. Please re-send the message as I'm very interested to see how my
original post violated House Rules. Thanks.

It certainly is perplexing that Beth Holloway has never wanted Aruban Law Enforcement to properly interview ALL students, friends, pseudo chaperones that were on the trip. Alabama State Rep Bachus, in a December 2005 Press Conference had to appeal to these persons to co-operate with the aruban authoriies. When a young girl is missing, why were those people unwilling to co-operate?

Beth and Jug Twitty would never permit ALE to conduct a victimology -- a standard component of any investigation; Beth foreclosed any attempts made by the investigators to look into Natalee's school and family life in Mountain Brook. Again, a mother genuinely invested in seeking answers would not impede the standard operating procedures of the investigation; so why were Jug and Beth so adamant that the students and chaperones should not be required to submit to re-interview or follow up interviews past the initial interviews they gave to the FBI, many of which were merely phone interviews?

The case is now officially cold and the 3 main suspects have been formally released as formal suspects. Perhaps if the adults on that trip had eagerly co-operated with the aruban investigation along with Natalee's friends, the case might not be cold. There's a huge hole in the investigation created by the reluctance of people in Mountain Brook to voluntarily tell what they know.

According to Beth, THOMAS TWITTY is the one who identifed Joran as the one Natalee left with. THOMAS TWITTY had played poker with Joran in Aruba and THOMAS TWITTY in essence is the one who provided the information to Jug & Beth about the silver Honda. Why then has THOMAS TWITTY not given a statement to aruban investigators? In the hundreds of witness statements, why is there not one statement from THOMAS TWITTY? Moreover, why did THOMAS TWITTY seemingly lawyer up immediately on his return from Aruba and refuse to talk to the FBI and aruban investigators? Interesting question, don't you think?

Joran and his parents had an interview last night on a Dutch talkshow called "Pauw en Witteman". Apparently he didn't like the questions from a dutch crime journalist named Peter R. De Vries, also present. After the interview he threw a glass of wine in his face. What a brat.

Joran is indeed reported to have emptied a glass of liquid ( quoted in the news article as water / wine) in Peter de Vries face after the interview was over and the cameras off. This is indeed a regrettable act on his part but one has to bear in mind that this boy at 17 yrs of age spent 3 months in jail undergoing daily vigorous interrogations and daily televised slander and defamation of him by Beth Holloway and most of the american media. Peter de Vries undertook some form of investigation of the case and televised his results on Dutch tv quite some time ago. He has never been very cordial to Joran to put it mildly. Peter de Vries was on this same show on January 7, 2008 and was heated about his opinions regarding Joran and the case. He was equally confrontational and disparaging last night so in its proper context, the water throwing event speaks more to the cumulative effect of imprisonment, slander, defamation, being watched and scrutinized, ambushed at his school by american media, ambushed in New York by the likes of Bo Dietl, served with a civil suit etc etc etc. I guess sometimes people just seek a little justice of their own, even if it is with something as banal as throwing a glass of water in another's face. From what I saw and heard, de Vries probably benefited from that little facial water bath ... he was pretty hot under the collar during the interview.

Joran Van Der Sloot has admitted Natalee left with him and the Kalpoe brothers that night, so I am not sure what the issue is concerning Mr. Twitty. I also understand that Ms. Holloway has called for a boycott of Aruba, and she is aware that it creates an economic hardship on the citizens of Aruba. She also is aware that many on the island were sympathetic to her situation and she is very appreciative of them I am sure. But she needs more than their sympathy, she needs their voices to be heard by their government demanding that justice be found for Natalee. Aruba is a democracy, which means it's citizens control Aruba's government. Beth feels that Aruba's government acted against Natalee's welfare, to protect one of their own citizens. She has also uncovered a pattern of this type of behavior in Aruba and feels that unless changes are made in Aruba it is a dangerous destination as a tourist attraction, and thus should be avoided. Many of Aruba's supporters apparently feel the same as Beth, because many of them have made the comment that Beth should be charged with manslaughter for allowing her daughter to vacation there considering how dangerous it is. They claim they would have never let their own children vacation there.

Beth has been blessed with a truly amazing outpouring of support that is so great that despite her tremendous loss, she feels she has been blessed to a certain degree as well. However, in the end, Beth is not out to make friends. She is trying to drive a murder investigation in a foriegn government that is rumored to be owned by organized crime that appears to have openly refused to provide justice for her daughter, Natalee. Soccer Mom vs Aruba, and to tell you the truth she is holding her own. But she could use the voices of the good people of Aruba who do know what happened to Natalee, and she would love to be able to call them her friends. But friends help friends, not with pity, but with action.

Beth is in awe and forever appreciative of all who have lent her their hand in support. You have been her strength, her legs, and her voice, carrying her campaign for her when she was too tired or too grief stricken to carry it herself, and she loves each and every one of you.

gaida_r said: "She painted her daughter as an All American Girl, who never misbehaved, did good at school and had a good relationship with her parents. The truth is, is that Natalee went to rehab just shortly before she went to Aruba. She ran away from home two times and had constant fights with her mother and stepfather. An Aruban taxidriver testified that she had Jug Twitty and a friend in her car and that they told her Natalee had been to rehab. Her friends and several island inhabitants testified to the police that she was doing belly shots with several guys in the bar. Even her friends told her to take it slow and not drink so much. She was seen smoking weed on the beach. Natalee was not the innocent little girl as her mother portrayed her to be."

There is not a shred of credible evdience that Natalee was ever in rehab, and the very idea that she was, and that has been kept secret all this time (with her parents even being so brazen as to state in court papers that Natalee was not a drug user, including affadavits from her friends stating that she was not typically a heavy drinker), is obviously absurd.

No one has ever provided any credible evidence that Natalee ran away even a single time, and that has been denied by her parents.

Also no credible evidence has ever been provided that Natalee was "seen smoking weed on the beach". The former head of the Aruban police, Gerald Dompig, admittted in a TV interview that they have no proof that Natalee used drugs (and you can bet Aruban police looked very hard to find such proof).

Was Beth's description of Natalee somewhat idealized? Of course, as any mother's description of their child would be. And it wouldn't be shocking if even a straight-A student such as Natalee, had engaged in some experimentaion with drugs, while in such a party environment as the Aruba trip.

However, from the very begining of this case, some Joran/"Aruba" supporters have unfortunately been engaged in an unrelenting campaign to demean and diminish the reputatation of this defenseless, presumably dead girl, based on nothing but rumor and hearsay, which is really offensive and dishonest.

Jonathan

A friendly reminder... Online safety is very important to us at Oprah.com. Oprah has done several shows on this very topic. For this reason we do not allow postings which contain links or URLs. To learn more about the message board rules, please click the House Rules link located on the main message board page.

We appreciate your cooperation and understanding.

-HarpoBear, Oprah.com Community Producer

I knew Marion when... we had met at UNC through the Women's Basketball program and became friends. I can remember sitting beside her on the bench at a game as she told me how strange it was for her to be getting so much attention (and this was just after winning a National Championship). I truely believe she was only trying to be the best for everyone else, however, she could have achieved this all on her own. I still support her because I know what a good person she is at heart. And as I told her in the past, I would still say today; that between her 24 karat smile and her heart of gold, she already has two gold metals.

In2you, anyone who is educated about Aruba knows it is not run by organized crime. Anyone who is also educated about travel especially to Aruba knows there is no boycott of Aruba. The reason the case is not solved is not due to Aruba refusing justice but due to lack of evidence in a missing person case. She is a missing person just as there are thousands of missing person cases in the United States. And people do not blame Beth Twitty for sending her daughter to Aruba because it is so dangerous, the blame is for sending her daughter who was underage to drink in the United States on an unsupervised week long alcohol induced party with unlimited supplies of alcohol. Also, it is not that people would not send their underage kids to Aruba, it is that they would not have sent their underage kids anywhere be it Aruba or the anywhere in the United States if it was going to be an unsupervised free flowing alcohol induced situation. Even the chaperones have come out and said they were not chaperoning as in watching what those kids were doing, they were just there to hand out passports. Aruba is not a dangerous place for tourists, quite the contrary as evidenced by the over 100000 people that travel there each and every every year. It is by far safer than the majority of cities in the United States, please keep your facts straight. And Jon0815, by the same token there is not one shred of evidence that Natalee Holloway was drugged, gang raped and murdered and there never has been. It has been based on nothing but rumors and speculations. Do you find that just as offensive and dishonest?

So sad, again, to see us giving time to the people who are weak and abuse our trust! Instead of Marion Jones, the persons who should be given attention and airtime are the runner who was 2nd behind Marion Jones (if her testing record is clear) and other athletes of integrity who honor the sportsmen's codes of conduct. Why do we give the criminals, the recovered druggies, the unwed mothers, etc., the limelight in America? Why do we not honor and acknowledge the kids who exhibit daily courage in doing what is right? Who obey the rules and win honestly? This saddens me and makes me wish for major takeovers of all our media!! Sad.

Oprah has invited a convicted felon and cheat to grace her studios to discuss the legal issues that led to her six-month jail sentence for lying about steroid use and committing check fraud. Was Oprah not once bitten already by Marion Jones (and Tim Montgomery, her ex-boyfriend with whom she has a child outside of her current marriage)?

Was she not twice shamed when her telephone guest, the same Marion - discussing the virtues of self-esteem, turned out to be a sham with serious sociopathic tendencies?

Now Oprah is up for a third time charmer with a woman many in America feel sorry for and want to reach out and touch. Oprah is making that happen for a woman who will say what you want to hear and ride out on a stream of emotions fit for the minute to add the finishing touches to her believability.

Oprah may discuss the charges to which Marion Jones was ultimately held responsible, pleaded guilty and for which she has been sentenced. Unfortunately, if Oprah is unable to provide her good research advice between today and tomorrow's program, she will miss out on a grand opportunity to put Marion Jones on the spot and frankly ask Marion for proof that she didn't dope from 1997-2000; Oprah should request of Marion to prove that she is not lying about any other time frame in her history - not by method of Polygraph tests or the good words others put in, but concrete proof that Marion climbed up the international ladder fairly, squarely, and without the aid or assistance of any drugs - their legal status or discovery at the time she was competing notwithstanding.

Marion won't be able to answer that question honestly, however, as what she states on tomorrow's show may be used against her by Trevor Graham's lawyers when his trial sets off in June. She has lost her right to plead the Fifth in Graham's trial insofar as she has pleaded guilty to the charges levied against her by the U.S. government. Graham will likely state that Marion used steroids from 1997-onward in an effor