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July 31, 2005 I chuckled as I read Ron Lewis’ article, "Why Natalee Holloway Is In The News", for one thing is apparent: Mr. Lewis is firmly convinced he has a monopoly on the truth. So I will take time to respond to a few of his comments. My stating that Natalee Holloway was "consorting" with strangers did not imply that she was at fault. In fact, the only thing "faulty" was Ron’s interpretation of my words. Whatever happened to Miss Holloway she did not do herself. But she did put herself in a dangerous position. It has been established that the young woman was drinking that night. As drinking youth are wont to do, they lose their inhibitions and forethought and make bad decisions. In this case, that decision was more than likely a deadly one. As for the Aruban police detaining the two black security guards, this is understandable. It is police work. However, my references to race centered on the fact that the media outlets I was viewing—CNN and FoxNews—continually referred to the men as "suspects." When Mr. Van Der Sloot was arrested he became "a person of interest." A euphemistic phrase for "suspect", but without the negative imagery. I don’t think this was a coincidence. Ron is simply unwilling to see any of the racial dynamics at work. Ron wrote, "I hate to tell you this, Mr. Stelly, but the black/white issue ranks real low on most white people’s list of most polarizing issues. In fact, I dare say Red Sox/Yankees beats it." I disagree. The fact is, whites are more complacent about racism. For Mr. Lewis and his ilk, the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry is probably more important than race. But in the black community we want to see a suppression of racism because it is something that impacts upon the membership of our community everyday. In short, you can afford the luxury of placing more emphasis on a baseball rivalry because racism doesn’t impact upon you. As for the media quotes, I cited my sources as extensively as possible. In the case of the ABC News executive, her name was not important (though I couldn’t find that piece of information). What was important was the statement itself. Those industry insiders state the obvious when they admit that race factors into some of their news stories. In the case of missing white women and children, even more so. These stories appeal to the core demographics of the viewers not just because of their newsworthiness, but also because of white male "Dudley Do-Right" fantasies. As for Ron’s analogies, it was understood that they were exaggerations. But I also saw them as tools designed to distract from the seriousness of the arguments raised by Mr. Graham and myself. Earlier this month Ron wrote an article where he referred to himself as "racist." I’m sure he wants us to think that was an exaggeration as well. But his taking offense at a different viewpoint speaks volumes. On the Useless Knowledge website alone there are many different perspectives on the Holloway case. Some authors are of the opinion that Natalee was a naïve girl spirited away by evil-doers. Others insinuate that she was footloose and fancy free and that was her undoing. Still others argue that the extensive media coverage is because of her family’s economic status. And finally, there are those who see the racial element of the case—and by stating as much have stepped on a few toes. So be it. Blacks and whites have sharply different perspectives on race—and sadly, never the twain shall meet. The Holloway issue is but a small example of this. Whites will hold fast to their belief that racism factors very little in the lives of everyday Americans. Perhaps that’s true in Mr. Lewis’ world. The reason racism is more subtle today is because black people shouted to be heard; and though it is less overt, that doesn’t make it less painful. Like the issue of race in the Holloway case, some people also trivialized the issues surrounding the Civil Rights movement. So the fact that shouting annoys some people isn’t going to quiet us, no matter how much our words are twisted. The fact of the matter is, Americans of all races are praying for Natalee’s safe return—or at the very least, that whoever harmed her be brought to justice. But we also hope that when the Tawanas and the Rosalitas of the world come up missing, that the media pays attention to those cases, too. ------------ About the author: Timothy Stelly is the 46-year old author of "Tempest In The Stone" and the soon to be released, "The Malice of Cain". His third novel, "Darker Than Blue" is under consideration for publication. Mr. Stelly currently resides in Pittsburg, California with his three youngest children Dante, Kimberly and Lawrence. Excerpts from The first two books and the first two chapters of his anthology, "Frankenigga--And Other Urban Tales" can be viewed at: stellbread0.tripod.com Email: stellbread@sbcglobal.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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