The Many Faces of Amanda

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  • Posted By: banyc @ 07/15/2008 6:10:44 PM

    Americans do not deserve the reputation they have. I left for Italy probably the least patriotic person you could ever meet and came back ready to eat freedom fries. People will always be ignorant no matter what. The news is also incredibly biased. Nobody is going to report about the wonderful programs certain universities offer to their students where nothing terrible happens and every one comes home a better person than they were before they left. They are going to report on the horrific, rare occurrences that happen when people get caught up in the moment and forget how to use their street smarts.

  • Posted By: banyc @ 07/15/2008 6:10:26 PM

    I recently studied abroad in Florence Italy with my school for three weeks and none of acted the way this woman in the article acted. The entire lot of us were girls as well. There is a fine line between going out to bars and socializing and being a psychotic sex maniac that has dreams of raping and murdering other people for their own sadistic pleasure. Just because a small handful of people did stupid things while studying in other countries and while on vacation (hawaii is part of the US...by the way) doesn't give any one the right to judge all American women from this criteria. A lot of the times, it's more than what you see. Who knows what kind of household these girls are brought up in, it does not necessarily have anything to do with the country they live in.
    While I was in Florence, I was truly appalled at the behavior of the men. One day while wearing short sleeves and a knee length skirt, I was offered Euro like a prostitute. If you come to NYC, you might be ignored, but you aren't assaulted, grabbed at or treated like pieces of meat. On several occassions many girls had their bottoms grabbed and were groped and yelled at while walking down the street in appropriate clothing. Even if they were wearing unappropriate clothing, they still don't deserve to be treated this way. After all this, and being a victim of it myself, I still did not judge the whole lot of men living in Italy by the ones that tortured you while trying to experience Italian culture. I met many people working in the San Lorenzo market that were polite and respectful.
    Americans do not deserve the reputation they have. I left for Italy probably the least patriotic person you could ever meet and came back ready to eat freedom fries. People will always be ignorant no matter what. The news is also incredibly biased. Nobody is going to report about the wonderful programs certain universities offer to their students where nothing terrible happens and every one comes home a better person than they were before they left. They are going to report on the horrific, rare occurrences that happen when people get caught up in the moment and forget how to use their street smarts.

  • Posted By: olcoyote64 @ 07/15/2008 6:10:22 PM

    It just proves the old saying that anyone is capable of murder under the right set of circumstances. We have not evolved to the point where we are all powerful over our hidden inner passions no matter how well we think we know ourselves or others. The mind is still the last Basttion of privacy.

  • Posted By: deancc @ 07/15/2008 6:09:41 PM

    If she is from Seattle, she is gulity as sin!

  • Posted By: Hisunnyitsme @ 07/15/2008 6:09:08 PM

    WOW "aure19 " thank gawd your not a racist !

  • Posted By: olcoyote64 @ 07/15/2008 6:08:49 PM

    It just proves the old saying that anyone is capable of murder under the right set of circumstances. We have not evolved to the point where we are all powerful over our hidden inner passions no matter how well we think we know ourselves or others. The mind is still the last Basttion of privacy.

  • Posted By: Hisunnyitsme @ 07/15/2008 6:07:23 PM

    WOW "aure19 " thank gawd your not a racist !

  • Posted By: Nanders5 @ 07/15/2008 6:04:09 PM

    Aure19, do us all a favor...and go throw all that stuff you said in the garbage where it belongs.

    If you looked at the person's post correctly, you will see it was teeming with racial bias and innuendo. So...I addressed it. Yes I called that person out. People need to take responsibility for their actions. And there is such a thing as a person not being racist. I for one am not. I have no racism towards any culturre. I have checked my childhood and societal influences at the door. Because I know that its foolish and wrong to even think like that.

    And if you read the article at all...or even with an ounce of common sense...you will be able to note that there are many inconsistencies with the other suspects. So yes, he slept with her. But does that explain the other things such as their dna on the murder weapon? Or his dna on her bra? Please go check your "I am racist against everyone" views at the door. The world doesn't need people like you filling it up with nonsense.

    • Posted By: markuski @ 07/15/2008 6:06:58 PM

      I'm guessing that your real name is Obama?

  • Posted By: Colorado1 @ 07/15/2008 6:06:42 PM

    My intent was not to be offensive...just to show how ease it is to let ignorance be your guide.

  • Posted By: Kuczerepa @ 07/15/2008 6:06:26 PM

    Isn't is time that we get past the white or black issue? If they did wrong, in whatever degree, punishment should be given.

  • Posted By: markuski @ 07/15/2008 5:30:29 PM

    Oh geeze avernon34... lighten up.

    • Posted By: kio12358 @ 07/15/2008 6:05:40 PM

      You want someone to lighten up on a serious situation like murder on innocent people. I'm a teenager and even I can understand that., that's a innsolent comment.

  • Posted By: settersperch @ 07/15/2008 5:58:55 PM

    sorry folks innocent or guilty is unimportant. She is an American in a foreign country, therfore guilty as charged, her lawyers have already lost and I hope she can live with the fact for the next 25 years. Italy is not America and our rules don't aply. What most of you fail to understand about that simple fact amazes me. In an American court I give her 80/20 of being found innocent, in Italy, 99% guilty.

    • Posted By: *Straighttalker* @ 07/15/2008 6:05:32 PM

      I totally agree with you. The Italians must be loving their chance to screw over an American.

  • Posted By: Doctorknowitall @ 07/15/2008 5:54:59 PM

    the crazy one did it

    • Posted By: markuski @ 07/15/2008 6:02:53 PM

      are you talking about Nanders5?

  • Posted By: Ben Stroked @ 07/15/2008 5:19:30 PM

    Id like to bang her fore she goes to prison!

    • Posted By: jillvalley5 @ 07/15/2008 6:01:41 PM

      You know what Id like? for you to keep your sexual comments to yourself, I think I speak for everyone else when I say that. Were talking about guilty or not guilty not weither you want to have sex, yea sex not bang her. Talking about racism, I beleive you are by the way your talking ,disrespect and rude, what makes you think that she would even want you? and spell right or speak right, not fore she goes to prison its before, reminds me of a black slang, gack your ass, thats why i beleive you are a jerk for talking on here that way..

    • Posted By: jillvalley5 @ 07/15/2008 5:39:37 PM

      Id like for you to keep your comments to yourself,how rude.. Who wants to know that you want to bang her, and what a term to use for sex, please, who cares to hear that?....Im holding my tongue for what Id like to do to you for posting such a comment...And you must be a black guy, "Id like to bang her fore she goes to prison", its before, speak english.It sounds like gangster to me and maybe you should join her in jail, you jerk, oops and I was holding my tongue too...

  • Posted By: republicans.suk @ 07/15/2008 5:58:54 PM

    I think this strikes a more important chord; should we be sending american students overseas as exchange students who have mental issues?

  • Posted By: Nanders5 @ 07/15/2008 5:58:47 PM

    If the bra fits you must acquit? lol....you are a fool.

    I agree about the bra/guy's DNA on it. There definitely needs to be an explanation for it. It doesn't just get there by accident. And sharing bras? Come on! If that doesn't sound like a load of bull.

  • Posted By: Nanders5 @ 07/15/2008 5:52:07 PM

    There is such a thing as self-hate. Just cause your black doesn't mean you aren't racist aginst your own people.

    So get over yourself with the paper bag test.

    As far as the story goes...I think she needs some mental help. She doesn't seem all there. I always get skeptical with news and media stories because they skew the truth or twist facts into their own vision. So I am not quite sure who did it. It could have been anyone. Or it could have been all three. All I know is that I believe the girl knows something. She should just out it-the truth shall set her free. Rather the truth than an eternity with your soul in damnation

    • Posted By: markuski @ 07/15/2008 5:57:11 PM

      Boy, it's going to hard for me to tell my Mom I hate her because she's black. I'm a racist pretty much in the same mannor as Bill Cosby... telling the truth doesn't make you a racist, you dolt.

  • Posted By: ginasand @ 07/15/2008 5:01:34 PM

    I'm sorry, does Washington State just have a program or something where they breed serial rapists and murderers? I mean seriously, some of the most sadistic and perverse killers in the history of this country, are all born and bred in Washington State-or in and around the Seattle area. Sorry, just an observation.

    • Posted By: jude @ 07/15/2008 5:26:55 PM

      I use to live in Kent Washington, Where the green river murderer was dropping girls in the river. Yes the people of Washington are weird, unfriendly, anti socal, So it makes sense to me.

      • Posted By: kconway @ 07/15/2008 5:54:22 PM

        I'm from Washington state and I don't think it's very fair, or intelligent for that matter, to blame a few people's bad choices on an entire state. That's a bit extreme. Anyone remember the Oklahoma City bombing? His bomb killed children in the daycare. It is one of, if not the biggest form of internal terrorism in the U.S. to date. He wasn't from Washington state. There are bad things and unfortunate events that happen every day; it is complete ignorance to believe that one state "breeds" a set group of people.

        Secondly, you must be talking to the wrong kind of people because I have found Washingtonians to be the friendliest and social people around. If we are a little strange, oh well, even Abe Lincoln was considered strange.

      • Posted By: kconway @ 07/15/2008 5:42:17 PM

        I am from Washington State, however not from around the Seattle area, and I think it's a drastic charge to the state of Washington in saying that we breed these kind of people. There are plenty of murderers and convicts who do the most horrendous things to their victims and they are not "born and bred" in Washington. I think the Oklahoma City bombing was pretty horrific as well as various other sad and unfortunate events and they were not from Washington. Don't assume or make such an ignorant statement like that. States don't "breed" killers or sadists...other life altering events do...blame parenting, psychological issues or childhood trauma, but don't be so ignorant to pass the blame on an entire state.

        P.S. Not all of us are anti-social, weird or unfriendly...you're just talking to the wrong people. Plus you'll find those kind of people anywhere you go in the U.S.

  • Posted By: Nanders5 @ 07/15/2008 5:44:10 PM

    For once in life...just once...I want everyone to see a criminal for the person they are. Not their race/school/ place of birth. There is no way anyone can make a claim that-"Since person A committed a murder, and person A is black, then that means all black people must be murderers." THAT IS CALLED FAULTY LOGIC.
    There are a plethora of murderers from different cultural backgrounds on the news everyday. But yes, you chose to ignore that fact. Convenient isn't it? Everytime I am watching the news I never associate it with the person and where they come from/race. I chalk it up to that individual being a bad person
    What the world needs to do is stop assigning guilt on a cultural scale. Ex. 9/11- people assume all muslims to be terrorists now. I don't Because I know better. Where has the common sense in the world gone? When have people started to become so dim-witted? This is what scares me to raise a child in this ever futile world.

    • Posted By: *Straighttalker* @ 07/15/2008 5:54:22 PM

      Oh please, spare us with the political correctness. It's all about common sense and statistics.

  • Posted By: PaxTerminus @ 07/15/2008 5:54:19 PM

    Sadly it is pretty common for young Americans to do stupid things once abroad. Somehow they think that they are above the law of a given country and at very least that moral limits and common sense no longer apply. They tend to do things they would never do at home. Look at the girl who fell of the balcony after having sex with two strangers in Hawaii.

    My sister's classmates at college drool at the thought of all the stupid things they wil be doing one unleashed on their trip to Europe too... Somehow they think that being locked up for drunken disorderly behavior in London or Paris or Prague is less real than in New York or Los Angeles.

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