Breakthrough in the Holloway Case

So it seems like we finally do have a clue about what truly happened to the young, beautiful, overly privileged Natalee Holloway.

As a mother, I understand Beth Twitty's relief that there are finally some answers about what happened to her daughter. I think my relief would be complicated by the desire to search the ocean for her remains so she could have a proper burial, which, of course, is so unrealistic.

But honestly, I don't think the truth has set in yet for Ms. Twitty. It sounds to me like her daughter may have died of alcohol poisoning during reckless sex with a young man who didn't care about her in any way and behaved wholly irresponsibly. Certainly, he didn't even try to save the girl's life. But then, why would he? She was just an easy source of personal gratification. When that was over, he wasn't interested in her any more. He didn't even have the slightest inkling that this girl was a human being who deserved to be treated with dignity.

Of course, Miss Holloway herself wasn't really asking to be treated with dignity here, if she was letting strangers drink shots out of her belly button and take her away from her friends to be used like a plastic blow-up doll.

That's not the way any mother wants her daughter to die, is it?

The lesson to be learned: Don't send your teenage daughter on exotic vacations that include binge drinking and, apparently, an utter lack of chaperones to help keep her safe.

Seriously, parents, you have a responsibility to raise your daughters to treasure their femininity and their virginity so they don't wind up allowing themselves to be used sexually by boys who don't care about them. And you have a responsibility to raise your sons to treat ALL women with dignity, even the ones who are offering themselves up for the taking.

Quick update on my dad...

He had his surgery Monday. His lymph nodes all looked clean, so we're thinking it's just Stage 2 (and since we were expecting Stage 3, that's good). He meets with the oncologist soon to find out if he'll have chemo only or chemo plus radiation.

The surgery turned out to be more dangerous than the tumor. A few hours after they sent Dad home, Mom was hurrying him back to the emergency room (Dad even told her to blow through a few stop signs!) and he had a second 6-hour surgery because he was bleeding into his chest. He was finally sent home Wednesday and has been resting comfortably since then.

--Sparki