Absolutely Right S38. Theres more to this than meets the eye, mark my words! As a professional in child Protection and forensic investigations work, Im getting very suspicious now
So what do you think is going on?
My friend was saying the other day that she's getting suspicious about it all - I don't read papers (I listen to radio 3 in the morning, 4 at the weekends and in the evenings and get my news from there), so although I'm aware of the continued high profile of this case, I've probably seen less of the circus than some people, so hadn't really thought about it (apart from being surprised that it was still in the media a month after the child was kidnapped).
Do they have someone managing the publicity?
I don't know either. I did hear on the radio this morning that the police are now "following leads suggested by Clairvoyants"
I'm sure the parents are trying very hard to get her daughter back. if I had children I'd sell my soul to the devil (Max Clifford, Rupert Murdock etc) to get them back. They don't care if their sorry tale helps some fat cat sell papers I know I wouldn't.
Heck If I had to have my search officially sponsored by "seal clubbing international" I probably would .. Anything to get my child back.
of course, it's the motives of the papers and TV shows etc that get me. They may "care" but deep down it's their sales figures they care most about. Expect a book deal soon !!
To lose a child in any way - by death, abduction or otherwise - is a tragedy.
However it unfortunately happens more often than we care to acknowledge.
Public awareness campaigns are essential. But:
If, instead of being a cardiologist and a GP, Madeleine's father had been (for example) unemployed, and her mother a supermarket checkout cashier, would they have received the same level of support? The free use of a private jet; hundreds of thousands of pounds offered in rewards; the intervention of Cabinet Ministers; an audience with the Pope; and thousands of hours and pages of headline radio, TV, newspaper and magazine coverage for over a month?
If the answer to all those is yes, then the level of coverage of this case is justified and should be provided for EVERY subsequent case.
S38 quotes '100 kids go missing each year'. But I bet very very few of them are only 3 years old - most will be more like 13 or 14, and have 'left home' rather than 'gone missing', if ya catch ma drift. That's one of the unusual aspects which makes this case compelling for the media.
However, my take on this is that one missing child isn't much to worry about in this world. Where are all the front-page column inches with full colour pictures in the Sun, Express, Mail et al about what's going on in Darfur, in Gaza, in Zimbabwe, and so forth. Far, far more misery affecting far more people for far longer periods of time than missing little girls, but ignored because they've got no SHAZAM!
As you know I live in Praia de luz and believe me the circus is still in town.
They are doing a tv report outside my front door as I type,the reporters are using an apartment just 2 doors away(about 10 of them all trying to work in a one bed apartment) and quite frankly I wish they would all go home so that things can get back to normal.The apartment the child was taken from is still taped off and the car park for the residents in that block is still out of bounds.
I dread to think what this is going to cost the Portugeuse tax payer.I believe that the tourist board is picking up the tab for their extended stay and they are not alone,they have friends staying too.
Tragic though it is I am afraid that it is time to let things take their course.She will be in peoples thoughts for a long to come, staying here will not make a great deal of difference to the outcome and I think generally people are getting a little fed up with the media circus now.
I often find myself thinking this when we have tragedy of some sort in the West and there is a huge reaction - understandably so. But it does sometimes seem out of proportion. We have thousands dying all over the world every day, but we get more upset about one child (by we I mean the British "public"). My friend suggested that the reactions of people getting upset by this incident is becoming a bit like the reaction to Princess Diana's death.
And whilst I can understand the parents desire to stay and look for their missing daughter, and I know that they will pray every day for her safe return (a prayer which will probably go unanswered, unfortunately), they have two other children to look after and raise. I hope that they are allowed to get back to as normal a life as possible soon.
Doubtful. In fact if the mother had been a single mum, who had maybe met a possible new boyfriend (of "lowly" work, like a waiter) out there and had left her 3 year old on her own whilst she had a meal in a restaurant. In others words, was guilty of the exact same neglect as the Madeleine's parents: would the media have covered it in the same way? would there be more calls for the mother to be punished in some way for leaving her child unwatched and leaving an opportunity for an abductor? I think the coverage would be very different indeed.
This "media circus" will eventually die down because something else terrible will occur and only occasionally will we be reminded of it. Unfortunately, it seems more and more likely, that her parents will have to make a life for themselves without her.
If you recall when Milly Dowler went missing would you be surprised that it was in 2002? I certainly was. I thought it was a year or two ago, not 5 years ago. Also, remember Ben? The boy that disappeared/abducted in Greece. Occassionally he is brought back to the news reports but not that often.
I was talking to someone about this the other day, saying how bad I felt for the parents.
They pointed out to me that if I (as a single mother with 3 kids) had left my children alone as they did and gone off for some dinner, I would have been slated by the press and questioned about why I left the kids in the first place.
I still can't think about that beautiful little girl without crying, but I do feel that, because of their background, religious beliefs and careers, they are getting 'more than the average bears' quota of sympathy.
This is a nasty thread
These parents are the victims of a criminal or criminals. God knows what that criminal has done to their child. Any criticsm of these victims is nasty and lessens those who criticise. What kind of person can think in these ways? Shame on you.
Every time I see these parents I see two people who are in total distress and deserve any help they can be given. Who are we to judge the source of that help or the motives or those offering it? And who are we to judge how worthy these parents are?
Mod note: I've merged these threads, for obvious reasons.
Unfortunately, that's life.
It's like criticising rape victims for their choice of attire / recreation, or criticising homeowners for leaving their front doors open. There seems to be a natural response of "How could you be so dumb?" from the media / society in general.
By far the most significant fact in what happened was that a criminal stole their child. If there'd been no criminal Madeline would still be with her parents. These parents are victims and they are in distress. They do not deserve your judgement, they deserve our sympathy.
Smokers are victims of their addiction
How they over come that can vary
From the past i dont hear much Sympathy from you ?
The fact these two had a photo call of kissing their two remaining children goodbye as they went of to Rome doesnt give them more street cred in my book.
They can be judged and have Sympathy the two are not mutually exclusive
Agreed. My complaint is against the media who, I believe, would not be as interested in the story given a different situation e.g. a single mum. In fact newspapers have not been averse to reporting tragedies in peoples lifes in a harsh inhumane way if it suited them.
I dont see this thread as nasty, I'm sure everyone has every sympathy with the family, but they did leave their child with no adult supervision. We can sympathise with the situation whilst mentioning our dissaproval of what they did not do to prevent it : get a baby sitter!
Harsh I know, but where best to talk about this if not on a forum ? These are thoughts many of us will have.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Bookmarks