| 24 Nov 11, 10:55 AM quietsoul UK(G), 6 yrs   |
They didn't think about their children's safety for a second. What they did was selfish and wrong and their poor daughter has suffered for it. Personally I wouldn't have left my children at home to pop next door let alone what they did. Support bacteria. They're the only culture some people have. | |||
| 24 Nov 11, 11:25 AM Grownup_Frankie UK, 4 yrs |
Oh yeah, total bore, they should really just forget they ever had a daughter. Move on, you know? Get a pet dog or something. Wonderer, what an utterly duff note you have hit today. Where is your empathy? Its not your tragedy, its not my tragedy, but its their tragedy - its their 'not knowing', which is a feeling that can never go away - that feeling fuels their actions, drives them on, its a source of limitless energy, they will never stop seeking attention until they have a final answer - they may look like you or I but it sets them apart, sets them on this path they are on which is NOT, simply not, of their own choosing. You are a self proclaimed christian. Pray for them to your god. (Some here would dismissively say that THAT is a futile excercise too, would they not?) | |||
| 24 Nov 11, 11:44 AM Grownup_Frankie UK, 4 yrs |
I've read all the replies now. Folks, you can't judge if someone 'deserves' to have tragedy strike or not. So they fucked up, we have all fucked up somewhere along the line and if nothing bad came of it...then we should be grateful for that. Our good luck doesn't mean were qualified to judge others though. As for the idea of some kind of league table of suffering, some heirarchy of personal tragedy - well, thats ridiculous, such a heirarchy doesn't exist, all tragedy is personal. Edited 24 Nov 11, 11:45 AM by Grownup_Frankie | |||
| 24 Nov 11, 12:25 PM Grownup_Frankie UK, 4 yrs |
I took my two children on holiday to the coast once when they were little. One day we were walking on the cliffs - not anywhere near the edge, because I have a woeful aversion to heights, but there was a couple with their two young children there too and my children made friends with their children, you know? They wanted to play with them and the couple smiled and nodded and I smiled and nodded back, and sort of wandered off a bit, not far, just...let a bit of distance grow between myself and my children. They were with other adults after all and still in my sight - but the next fucking thing I knew all the kids were charging down the VERY FUCKING STEEP cliff face towards the sea - I mean, at the bottom was just rocks sticking out of the water and crashing leathal waves! The other adults seemed quite happy about it. You know, the kids were just having a 'nice adventerous time' together, as far as they seemed concerned. I felt my heart leap into my mouth. My stomach drop. I stumbled forward but...but...they were RUSHING down the slope, headlong, they wouldn't be able to stop in time when they reached the bottom, and it was trecherous under foot, and I couldn't even shout to them to stop because that would distract them and they might loose their footing. I couldn't catch up with them in time. I couldn't swim so if they got washed away I wouldn't be able to save them, and it was all my fault, leaving them with strangers, presuming the other people had some common sense. Of course, the little fuckers got to the bottom and were jumping from rock to rock like fucking mountain goats, then came running back up with big grins on their faces. Fucking Enid Blyton seaside adventure is was NOT!!! I could have lost both my children on a beautiful summers day and it would have been all my fault. I'd be surprised if any parent could say they hadn't been damned lucky once or twice, hadn't made a stupid mistake, or hadn't felt that fear and guilt. And that relief when tragedy did NOT strike. Its not right to judge people for the terible mistakes they have to live with for the rest of their lives. Not necessary.
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| 24 Nov 11, 1:11 PM Caracal UK(SS), 5 yrs       |
Quite. To quote from the Bible 'Let him who is without sin cast the first stone'. I'm an atheist but there is some good sense in that book. | |||
| 24 Nov 11, 1:57 PM Iphis_me UK(E), 4 yrs |
This times 10000. And although I realise that the McCanns have had disproportionate media coverage compared to other families with missing children it doesn't remove my compassion for their loss. My own child is the same age as Madeleine (to within a few weeks) so whenever I hear the coverage I can think oh so clearly about how I would feel if I lost her. If anything the fact that I'm sure they do blame themselves for leaving her makes it even more painful (if that is possible).
"The unexamined life is not worth living" - Socrates | |||
| 24 Nov 11, 3:50 PM rehtael_ni_dal  UK(G), 9 yrs |
So what ? They are good at playing the publicity game to keep the hopes that their daughter is alive, despite what they did, may have done or did not do ~ fair play to them If I was in their position I would keep knocking on that door - Why should they give up ? Keeping their daughters disappearance in the public eye keeps the flame of hope burning, no matter how slight a chance it may be and many children have been discovered alive many years after they have been declaired dead and forgotten about by the general public.
I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it. | |||
| 24 Nov 11, 4:47 PM wonderer UK, 5 yrs |
Sorry to snip so selectively, from a post which I mainly agree with, and a person I respect, but I don't think I agree with this bit:
I'm not sure this is the case. This fund http://www.findmadeleine.com/about_us/madeleines... (which didn't qualify as a charity) has raised over £1 million pounds, no doubt laregly due to the publicity coverage, and partly to be spent on further "public awareness".
The fund's objectives are stated thus:
No mention then of the 70,000 children per year who go missing in China. ETA: I see this page http://www.findmadeleine.com/missing_children/in... of the site shows a broader awareness. If the main aim of their publicity was to reduce the number of children who go missing going forward then I'd be much more supportive. If the main effect is to divert police resources and charitable giving towards a case which is almost certainly futile then I'm less so (though of course if the couple were personal friends of mine I would be supportive at a personal level).
"Wisdom begins in wonder” (Socrates) Edited 24 Nov 11, 5:01 PM by wonderer | |||
| 24 Nov 11, 5:11 PM Monkey_Wench UK(B), 20 mths    |
As above. It's their child. At what point should they decide she doesn't matter any more? I'm amazed at your attitude. Constructed almost entirely of filth. | |||
| 24 Nov 11, 5:12 PM wonderer UK, 5 yrs |
I quite agree. If there were any evidence to suggest they would help. But the news isn't the right vehicle for it; it sounds more like one of those "public information broadcasts" they used to have. Anyway, I don't think that's the main aim of their campaign, nor the aspect of their story which they choose to emphasise. "Wisdom begins in wonder” (Socrates) |
