Madeleine's Fund : Leaving No Stone Unturned

emmaroids

errr as there both doctors i think we can assume that they earn quite a bit.

Lifeisbutadream

emmaroids wrote: »

errr as there both doctors i think we can assume that they earn quite a bit.

Kate McCann works part time.

We have no idea of their salaries or their debts.

IMO it looks like jealousy is playing a large part in the spitefulness towards the McCanns.

full-time-mum

Lifeisbutadream wrote: »

I dont believe that anyone implied that it is OK to leave children alone. We dont know the situation, we were not there.

Your suggesting that it is OK to condemn them, because then it will teach other, less educated parents not to leave their children alone?

I feel very uncomfortable, reading comments about how the other children should be taken away from the McCanns, how they are neglectful parents, how they are smiling and should be crying, how they are selfish drunks for going to a tapas bar on holiday, how they have no right to a fund, that they should sell their house and everything they own and use their own money... I could go on.

I'm just saying that the issue is currently being totally ignored and by not saying it makes it seem OK. I haven't suggested the other children should be taken into care or that they should be condemned simple to educate others. I'm just pointing out that by being articulate and highly qualified, they are in a priviledged position.
I might be wrong but I don't think I have heard them admit that they made a bad call only a sister saying they only did what everyone else does - doesn't make it right - they are intelligent enough not to follow the crowd like sheep - there are a lot of parents that wouldn't do it.

I believe that the parents are dealing with the situation and getting on with caring for the other children as best they can. I don't see anything wrong with spending time with the twins and making things as normal as possible for them even if others do.

I don't think that they are bad parents but they have made an error of judgement and I think that it is important that it is made unacceptable to leave children alone like this so that no-one else makes this mistake.

I do feel a little uncomfortable with the money side of the hype - particularly the speed with which it has been set up.

I think it is important to keep Madeleine's plight in the public eye but it is also important to make sure that, alongside this, other missing children are given publicity and financial support too.

emmaroids

Lifeisbutadream wrote: »

Kate McCann works part time.

We have no idea of their salaries or their debts.

IMO it looks like jealousy is playing a large part in the spitefulness towards the McCanns.

yea sure, im jealous lol
i was also jealous of fred and rose west`s parenting skills [/sarcasm]

monlchr

jw1096 wrote: »

Regardless of the person who actually commited the crime, the parents are no better. They allowed their children to be alone when a great number of dangers could befall them. Abduction was probably least of the concerns, however, their actions shows them to be truly unconcerned, preferring to spend time socialising rather than ensuring their children are safe from harm. This is abuse - leaving children so young to fend for themselves while the parents go to happy hour with no foresight AT ALL of the possible consequnces?? They now stand before us all teary eyed in the media spotlight while people set up funds and hold a minutes silence etc. They cant be sued for this, they should be prosecuted.

I personally feel its verging on the rediculous. We have two negligent middle class parents, and the media cant help but fall over themselves with fluffy little paragraphs of parental anguish. Others on here are completely right, this is totally about class - single parents would have been crucified by now. Various newspapers over the years have screamed headlines about bad parents and their neglect when leaving a 10yr home alone to nip to the shop for bog roll and the kid manages to burn the house down etc, but there seems to be no comparable backlash against them from the usual sources. Instead, take a look at any newspaper website and there are 'support boards' etc, where the so inclined can leave heartwarming messages of support. Im sorry - when did it become ok to leave your 3 toddler children alone while you go off boozing and partying just because you are middle class??

We have today had reports that an 11yr old gone missing and the media barely pays attention. Many thousands of cases exist where an under 18 has gone missing, most likely forever, and how many of us really care? How many people really look out on the buses of our cities for that 14yr old girl who went missing 10 months ago? What press coverage is there for those people, except for missing persons sites and the occassional tiny poster shoved on a far wall of Tesco for all but the observant to see?

For those who wish to make (somewhat strange) comparisons, it might be worth noting that no one has suggested that their eyes never leave their children. (for one thing, they'd die of sleep deprivation within a few weeks :rolleyes: ). What is at discussion here is the INTENT. The McCann's obviously must have considered what to do with the children, and decided to 1) leave them in favour of socialising, and 2) leave them alone.

The parents that have been discussed in the media previously who have met criteria 1 & 2 have been absolutley dragged through the mud - even when the circumstances are less extreme than in this case. Here they have not, even when the parents (given the Dr status) could be considered to be above average in intelligence. (Clearly lacking in common sense but hey, no one's perfect.) In any case, this was just plain idiocy and this is why so many people are actually doing the reporting themselves on various websites, it seems there is a large public opinion that the parents are irresponsible and the media has failed to reflect it.


Anyway, as for keeping our eyes open, those of us who live in the UK may as well not bother. It is extremely unlikely she is in the UK. Its too risky for anyone to bring her within any distance of any type of authority on the lookout. If she is outside Portugal, then she will have been taken backstreets and car boots - i.e with as little possible chance of being spotted to someplace where the immigration controls are virtually non existent on a border crossing.

Chin up though - Natascha Kampusch escaped after being with her kidnapper for 8yrs. There is always hope, even in the most unlikely circumstances.

Jo x

well written, i agree with everything you have said

Lifeisbutadream

emmaroids wrote: »

yea sure, im jealous lol
i was also jealous of fred and rose west`s parenting skills [/sarcasm]

I mean jealousy of their so called 'wealth' and lifestyle.

full-time-mum

I suspect that the tone of this thread would have been completely different if Madeleine had disappeared whilst the parents were enjoying a meal on the veranda or in the kitchen of their apartment or sleeping whilst their children slept in an adjacent room.

Al_Mac

full-time-mum wrote: »

I suspect that the tone of this thread would have been completely different if Madeleine had disappeared whilst the parents were enjoying a meal on the veranda or in the kitchen of their apartment or sleeping whilst their children slept in an adjacent room.

Sleeping yes, eating, probably not.

shallowpockets

Hi, i've read through the posts with a mixture of emotions, some posts I agree with and some I think are going beyond what I deem acceptable to write about, such as how we think the parents are behaving now, are they showing remorse and how much money they earn. If you want to pay towards the appeal then fine but if you aren't happy with it don't.

I for one would never ever dream of leaving my children alone, perhaps now as they are over the age of 10 and then only for a few minutes whilst I nip to the shop. But I still find myself hesisitant to judge as at the end of the day my main thoughts are with the child that's missing and let's try and stay focussed on that issue and not see it as a 'punishment' to the parents for the mistake they made.

Please let's be compassionate.

emmaroids

Lifeisbutadream wrote: »

I mean jealousy of their so called 'wealth' and lifestyle.

nah someone been wealty doesent bother me and as for there lifestyle your having a laugh arnt ya?