If the McCanns were not white and middle class, would the media be so interested in their missing daughter?

Question

Just a straw poll for my own interest.

Answer 1

One of two paths:

People would pounce on them so much, and they would be shamed into leaving the country, I hear puplic lynchings are coming back;

Or

Some integral and truthful paper, like say, the Sun, would take their story and the media hype would be even more intense, especailly since Britains gone anti-racism mad - It would be used as kind of a symbol onf anti racisim aswell as a plight to find a child.

Answer 2

If the parents thrust themselves into the media spotlight (as Kate and Gerry McCann are) then yes, they would.

The McCanns are doing everything they can to keep Madeline in the public eye. Every time Madeline seems to slip from the headlines they release a new picture, new video, make a new interview, visit a new place... that way they keep the spotlight and media interest.

Love or hate the McCann's - they are working the media perfectly. It's got all of us talking about them.

But why don't we all now stop the spite about the money etc.. and concentrate on the awful plight of this 4 year old little girl.

Answer 3

I copied and pasted this from my last answer to the same question:

The short answer is no. FACT. There is NO evidence so far that they had or ever will.

If it's true that white British society can only FEEL something because they can 'identify' with it i.e the colour of the skin well then it says a lot about them doesn't it?

If countless other 'black' people can feel concern if any white child went missing why should it be any harder for anyone else if the child was of a different race?

What does that REALLY tell you?

**The amount of answers and off tangent responses you've got so far speaks volumes in itself too.**

P.S I do rate the Portuguese police - I think they would do the same regardless of race.

And it has nothing to do with CLASS but RACE.


** There is in reference to the limited replies to the same question from a person using a 'black' avatar. Go figure.

Answer 4

What a bl**dy fantastic question (haven't seen others, been hibernating) -

In answer to your Q, Yes I do think that there would be interest, but for all the negative reasons like;

a) this was the last night of the holiday, had they been leaving their 3 children like this every night? Had somebody seen this and kept watch on their movements? (A friend of mine has a villa in the same complex and they reliably informed me that they were not checking every 1/2 hour - infact they hadn't checked ALL evening!!!)

b) why are the other children in their care, quick get social services in to remove them, they must be at risk

etc etc etc

My heart bleeds over this, but I can't help putting a lot of the blame on the parents.

Through their selfishness something dreadfull has happened.

I wouldn't dream of leaving my 20 month old alone in the house sleeping, even to pop next door to my neighbours - let alone to go to a restaurant 100 yards away.

Answer 5

As a single mother I know for a fact that you would all be on here bashing me for doing the same. Saying that I should be strung up and that I was a terrible mother and so on and so on. I would be getting called for everything under the sun.

Anyone regardless of money, class, creed, religion, sexuality or background can be a bad parent and just because they come from money doesn't mean they should be favoured over other families whose child/ren have been abducted.

Money does not go hand in hand with being a better person which is a fact we should all be aware of.

Answer 6

They wouldhave reported it because of the interest in holiday brits. there have already been two profile cases this year about families on hilday including a father who tried to kill himself and two children and the other family who two young childen died from carbon monoxide poisoning...

But the campaigning that is generating so many news stories and whether the case would have been high profile is debatable....

It does appear that the campaign has been successful because the family appear "Jam and Jerusalem" types....

If you are part of a wider religious community I expect the same type of support....

But whether industry would have offered a large payout as a reward or whether the image of the missing person would have been published on Marble Arch or even whether a video made with the voice of Zoe Wanamaker is all debatable....

Answer 7

As much as I'd like to think it wouldn't make a difference, it does and you are probably right.

I wish team McCann would clear off and do what they need to do in private. Its good they didn't give up hope in the first few days but its been a month, we are moving into the denial stage.

Its tragic and I would never wish it on anyone, but time to face facts, she gone.

Answer 8

it's hard to say, a lot of people attribute all the media hype to their class and creed, but the hype could be because it happened on holiday, i wonder if they were at home in the back yard having a BBQ and this happened, what the reaction of the media would be then.

Answer 9

I am convinced they have set this up
However I agree regardless of class or colour etc in any other case social services would hang their hide.
I just cannot get my head around why this case is being treated so differently to others and with such kid gloves

Answer 10

They'd be jailed, and the rest of the kids snatched off them by social services if they were any poorer; regardless of colour.

Above answer had the gist of things.