Are you ashamed as well?

Question

Why is it that the appalling media circus centred upon a grieving family makes me feel personally ashamed? Surely it can only be the basest of appetites that would ever make me want to switch on Sky News or whatever to witness the grotesque spectacle of these people being so hounded. I can only justify my watching because I hope always to see these absurd speculations being countered by others who do actually know what they are talking about. Because nothing I have been told makes me for one moment think that these poor folk could ever have done anything to have harmed their child.

I wish the carping and criticism would stop. They have enough to come to terms with. Were I in their shoes I don’t think I would have the strength to bear what is being inflicted on them. Should these poor parents be driven to the brink and beyond then surely the responsibility for that lies largely with the tittle-tattle media and those (like me?) who actually pay attention to their venom.

Answer 1

I feel ashamed to come from a country where some certain rich people go on holiday and leave their kids alone but we don't all go on about it now do we?

Answer 2

I have taken to being very selective about the q's I answer on this subject because some people are just so unpleasant. Clearly they are unable to prove their innocence and until the little girl is found (if ever) they will always be in the frame unless some other evidence emerges to prove that they could not have done it.

If you look at the few real facts that are in the public domain the only way they could have been responsible was if it happened many hours earlier than they said and they then developed an elaborate plan to cover it up with the help of friends to say they had seen Maddie later than was true by the pool. In other words a conspiracy.

Sadly we don't know what has happened all we do know is a little girl who looks so sweet has gone missing I only hope that we will start to take the disappearance of other children of all ages as seriously as we are taking Maddie's.

Answer 3

I know exactly what you mean, but it's a really tough one. After all, they have courted the press so much.

I think all the speculation and counter speculation is horrific. But I also think that the 'game' (I know it's not a game) has been played in such a way that Joe and Joanne Public feel involved and almost part of the story. They were asked to be involved. They've given money to the fund. They've 'met' the relatives and feel part of the crowd. It's like they are friends with the McCanns.

Under such circumstances it's hard not to become more involved on an emotional level. The situation has touched many people's lives who almost feel part of it.

People are an eager audience waiting for the next development and hoping that 'this', or 'that', is or isn't true. I'm not been critical of anyone by saying this. I just think the dynamics are incredibly powerful and interesting.

Answer 4

I understand wanting to see some facts before we decide that hounding these parents is OK. As a mother I see a huge problem in what then McCain es have done. The following comments should be at least enough to give you a dose of suspicion.

Why did the McCain's leave Maddy alone if they had nothing to do with it?
If your child had been kidnapped in a foreign country don't you think that you would have hope that she was alive. If you had nothing to do with her disappearance you would still be in denial. You would still be holding out hope that she were coming back to you. That being said, would you go home to your home country effectively leaving her alone in a strange country with strangers that mean her harm or would you be out walking the streets looking in every passing car, every store front ,every shop hoping to catch her in the corner of your eye? I know which one I would be doing. What is wrong with these people. What's your response ?

Answer 5

The media pretty much always gets the blame and rightly so but in this case I think the public need to take a large chunk of it themselves.They take tiny pieces of hearsay and run with them,embelish them and change them out of all recognition then present them as fact on forums and over garden fences and round offices not stopping to think this is not in Madeleines best interest.So I disagree with 17pdr I think people should be ashamed because they have already wound this case up in their own minds depriving a little girl of the fullness of a truly open minded search for the truth.

Answer 6

To be honest, i've never really liked your answers or questions, and this is one of them. HOWEVER, underneath the over-the-top sympathy - you have a point. The media are making it worse with their pointless reporting. I wish they would report something that they actually had some truth, instead of heading a witch hunt.

For me, i'm gonna wait to see what real evidence they have before I call them murderers.
All I know for sure is that they left their children and that is clearly neglect.

I can speculate like everyone else, but the more I read or see about it, the more upsetting I find it. Can you imagine that if she did die at the hands of her parents, people she trusted, it makes this case even more distressing. If they didnt, then some b~~~~~d is wondering around out there, untouched.

Answer 7

Its an unfortunate fact that in most cases child deaths are caused by their parents or carers. Abductions are relatively rare. This fact alone means that you shouldnt be too surprised that there is speculation that the McCanns are involved.

If you couple that with the inconsistencies in their stories and the alleged forensic evidence its hardly surprising that the media and many members of the public believe theres a very good chance that they are responsible for her dissapearance.

Have you actually considered that they might possibly have done it? If so you might be able to understand the media reaction.

Answer 8

I agree with you.Did you watch the Trevor McDonald program.
They looked into Maddie's disappearance & discovered in similar circumstances in 2004 7 miles from where Maddie disappeared another little girl vanished the police charged the mother with murder she is serving 16 years.She told her ex husband the police beat her up untill she confessed.Also the same copper was in charge of that case has Maddie.There is still no trace of that little girl.

Answer 9

I agree with what you are saying, although i understand why people feel so strongly about getting justice for Madeleine.
I have said before in my answers that no one knows any hard solid facts, and just on that fact alone, i would wait til the case has been to court, (if it ever does) and wait for the verdict, although with all the press running stories every 2 minutes, it's easy to see how people can easily be swayed to believe everything on the news.
What really gets on my nerves, is why, the press are camped outside their house and no one is moving them on? In this country they still are victims until charged. They were allowed to drive to Fargo airport with dozens of cameras glaring at them, reporters on board the flight with other reporters offerring large amounts of cash for seats. That really winds me up, because we all know what they are going through coming home on that plane that day. Whether you believe they are innocent or guilty, the fact remains they are still coming home to an empty Madelienes bedroom full of memories and they are coming home without Madeleine. What does anyone think they will be feeling that day of all days? Are the press expecting to see the parents having a giggle or what? I think it is sad that our media is ALLOWED to do this. Until they have been charged and found guilty, they are still innocent and still should have rights to some privacy, at least to come home without their daughter!
But i disagree with some points that they courted the media. They tried to make the fact that their daughter was missing as public as possible, for obvious reasons, and i guess ANYONE WOULD! If my child was missing i would want every newspaper and tv station to report that my child was missing just incase it increases the chances of my child being found. I think the big mistake made was, they should have left it at. But i cant blame them for keeping in the public eye as much as possible, they probably thought it would help and show people that she was still missing. But i think there is a big diffrence between doing interviews and appeals and being stalked and hounded!

Answer 10

I agree wholeheartedly, just had a rant at them myselves on another page. Some sick people really do get a kick out of seeing horror and distress - maybe they have no lives or friends of their own so take great pleasure in forcing their opinions on others. Well said.

Answer 11

Ask yourself why the media are behaving like this. Look at the differences between the McCanns, the Wells and Chapmans, the Paynes. Unfortunately, the McCanns believed they were doing the right thing in courting publicity and it has now bitten them on the bum, whereas the other families made their appeals and then kept out of the public eye. The McCanns can't have it both ways. Everyone knows that the media is a double edged sword.