Madeleine McCann Page 5

HI floozy - I think all that Stylo was originaly saying was not to be too harsh towards the parents and as a parent could indeed sympathize. Of course what they did was wrong but no-one in this world is aware of that fact more than those two so to be constantly reminded of the fact is certainly not going to help get their little girl back. Being 'almost 16' I can assume that you are not a parent yourself (well, unless you are from Dundee of course) so perhaps can't quite see the angle Stylo is coming in at but that is completely understandable.
I think we can surely all agree however that the person (or persons) that took this little girl is the one that should bare the brunt of our anger more than anyone else - including the parents. I'm sure if we were able to ask the little girl if she still loved her Mummy and Daddy it would be a resounding yes. Lets hope one day we can.

Quote: ajp29 @ June 22, 2007, 12:56 PM

True unless its thousands of kids versus apathy.

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Just on the issue of Africa, I'm not sure it can be drawn up as a significant parallel to the Maddy situation. The issue of Africa as I see it is an inter-governmental, inter-state one. We can throw as much money as we want at those places but the problem of HIV is one of education and laws regarding access to medicine. In cases of third world genocide and the likes again it is to do with regimes and elites. The biggest influence comes from those at the top and the best we can do is lobby them, something which is going on all the time.

The case of Maddy, although still difficult with resolution left mostly to chance, has a more grass roots solution. Governments can do little to save the girl other than allow the Police to do their job. However, someone somewhere on the ground knows what is going on and so it is individual people who are targetted through means such as papers, news programs etc because that is what they respond to.

The issues in Africa are not neglected, it's just the route to a solution is a different and less apparent one.

I think that's what you were refering to anyway. If not, my apologies

I know that the parents shouldnt be "blamed" as it were, and though Im not a parent myself for obvious reasons as stated ( ) I know that parents would do anything for their children-I just find it hard to totally externalise their part in the whole thing. I don't think anyone needs to be "blamed" as it were, I just think that hopefully it will highlight a few things to a few people is all

I have a problem that people are offended by the thought of a kid being a rotten corpse when thousands actually die everyday and it is not an issue. Get angry about reality not hyperthecticals.

It isn't the thought we are offended by, I'm sure most of us have assumed the worst. It was that it should be verbalised in such a care-free fashion, seemed a bit tasteless.

As a parent I have to say that putting a smiley face on to a post wasn't, perhaps, the wisest thing to do. The same applies to making this a black and white issue because one really has nothing to do with the other.

For one so young - and I mean no disrespect - Scatterbrained Floozy has, perhaps, the best take on this whole affair.

Quote: Scatterbrained Floozy @ June 22, 2007, 12:59 PM

Stylo, Im sure that for any mother, their child going missing is their worst nightmare-and Im not condoning what the kidnapper did by any means-but therefore would you leave your children alone in a hotel room while they were sleeping?

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Being a parent means putting your life on hold. There is no room for 'me time' and that's how Maddy got taken. Pundits have tried to compare this situation with James Bulger and Ben Needham but they're not the same thing. Those kids got snatched while Maddy got abandoned for the sake of adults wanting to take a break from being parents for a just couple of hours.

But they weren't alone in their complacency because their new best friends around the dinner table were doing the same with their own kids. They all wanted a bit of 'me time'. It could have been any of their children who could have been taken because they had all been abandoned. And let's not forget, the McCann's other younger children, the twins, who had also been left to fend for themselves.

As a parent you shouldn't leave your kids to fend for themselves - ever. If they can't see you then you can't see them, it's a simple as that. And as for the parents, well, I really feel for them and now, even if Maddy is returned, they're going to have live with the consequences for the rest of their lives.

no disrespect taken on my part anyway-but I really do feel for them in the consequential sense...having to be "those people" that society has stamped forever is never going to be a good feeling...and that added to their already created torment?

I quite agree but the fact is, as a parent, we have one job to do and that's to protect our children and always be there for them. This is not something that involves flexihours.

Yep...I dont pretend to understand this, as Im not a parent myself-but in my opinion this should also be the case

expect they're more concerned with finding their daughter than whatever stamp society deems fit. I know what you mean though.

you only have to read this thread as a sample of how callous and ignorant 'society' has the potential to be.

Quote: ajp29 @ June 22, 2007, 1:22 PM

I have a problem that people are offended by the thought of a kid being a rotten corpse when thousands actually die everyday and it is not an issue. Get angry about reality not hyperthecticals.

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That's a problem in your own head. Did anyone say they weren't concerned about wider human suffering?
There was nothing hypothetical (watch those typos, your hand slipped from the o and hit er instead) about Aaron's wee chuckle.

It's interesting the way all these debates we have, always steer in the direction of a debate about the debate itself, rather then the actual topic at hand.

Quote: Alan Alexander @ June 22, 2007, 1:43 PM

That's a problem in your own head. Did anyone say they weren't concerned about wider human suffering?
There was nothing hypothetical (watch those typos, your hand slipped from the o and hit er instead) about Aaron's wee chuckle.

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No just hypothetical suffering. And I do those typos because I know you love them Alan.

Quote: ajp29 @ June 22, 2007, 1:46 PM

No just hypothetical suffering.

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Okay. If anyone has any idea what that means, please let me know.

My point - before you tried to make things personal - was that Aaron's post was out of order.
Keeo trying to justify it on his behalf, if you like.
Better still, perhaps Aaron could explain why he did what he did.

Freedom of Speech, its what seperates us from the Parrots.