Madeleine McCann allegedly abducted in Portugal (2) The press apologise.

[JoeP 11]

The previous thread on this topic was closed after tempers got a little heated.

 

I'm opening a new thread, and hope that we can avoid the finger pointing and blame allocation that took place before.

 

Also, please try and keep on topic and avoid the name calling.

 

Thanks.

[Dick 10]

All any of us know about this story is what we've read in the papers or seen on telly.

It's been an object lesson in how editors fill acres of space in the absence of facts. The only fact that appears to be clear is that the parents left their children alone while they went for a meal a short distance away.

Since then the papers have reported that the room was locked,the room was not locked, there was no sign of a forced entry, there was sign of forced entry, a friend saw a man carrying a bundle that could have been a child or a child shaped object, the friend saw a man carrying a child wearing pink pyjamas, a similar child was seen at the harbour, in Morroco, at a petrol station etc etc.

One question I've not heard asked let alone answered is, if the child was taken by a stranger why didn't she scream the house down?

The other big puzzle is that there's a £2million reward on offer. Unless it's just one nut acting on his or her own, sooner or later someones going to try and claim that.

[Nabsdabs1@ti 10]

well said dick:suspect:

[baileys_mum 10]

I just hope whoevers got her, gives her up

[CockneyMafia 10]

I hope she is found around the anniversary of Diana's death.

 

Nothing like a nightmare for the red top editors.

[Whatif wewin 10]

I can understand to some degree, people putting some of the blame on the parents in leaving their children alone.

What I cannot understand are the people who moan that the McCanns are getting too much media coverage, some have even moaned about them getting to see the Pope.

This couple know that they made an unforgivable error, they are however doing everything in their power to gain the help of anyone they can, in order to trace their child.

Would not any of us in the same unfortunate situation try to do the same?

[CockneyMafia 10]

I can understand to some degree, people putting some of the blame on the parents in leaving their children alone.

What I cannot understand are the people who moan that the McCanns are getting too much media coverage, some have even moaned about them getting to see the Pope.

This couple know that they made an unforgivable error, they are however doing everything in their power to gain the help of anyone they can, in order to trace their child.

Would not any of us in the same unfortunate situation try to do the same?

 

Almost certainly.

 

But this was never the argument for me. My argument is

 

1. The media don’t give a toss if she is found or not. In fact that longer it lingers on, the more papers etc they sell to sensationalist loving fools.

 

1a. As they don’t give a toss, they aren't really being a genuine agent of help, and will report any old tosh just to increase circulation.

 

2. The campaign has become a sick gimmick, which in part is trying to force people into some sort of faux grief. I wish the child a safe return, and feel for her immediate family, but her disappearance is way down the list of my concerns at the moment, and I refuse to be chastised for thinking otherwise.

[Stormy 10]

I can understand to some degree, people putting some of the blame on the parents in leaving their children alone.

What I cannot understand are the people who moan that the McCanns are getting too much media coverage, some have even moaned about them getting to see the Pope.

This couple know that they made an unforgivable error, they are however doing everything in their power to gain the help of anyone they can, in order to trace their child.

Would not any of us in the same unfortunate situation try to do the same?

 

True, but how many other children who have gone missing in the past 28 days can you name? Why should they not warrant the same media coverage?

[GSK 10]

Almost certainly.

 

But this was never the argument for me. My argument is

 

1. The media don’t give a toss if she is found or not. In fact that longer it lingers on, the more papers etc they sell to sensationalist loving fools.

 

1a. As they don’t give a toss, they aren't really being a genuine agent of help, and will report any old tosh just to increase circulation.

 

2. The campaign has become a sick gimmick, which in part is trying to force people into some sort of faux grief. I wish the child a safe return, and feel for her immediate family, but her disappearance is way down the list of my concerns at the moment, and I refuse to be chastised for thinking otherwise.

 

Yeah. I think you're pretty much on the money with those observations.

[GSK 10]

... but how many other children who have gone missing in the past 28 days can you name?

 

You can't name them, because there hasn't been the same media coverage. Perhaps there isn't the same 'mileage' (money wise) in it for the papers?

[Stormy 10]

You can't name them, because there hasn't been the same media coverage. Perhaps there isn't the same 'mileage' (money wise) in it for the papers?

 

That was my point. Its so hypocritical of the papers to pretend they give a damn when they clearly don't, otherwise some of these other missing children (and there will be many) would have received some coverage.

[Becky B 31]

True, but how many other children who have gone missing in the past 28 days can you name? Why should they not warrant the same media coverage?

 

I agree totally. Why was she picked out as being the one requiring the attention? I hate to sound cynical and (possibly) unfeeling, but may it have something to do with her dad having an important, highish flying job?