Anyone else feel Madeline Mccann story overplayed?

[flack]

Tragic for her family and others who loved her.
I would never blame her parents for efforts they made to keep this in public mind.
The story obviously touched a lot of hearts.
But does it deserve so MUCH attention? In playgroups, schools, cinema, supermarket and street-corner notices a thousand miles away from where she disappeared?

Not trying to get on Sky news, nor am I a heartless b*tch. But I do get upset that so much attention and energy has been devoted to this topic when much worse and more important things are happening in the world.

Even among us parents, surely we should put this in more proportion?

Am I the only one thank thinks like that?

[frances5]

The reality is that there is a high chance that Madeline has been raped and murdered. However her parents have no idea what exactly happened to her so are not able to grieve.

How would you feel if the same paediophile raped and tortured your child to death? Or would you feel that worst things happen in the world.

[hippipotami]

Now that the ad is being shown to young children before the showing of Shrek (see other thread) I am agreeing with you.

Enough already. I have worried for her, felt sorry for her parents. I have explained it to ds (age 7) in small detail and tried to reassure him. I have shielded dd (age 4) of the facts as I believe she is too young.

I cannot believe this has been talked about in nurseries and schools. This generation of children is already anxious and worried about the state of the world (according to various press, not my words or experience) and I think enough is enough.

Everyone is aware, everyone knows. Now let the police do their job.
Showing me her face at every opportunity is not going to make me more likely to find her. I know what she looks like, and on the trillion to one chance I come across her hopefully I will have the common sense to act appropriately.
But I am sick to the back teeth of seeing her face in football stadiums, cinemas etc.
By stark contrast - there was hardly anything in the way of posters in the airport. Now surely that is the one place where there should be posters???

[nogoes]

I don't agree, yes the story has been given more media attention than usual, her parents are doing everything in their power to keep people talking about it in the hope it will lead them to her. I don't understand why people feel the need to constantly criticise her parents for wanting to keep her disappearance in the public eye. They are not enjoying their fame.

[Rhubarb]

People are planning their holidays all over the world. No doubt the campaign has stepped up a gear with this in mind. We Britons travel all over the place, it's a good thing to keep her in mind just in case. How else will they ever know what happened to her? No-one is going to come forward and admit taking or or knowing where she is, so they are relying on other people seeing or hearing something.

I think it's fair enough. I would do the same.

[hippipotami]

nogoes, I appreciate that. Of course they are not enjoying this. But I think they are not targetting this int eh right place any more. She is not in England. So enough of the big posters at football stadiums etc, concentrate on airports.

We flew to Dublin last month, a friend went to Italy. Nothing at the airport. One tiny A4 poster in the entire departure hall.
But overkill in the UK.
It should be the other way round. Concentrate on tourists/travellers. Not on toddlers going to the cinema or nursery.

[Electroma]

Sorry everyone.

I agree with flack

If it was my son, god yes yes yes i would want his picture plastered everywhere, i would walk round the world and hand everyone a photo if i thought it would help.

But WHY is this wee girl getting so much media time? I am not saying it is wrong, i just wonder why. Other children are missing too, god forbid your child went missing now, and got little or no attention because it is all going to madeleine?

I just find it a bit strange

I pray to god that she is alright, i really really do.

But, does anyone know WHY she gets all this attention?

[Rhubarb]

Summer holidays are coming up. It does make sense.

[Electroma]

I just want to make it clear that I dont think she doesnt deserve it, or that it should be stopped.

I just mean - why is SHE in particular, of all the children missing in the world, getting so much coverage?

[binkleandflip]

Electroma - I fear it's the cult of celebrity.

[Kewcumber]

I suspect with the current events in England and Scotland media coverage will begin to slide. The media are fickle and will only run it until something "better" comes along.

[bosscat]

because her parents are being really pro active and putting all their energies into keeping the campaign going.

I would do exactly the same. I find it bizarre that people are starting to resent the attention that one child is getting. Almost jealous. Very bizarre

[Electroma]

Really? that is awful.

She is a beautiful girl, and i can see that she has the media 'appeal', people will genuinely care because she is so cute.

God what an awful society we live in.

Awful world actually.



So.. slight hijack here but, does anyone have ideas on the parents? I mean, i dont like to/want to say anything like this as if it was me, this would make me sick.

But, i find the whole situation very strange..

[Hathor]

Yes OP. So stop dwelling on it and open a thread on a different topic.
It is possible that this tragedy will never be resolved. If so, the family will never be able to reach closure on their nightmare. This is terribly sad and everyone feels empathy for them. However, there are other tragedies happening daily outside our own front doors.
So perhaps we should move on?

[Electroma]

Bosscat - i do NOT resent it.

I would though, if my child went missing.
And there are people whose children went missing before, and have gone missing since.

[Rhubarb]

By highlighting her case they are also doing quite a bit to publicise the plight of other missing children, highlighting other cases in the same resort even that no-one knew about.

Hopefully if there is a huge effort to find her, it will make it harder for paedos to keep other children they have snatched and make it harder to get new children.

I don't resent her the publicity at all. If it were your child, you'd do the same, you know you would. So why resent them?

[TaylorsMummy]

I don't think you have any right to say 'much worse and more important things are happening in the world'

how could it get any worse? what could be any more important than a little girl missing for 2 months, good knows where and with god knows who

[binkleandflip]

bosscat, the point was why so much attention for this child above all others? Do you believe the other parents of missinf children arent that bothered or do you believe that Madeleine has been made the cause celebre for missing children? Her parents have been very pro-active - good for them, she is their child and yes, we as parents can only imagine what they are going through, but ultimately, we don't know this child differently to any other missing child so why should we be continually bombarded with this one child? It is just media overkill and taking the emotive element away is no different to seeing paris hilton or posh spice non stories in the news week in week out. When there is news to report - god willing - that she's been found - then that fair enough.

[mumto3girls]

Frances5 !!!!

[TaylorsMummy]

oh god,that post is a bit graphic frances.i know you might have posted it with the best of intentions but even still

[fillyjonk]

i understand why her parents are doing it, i would do the same

but i do think there is a danger of curtailing the freedom of kids as a result. Actually I know parents who aren't letting their kids go to the park alone etc as a result. Now that IS a problem, IMO.

I also feel deeply uncomfortable with some of the competative, prurient, vicarious grieving going on.

[Electroma]

binkle - that is kind of what i was getting at.

It is not really 'news' anymore, and while i agree i would do the same for my child (hopefully never will have to) I do also think that it is, for want of a better word, overkill.

Like i said, i hope she is alright. But lets be realistic.

And - whoever has her - surely there has been some inside play here? Either that or they are EXPERT at keeping her hidden?
It seems very, very strange that is all.

[fillyjonk]

and taylormummy-that IS what has probably happened. I think it perfectly reasonable to be realistic here. Thats normally what happens when kids go missing, sadly.

[Rhubarb]

So because the other children don't get as much media coverage then neither should Madeleine? Because they have been forgotten about then so should she?

I doubt any parent of any missing child would wish that on them. I don't understand these posts, I don't get the problem at all. They are doing all they can to find their daughter, they are reminding everyone before people go off on their holidays, what is so wrong with that? But because it offends you they should just stop should they? Accept that she is probably dead and just get on with life without her? Would that make you all feel better?

[fillyjonk]

eh? are you joking kerry?

frances isn't a troll, she's a well known poster!