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Original poster

re Facebook and the pictures of James Bulger's killers

347 replies

NessieMcFessie · 15/02/2013 16:11

A friend of mine on Facebook has posted the pictures of James Bulger's killers as they look 'today'. I have no idea where they have come from or if they are actually the two men involved (and I don't know if she knows any of this information).

AIBU to report these pictures? She has had loads of support under her post.

OP posts:
AgentZigzag · 15/02/2013 23:15

It does seem so unfair Cortana, but once a violent crime's been committed, the direct 'actors' kind of become public property.

In a way this is right and understandable, unusual violent events should be turned over repeatedly to thresh them out, not just from an academic understanding POV, but also for how people understand who they are/what they should think.

But from an individual angle, it means the families and friends of the victims have to give up very private and intimate things, it must be crushing.

Cortana · 15/02/2013 23:19

I think you may have confused Pigletmania and Pigsmummy, Gordy.

"I understand your points but cannot agree with some of them" Bloody good on you for saying that Piglet. I have to agree to some extent, as I said earlier Ifancya has shown things for a different side for me, the point about the shame society feels as a result of a crime like this and the resulting emotions it can stir. I understand but not agree.

For me I cannot personally get past that the person most affected (jointly with James' Dad) has asked that pictures and campaigns are not posted and so many continue to do so. I may be joining Gordy in pious corner but if I take anyone's feelings into account it will be hers.

gordyslovesheep · 15/02/2013 23:19

no that was another Pig -(name!) apologies

I don;t understand the need to high five other posters who share your view like you where on JK - all this aggression (not from you) and undercurrent rage is odd

but that is what I expect from people who read real life crime books and paw over the gory details of cases like this - not you personally, just generally

I have studied crime and criminal behaviour but I have never felt the need to read titillating true crime stuff

YouTheCat · 15/02/2013 23:20

Jamie Bulger's dad has brought a book out recently. I'd say he's putting himself into the public eye really. Silly man.

gordyslovesheep · 15/02/2013 23:21

anyway I am OFF TO BED

I have to be pool side at 9am with my eldest ! bloody swimming lessons - on Sat morning - early - WHO does that?

wannaBe · 15/02/2013 23:21

I just find it disturbing that people who claim that ten year old children should have been left to wrot/put to death/given the most severe punishments imagineable claim to actually understand the meaning of the term empathy. Really - you have no idea.

Empathy is comprehending that children, yes, two ten year old children, had something so horrifically amiss in their lives that they committed one of the most horrific crimes imagineable. Yes, most victims of childhood abuse do what they can to prevent this happening to other children - but they do this - once they become adults and actually comprehend the horror of what they have been through while they were, you know, children. What they did doesn't become less horrific because they were children. The fact that they did it while they were still children is what makes it more horrific.

Empathy is not reliving the horrific details of a brutal crime over and over so that you can sob in the virtual or real world while wringing your hands and calling for justice for a child and family you knew only from their pictures in the media and now on social media. Do you relive all the other brutal child killings over the past twenty years in the same way? no? didn't think so.

It's mock grief for a child people had no connection with but somehow feel they have the right to claim as their own.

It's no different to people who grieve for dead celebrities and place flowers at the scene of car crashes. People want to be seen to care.

Cortana · 15/02/2013 23:24

Agree Agent, it's easy to remember that every detail shared about the criminal is in a way a betrayal of the victim's confidence. I agree with what you said about "public property" too, it's sad and wrong.

I could understand writing for text books, but why someone without the need for this type of information would read a book like that is beyond me, I was shocked to have the booked recommended on this thread tbh, what would I gain. If I wanted to do something for the victims of child abuse I could donate to a charity that supports those causes. I don't see how a lay person like me could benefit the victim, or anyone infact, by reading such graphic details of their life published by someone who was meant to help.

AgentZigzag · 15/02/2013 23:25

Silly for having something to say and finding the courage to say it YouTheCat?

Perhaps you should have a read before calling him that?

pigletmania · 15/02/2013 23:25

[gordy] the pigs are out today lol

pigletmania · 15/02/2013 23:26

Meant Grin oh I need bed too

LittleChimneyDroppings · 15/02/2013 23:27

But it was interesting to read in the Guardian that many involved in the case felt that the boys killed him because they were too tired and did not know what to do with him?

I think there was an element of RT not wanting to take him home or take him to get help because of the blood. The family didn't have much money to replace clothes and RT was afraid he would get a bollocking if he got blood on his clothes. Childs warped/sad logic.

pigletmania · 15/02/2013 23:27

I don't read any crime books, the last one was Patrick swayze autobiography

shesariver · 15/02/2013 23:28

I work with adults who have been abused and neglected as children, and in my 7 years in the job have never came across any who have killed, least of all killed a child in the horrific manner these 2 boys did. As it happens I dont agree with the FB pictures as obviously they could be of anyone and not RT and JV. But it sickens me the people that pop up on threads like this going on about them as victims just because they were children with a difficult childhood. Yes the world is not rosy for a lot of children sadly but this doesnt make them all go out and torture and murder a toddler.

Cortana · 15/02/2013 23:29

Really YouTheCat? James' rather was one of the victims in this case. Whatever his motives were are his own, if it helps him and he has the support of Mrs Fergus, it helps him and it's none of our business.

(not meaning to be contrary, but I do feel there is a difference between a social worker selling her story and a victim deciding to write a book on their experience)

YouTheCat · 15/02/2013 23:30

I think the book isn't raising any awareness of anything. It is just making money. I don't think it is necessary or in good taste.

theisleofsheppey · 15/02/2013 23:30

I dont see them as victims, really I dont

but its such a horrific incident I suppose i want us to learn from it IYSWIM, see if there are others

we know who the victim was, unfortunately

and maybe evil shit happens, and we cant prevent it

YouTheCat · 15/02/2013 23:31

Yes, but how does James's mother feel about this? Should her feelings not be considered?

theisleofsheppey · 15/02/2013 23:31

that was to sheshriver

gordyslovesheep · 15/02/2013 23:31

oh ffs I am turning this off now

I worked on a project for abused children - who where abusing - these where 8,9,10 year olds

just because you haven't come across it doesn't mean it doesn't happen

BED NOW Piglet Grin x

LittleChimneyDroppings · 15/02/2013 23:32

What do you do shesariver? Because whatever it is, it obviously has little depth.

DizzyZebra · 15/02/2013 23:34

It's wrong IMO and ANYONE sharing these should be tracked down and arrested.

They are NOT confirmed and are most likely some poor innocent, who will suffer for these sick rumours, along with anyone who looks like the bloke in the picture.

AgentZigzag · 15/02/2013 23:34

But wannabe, to feel compassion for T and V, you have to put what they did to one side, you have to. To see them as children who've lived with damaging experiences that provoked them to do such a thing, you have to put the childhood they lived on par with the things they did, to be as equally important as an answer to the 'why' of what happened.

But most people can only put it aside for a small amount of time before it inevitably comes back to the fact that they did such terrible things, and to what James Bulger had to live with.

It's a difficult thing to overcome.

In a lot of peoples minds, I suspect their childhoods so far and what they did are not equal causes. That might be right, it might be wrong, I don't know, but it's why people relive their reaction to it. Grief isn't a cut and dried thing, feeling pain for someone you don't know is equally as valid as something which directly involves you.

shesariver · 15/02/2013 23:35

just because you haven't come across it doesn't mean it doesn't happen

I never said it did. Confused
Just that the majority of people with shitty childhoods end up more a danger to themselves rather than other people because of their damaged emotions thats all.

shesariver · 15/02/2013 23:35

LittleChimneyDroppings why do you say that?

pigletmania · 15/02/2013 23:35

Yes Gordy Grin I shoud ts 11.30 but watching junior doctors

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