I am so sick of all the rubber-necking that has been going on with regard to a recent and tragic news topic.

[Bubble99]

And all under the guise of 'concerned fellow-parent/s'

I met a mother at school today (never spoken to her before) who approached me and said ..'Have you heard about? What do you think about?' and the freak was almost smiling. It's as if this nightmare has become entertainment for some people.

There is a voyeuristic, collective sickness going on , safe under the umbrella of 'concerned parents.'

Yuk.

no fucking way bubble - surely not???

If she is a mother herself, then I doubt very much that she was smiling about a missing child.

It is news, everyone is interested in news. It is a common concern that bonds all parents, a fear that we all hold in common.

A woman in my local shop asked me this evening if "that little girl has been found yet?" She was at work all day with no tv or radio, I don't for one minute think she was being a voyeur, she is a parent feeling the pain of another human being.

What's sick about that?

I also find the 'have to know what is going on with the case every single minute of the day' quite disturbing to be honest.

What I find abhorrent is the criticism of the parents. There but for the grace of God go I, that's for sure.

Also strange is the sudden emergence on Mumsnet of Interpol experts. All this weighing up of "evidence" and wondering about "sightings."

Spot on Sophable.
Voyeuristic, and wallowingly self-indulgent.

And why do people come to Mumsnt for news?

I don't get tha either NKF - if they can get Mumsnet thentey can get BBc website etc

Londonmamma that is the WORST of it.

'well....they didn't take up the babysitting option'.

fuck you. no really, fuck you....it makes me SO angry that people are putting the boot in....their lives are hell. lay off.

no- not a link to a paedophile site- a link to a news story relating a sighting of another abducted child on a paedophile site.

To me it's evidence that it's not actually news they're after. Because after all, there isn't any. It's something else. Some communal splurge and sharing and showing oneself to be involved.

SoapOnARope. Note that I have not used any names that can be linked on the thread title.

Also, I am not discussing 'the story.' I am discussing reactions to it.

no....leaving on friday nappies...hello

God knows NKF- I could understand if they were in isolation away from computers and TV but obviously by definition that can't be an issue. This constant, almost gleeful, coming up with different hideous theories is just sick. And as for the idea that speculation ois useful because that's how people come up with new leads, words fail me.

And dredging up older stories.
It's as if people want to deliberately torment themselves. But to hear it described as empathy and caring! It's so emotionally dishonest.

I know Tamum. My mouth fell open at that.

I haven't read the mumsnet threads on the topic for a couple of days. I just find it depressing.

They also had a meeja crime expert chap on the bbc yesterday who said that the public "need" regular news, updates press conferneces because they might be affected by the story. I nearly threw a bricjk at the telly.

Oh yes, emotionally dishonest is exactly the right phrase.

ah, thought you wer there already. good luck for journey if i dont 'see' you before

tamum...it is all about involvement isn't it? it is a public preying on a private horror.

Sophable... Londonmama is actually saying the same as you.

Why say "fuck you" to her?

NFK spot on.

And all that "I went to Portugal last year and it really brought it home to me"

firefly - read the post again.