Shannon Matthews Mother arrested !!!!!

[kay1981]

They have arrested her on perverting the course of justice - which i think means lying to the police under oath doesnt it?

Is it at all possible that they knew where she was all the time?

Perhaps cahnnel 4 should now re-show the documentary on shannons family and see how it is received knowing what we know.

Why are we all so eager all the time to have a 'class' fight? Are we really so hung up on it all?

(some) people on here have written about the media using class to make judgements - the reason they do that is because they are not stupid (well, not in this particualr application of the word) but they are very savvy about what will push people's buttons. They don't NEED to manipulate.

Class was used against the McCanns. Their professions, their earnings, the fact that they went on holiday in the first place, their "neglect" of their child. Their looks were also used against them. It was even thrown in that the children were conceived by IVF - just to see if people bit on that one. They did! The wolves (here end elsewhere) descended with glee.

Class is being used against the Matthews. thier professions (or lack thereof), their earnngs (or lack thereof), their "neglect" of thier child. their look are being used against them. It has been thrown in that there are seven children and five fathers. And here we go again.

Spot the differences? anyone? Different "class", same bloody vitriol on here. Take away the thread title and you could just cut and paste!

Personally, I am no different, I know. I have made my own judgements about Karen Matthews and her family as this sorry mess has unravelled - some of those judgements will turn out to be true and fair, some unfair. I don't judge her for being poor. I don't judge her for sleeping with a number of men - although I don't think a condom would have killed her if she is worried about money (yes, of course the fathers are equally culpable in that). IF she is guilty as charged than I damn well do judge her for being a bad parent - children are not a commodity to be used and exploited as cyncially and cruelly as would be the case here -should the facts prove to match the allegations. What a sorry mess.

Just read this in the telegraph article:

"Moorside's children had been described as pale and ill-looking, like Victorian waifs".

Could be my DD they are talking about. These are children who live in the north of England in the spring following a bad summer and they are pale? Well, why am I not surprised? Mind you, DD remained pale after two weeks in the south of France because she was slapped up with factor 50 - apart from the excema outbreaks caused by the factor 50.

I've read the thread.

I've read your posts, arguments and quotes and I think you are looking for evidence to prove your agenda and failing to find it.

Most people do not judge peopel who live on coucil estates, but they will jusge popel who don't support thier familes (may or may nopt be the case herre who knows) or who they feel expect that state to support thier familes without any personal responsibilty for this, or who they feel create problems for their children due to thier chaotic lifestyles.

these type of people may, or may not, live o0ncouncil estates, but familes who live on coucil estaes and support themselves and take responsibilty for their children would not be judged in the same way. (by the reasonable majority there will always bbe the odd snobby wanker!)

you're all just like old women gossiping over the back fence blimey!

Edam I agree there is no evidence for them being 'scroungers', but can you not see why an assumption about this might be (incorrectly) made due to the life style that has been presneted and not just based on where they live?

There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we don't know we don't know.
Donald Rumsfeld

No, I've been on this thread since early on and I've responded to misapprehensions and prejudice as they have occurred. And seen people turn up and rehearse the same old lies about the family being benefit scroungers.

Pisses me off because a. I care about facts and making a distinction between facts and opinions and b. I think prejudice is plain wrong and should be challenged.

Of course I can see how it works. Doesn't make it right or OK.

LOL at the idea that people are turning this into a 'benefit scroungers thread' because sticking up for KM is now wasted!

As far as I am aware, no one here was ever sticking up for Karen Matthews alledged involvement in Shannon's disappearence.

Yes, the thread has gone off on a tangent as they often do. But try to remember that people were responding to judgmental and prejudiced statements already made on the thread.

yes, wot edam said

I've had enough now, this thread is sapping me.

wow...i actually agree with QC as well

KM was with craig meehan for 5 years.how is that haing different men in and out of the kids' lives?ok so its turned ut that he wasnt exactly the best father figurebut still,those going on about a lck of stability etc seem to think KM was a fuck 'em and chuck 'em and move on to the next one type.

maybe all the judgemental snobs on this thread are jealous as they are stuck in loveless marriages and wish they had the balls to leave and meet someone new.

Fio, I dont think 7 children with 5 fathers is simply 'evidence of a sex life', rather evidence of a lack of responsability and good judgement.

My dh comes from a sink estate,where most of the children he knew had memorised the number of the local working mens club, so they could contact their parents in an emergency.
The standard of care he and most (not all) of his friends received from their parents was sadly lacking.

This is not stereotyping or making judgements, simply speaking from his own personal experience of growing up on his estate.

Sorry if this is offensive to some people, but this is his honest account of his childhood.

A colleague of mine is really offended by the media portrait of people who live on estates such as on PramFace(?) and that series about white working class. She was brought up on a council estate, her parents still live there. Her dad worked, mum didn't, they didn't have a lot of money. She says often when people say working class they really mean underclass.

Underclass (courtesy of Wiki) consists of:
the passive poor, usually long term welfare recipients;
the hostile street criminal, drop-outs, low class prostitutes, and drug addicts;
the hustlers, dependent on the underground economy, but rarely involved in violent crime;
the traumatised drunks, drifters, homeless bag ladies, and released mental patients.

Since when has it been OK for the middle classes to openly mock poor people?

I see that the vitriol, spurious accusations, and self-indulgent judgments are still abound on this thread then.

KM may have been with Meehan for 5 years but it may transpire that she has been having an affair with Shannons abductor - surely thats having different men

Heated, my dh is not offended by the media portrayal of these type of estates,so I would conclude that your views, as a child brought up there, are formed not by the area in which you lived, but by the parenting you received (dh very bitter about his upbringing).

nametaken where have poor people been openly mocked ? On this thread?

Haven't read the thread. Sorry.

Is the general consensus that the 'abduction' was pre-planned in order to get money from selling the story and donations from the public etc... ?

I get that impression from bits and pieces taht I have read.

cripes- she's got a face for prison though aint she?

"she's got a face for prison though aint she?"

I wouldn't know

But isn't that a bit inappropriate?

I'd say she has a worn-out, devastated, poorly nourished and unhappy face personally
I feel pretty sad about the whole situation tbh - for Karen, Shannon, and the other children

Message withdrawn

'prison face' you might call it...

both charges seem to relate to Shannon's disappearance - so speculation that she was a crap mother before all this happened seem to be unsubstantiated.

No one is saying KM is mother of the year and she appears irresponsible and disturbed but it gets my goat when the nasty snobs on here use that to have a go at anyone on benefits/ in council housing
God, they are nasty

meemar- I think your remarks have made sense all the way through