Madeleine McCann - why are people so obsessed?

[Anna]

'In January 2008 Kerry was contacted by a television director, who was making a documentary about the McCanns. As Kerry remembers it, she was asked if she would like to meet Kate McCann; she said yes, as long as there were no cameras, no reporters, that they could meet as one bereft mother with another. But the meeting never took place. When I spoke to Clarence Mitchell in November 2008, he said that the film director hadn't asked Kerry if she wanted to meet Kate McCann, but whether she would appear in the documentary as the mother of a lost child.'


I know which one I believe.

When I spoke to Clarence Mitchell in November 2008, he said that the film director hadn't asked Kerry if she wanted to meet Kate McCann, but whether she would appear in the documentary as the mother of a lost child. "Kate finds the idea of meeting a parent in that position quite daunting," he told me then.

"[Kerry] has been living with it for 18 years and the idea of facing it as long and stoically as Kerry has is a bit daunting. It's not that she doesn't want to meet her, she's sure she's a lovely person and maybe one day she will feel like it. But she doesn't want to face a lifetime without finding Madeleine."

So when a letter arrived out of the blue on 24 January from Kate McCann, Kerry was amazed.
"I thought it was sweet of her. I didn't think she'd ever get in contact with me. I was really moved, it's a really heartfelt letter. She'd wanted to be in touch with me, but had been scared of having to admit that Madeleine's disappearance might end up like Ben's. Nobody wants to think a child could be missing for years and years. If the boot had been on the other foot I wouldn't have wanted to get in touch with somebody whose child had been missing for all these years because it would give you no hope. You'd think, is that me in 18 years?"

[Alfred R Jones]

What the supporter use of the sentiment or the sceptic's ?

I have only seen the Sceptic FB page banner, which strikes me as obsessional and odd.  If it's supposed to be a joke then it's in pretty poor taste. 

[John]

Suspicion might perhaps explain the intense interest, certainly in the beginning - though, I and many others never seriously suspected the  parents but were just as interested as everyone else in what happened to the little girl.  But does your one-word answer really explain the quasi-religious sentiments expressed in some quarters (and yes, I do mean on both sides of the debate).  I mean, would your interest in the case ever lead you to swear an oath of allegiance to a missing / dead child?  That's just strange, and symptomatic of something a bit more obsessional than mere interest isn't it?

Without doubt Alfred.  Some people take it too far and get far too involved to the extent it takes over their entire lives. It is one thing to be genuinely interested and get involved in debates but it is quite another to take things too far as Mr Bennett and others found to their cost.

[Alice Purjorick]

"My age is timeless and tireless and solely given to this Duty" (to discover the truth about Madeleine McCann and expose the Guilty). 

What does this really mean actually?  Do any of us here feel this way too?

Red bit:
It sounds like some wag bootlegged part of Bob Dylan's "With God on Our Side", mixed it up with The Knights Templars ideas then started to take themselves too seriously.

Blue bit:
I don't but can't speak for others.

[faithlilly]

I have only seen the Sceptic FB page banner, which strikes me as obsessional and odd.  If it's supposed to be a joke then it's in pretty poor taste.

And that makes the supporter blog from whence it came.........?

[Alice Purjorick]

A word immediately springing to mind is paranoia.

Associated with the belief that the McCann's were 'protected' by Government agencies.


If they were so 'protected' ... why was Madeleine allowed to be taken in the first place.

If they were so 'protected' ... why wasn't Madeleine returned tout suite, or her fate discovered?

Do you mean the same sort of affliction demonstrated by those who spend an inordinate amount of time picking over Dr Amarals life and career?

I guess paranoia knows no bounds.
"Don't phone us we know who you are and we will phone you" 

[Alfred R Jones]

And that makes the supporter blog from whence it came.........?

I haven't seen that page so can't comment.  Anyway, how do you know that the sentiment expressed by the Unite For Justice FB page isn't entirely sincere in its oaths and vows?

[DCI]

When I spoke to Clarence Mitchell in November 2008, he said that the film director hadn't asked Kerry if she wanted to meet Kate McCann, but whether she would appear in the documentary as the mother of a lost child. "Kate finds the idea of meeting a parent in that position quite daunting," he told me then.

"[Kerry] has been living with it for 18 years and the idea of facing it as long and stoically as Kerry has is a bit daunting. It's not that she doesn't want to meet her, she's sure she's a lovely person and maybe one day she will feel like it. But she doesn't want to face a lifetime without finding Madeleine."

So when a letter arrived out of the blue on 24 January from Kate McCann, Kerry was amazed.
"I thought it was sweet of her. I didn't think she'd ever get in contact with me. I was really moved, it's a really heartfelt letter. She'd wanted to be in touch with me, but had been scared of having to admit that Madeleine's disappearance might end up like Ben's. Nobody wants to think a child could be missing for years and years. If the boot had been on the other foot I wouldn't have wanted to get in touch with somebody whose child had been missing for all these years because it would give you no hope. You'd think, is that me in 18 years?"

Makes a big difference when quoted correctly, doesn't it, Anna.

And they did meet at Downing Street for the reception to mark Inernational Missing Children's Day.

[John]

I truly believe that the abductor theory is a fallacy and when in the fullness of time the truth is known it will turn out to be a very simple event.

[faithlilly]

I haven't seen that page so can't comment.  Anyway, how do you know that the sentiment expressed by the Unite For Justice FB page isn't entirely sincere in its oaths and vows?

Of course it could be but is it really worth losing sleep over ?

[Mr Gray]

I truly believe that the abductor theory is a fallacy and when in the fullness of time the truth is known it will turn out to be a very simple event.

I truly believe that the McCanns do not know what happened to Maddie

[stephen25000]

Do you mean the same sort of affliction demonstrated by those who spend an inordinate amount of time picking over Dr Amarals life and career?

I guess paranoia knows no bounds.
"Don't phone us we know who you are and we will phone you" 

Nicely put Alice.

That was extremely visible last night.

[Alice Purjorick]

Nicely put Alice.

That was extremely visible last night.

The rampant obsessional and paranoaic attacks even seemed characteristic of members of the McCann family.

You mean Freddy and The Frog? (that'll get whooshed I bet!)  *&*%£
I firmly believe that the polar extremes of this debate are populated by the same sort of people.

[Wonderfulspam]

Makes a big difference when quoted correctly, doesn't it, Anna.

And they did meet at Downing Street for the reception to mark Inernational Missing Children's Day.

A big difference to what exactly?

[Mr Gray]

You mean Freddy and The Frog? (that'll get whooshed I bet!)  *&*%£
I firmly believe that the polar extremes of this debate are populated by the same sort of people.

I would say there is quite  a significant difference between the supporters and detractors