Does publicly "doubting" the McCanns add to the distress of the McCann family?

[Brietta]

The shooting 'threat' was some fool posting late at night/early in the morning likely under the influence of something, and you know it.

Some of the twitter folk are more concerning, I'll agree.

But they're not here

I know the shooting threat was discussed on the Facebook page I have mentioned ... as well as running alongside Dr Kate McCann dressed as spaniels ... which was the best part of the route to jump out on her with Madeleine masks on etc. etc.

Disgracefully action was only taken against Sheila Bashar by the police because Dr McCann refused to withdraw from the Marathon in the way she has been forced to withdraw from book signing appearances ... couldn't run the risk of having the Marathon disrupted could we?

[Brietta]

You don't think there have been copycat cases to benefit from sympathy/cash then?

I don't know where Matthews and the Philpotts got their ideas from ... perhaps it was from Facebook buddies and forums where it is discussed day and daily how easy it is to set up a fraudulent fund and the huge financial benefits to be made? 

[faithlilly]

I know the shooting threat was discussed on the Facebook page I have mentioned ... as well as running alongside Dr Kate McCann dressed as spaniels ... which was the best part of the route to jump out on her with Madeleine masks on etc. etc.

Disgracefully action was only taken against Sheila Bashar by the police because Dr McCann refused to withdraw from the Marathon in the way she has been forced to withdraw from book signing appearances ... couldn't run the risk of having the Marathon disrupted could we?

Not true Brietta but of course it was all before your * cough* time so perhaps you're a bout sketchy on the details.

The police did not take action against Sheila Bashier. Mrs Bashier had a friendly chat with a policeman over the phone, apologised for her inappropriate comment, the police saw she was no threat and that was that. Kate McCann was asked to and AFIIAAW didn't consider withdrawing from the race.

In fact the twins accompanied Kate to London and stood at the finishing line to greet her as she finished. Do you think she would have done this if she thought there was any risk ?

[Benice]

I expect that publicly doubting the McCanns does add to the distress of the McCann family. For almost eight years the McCann couple have steadfastly denied playing any part in the disappearance of their daughter. They have acted to silence anyone who suggested they may have been involved.

It must be distressing for the couple and their families that despite all their efforts people still doubt their story. These people don't work in the media and a lot of them post about their doubts on the internet for all to see. Lots of them do it under pseudonyms. There are some who attack the couple personally, but there are others who discuss the evidence in an impersonal manner. These are ordinary people and are very difficult to silence. There are also bloggers writing fairly hard hitting blogs but they don't seem to be breaking any laws as they are still there.

Should all these people keep their opinions to themselves because airing them in public is likely to cause distress? The media have never considered this to be a reason not to print a story. So long as it breaks no laws and is not libelous they have 'printed and be damned'. Why should this not apply to ordinary people who now have a platform where they can express their opinions? Is it disliked because it's anonymous? Those who abuse the online doubters are also anonymous. Perhaps both sides should 'come out of the closet and use their own names?

Perhaps the question we should be asking is why people began to have doubts and why they still have them  almost eight years on?

IMO it's simply not true to claim the McCanns silence anyone who suggest they were involved in their daughter's disappearance.   There are people making that very claim - unchecked - on a daily basis and have done for years.

IMO many of the doubts began because of the massive lies printed in the press in 2007.   Even 8 years on - there are still people who believe them.   Many many more lies and myths have been added since then - also firmly believed by some as being the truth.

A quick read round other fora shows that to be the case.

[faithlilly]

IMO it's simply not true to claim the McCanns silence anyone who suggest they were involved in their daughter's disappearance.   There are people making that very claim - unchecked - on a daily basis and have done for years.

IMO many of the doubts began because of the massive lies printed in the press in 2007.   Even 8 years on - there are still people who believe them.   Many many more lies and myths have been added since then - also firmly believed by some as being the truth.

A quick read round other fora shows that to be the case.

Indeed Benice but that is true on both sides of the divide.

[ferryman]

It would be an astonishing family (in the McCanns' position) that could be genuinely indifferent to the opinions of the rest of the general public.

[Brietta]

Not true Brietta but of course it was all before your * cough* time so perhaps you're a bout sketchy on the details.

The police did not take action against Sheila Bashier. Mrs Bashier had a friendly chat with a policeman over the phone, apologised for her inappropriate comment, the police saw she was no threat and that was that. Kate McCann was asked to and AFIIAAW didn't consider withdrawing from the race.

In fact the twins accompanied Kate to London and stood at the finishing line to greet her as she finished. Do you think she would have done this if she thought there was any risk ?

Marathon gun nut’s threat to kill Kate

Cops probe vile web death threat to mum of missing Madeleine

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4845647/Marathon-gun-nuts-threat-to-kill-Kate-McCann.html


Delighted to hear it was all sorted after a friendly little phone call.

[Jean-Pierre]

I know the shooting threat was discussed on the Facebook page I have mentioned ... as well as running alongside Dr Kate McCann dressed as spaniels ... which was the best part of the route to jump out on her with Madeleine masks on etc. etc.

Disgracefully action was only taken against Sheila Bashar by the police because Dr McCann refused to withdraw from the Marathon in the way she has been forced to withdraw from book signing appearances ... couldn't run the risk of having the Marathon disrupted could we?

Given KM's marathon time is < 4 hours - good luck with that.

It means that a couple of poor sceptics were going to have to finish their KFC breakfast, drag themselves off the daytime TV sofa, put on their lycra onesies and run a marathon in less than 4 hours.   I would pay good money to see that.

[Brietta]

Given KM's marathon time is < 4 hours - good luck with that.

It means that a couple of poor sceptics were going to have to finish their KFC breakfast, drag themselves off the daytime TV sofa, put on their lycra onesies and run a marathon in less than 4 hours.   I would pay good money to see that.

Sigh ... never thought of that JP ... silly me!!  No excuses for that oversight either ... because I have seen some of their photographs.

Do they even make lycra onesies in those sizes?

[Jean-Pierre]

Sigh ... never thought of that JP ... silly me!!  No excuses for that oversight either ... because I have seen some of their photographs.

Do they even make lycra onesies in those sizes?

I think the saving grace of lycra is its ability to stretch!  (damn, I have just put myself off my lunch)

[Benice]

Indeed Benice but that is true on both sides of the divide.

So what lies and long discredited myths about this case have 'supporters' been trotting out on a daily basis  for the last 8 years?

[stephen25000]

So what lies and long discredited myths about this case have 'supporters' been trotting out on a daily basis  for the last 8 years?

So the mccanns leaving their children in an apartment they called a fire risk, all by themselves with intermittent checks is a myth ? %£&)**# &%&£(+ %£&)**# &%&£(+

[Lyall]

Maybe the whitewash brush is more in style for you, Lyall, but in my book people who deliberately plot to cause distress to the family of a missing child have lost the plot somewhere down the line.

I am afraid they were and are far more in your camp than in mine; obviously they don't think it is "meaningless" or why do it and continue to do it by sending alerts to comment on particular newspaper articles and Crime Watch programmes? ... and that is not quite the point anyway, it is the fact they do it at all - have been doing it for nearly eight years now - have consistently attacked one family.

IMO you demean yourself by attempting to defend such activities.

Defend them?

[Brietta]

Defend them?

You will have to be more concise in your definition of trolling before accusing me of it, Lyall ... not that I'm impressed by your gratuitous insult, it doesn't take away from your defence of the indefensible.

There are people who seem to have no better aim in life than using the internet to cause as much distress as they possibly can to the family of a missing child. 

As far as I can see they justify their attacks by using long disproved lies leaked from someone in the original botched investigation ... and delight in newspaper articles such as the one from which my cites are taken advocating criticism of the 'expense' of investigating the case of a missing child at what is probably the 11th hour and made necessary through the incompetence of the initial investigation.

**snip

"First we had a series of Portuguese police investigations, the ineptitude of which is well documented."

"Occupying a large office at New Scotland Yard, the Met’s ‘Madeleine Squad’ have spent four years painstakingly re-examining the botched Portuguese investigation."

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3008479/Yes-s-time-stopped-looking-Maddie-police-boss-says-10m-hunt-end-DAVID-JONES-s-reported-case-eight-years-explains-heavy-heart-agrees.html#ixzz3VJH5rJyN

[Brietta]

She is a true mccann supporter.

Only thinking about the parents

Your opinion, however mean and nasty I may consider it, is irrelevant.

It is my experience that you make inflammatory personal comment which you cannot substantiate ... still waiting for the pejorative cite from yesterday about Dr McCann's mental health, remember.

How many times have you used your mantra blaming the McCann parenting for her disappearance in the past few years ... is that ...

(a)  to remind yourself 
(b)  to remind others 
(c)  because you can't think of anything else even verging on the truth to criticise them for 
(d)  in the hope of continuing to heap distress on the family of a missing child
(e)  or to demonstrate your concern for Madeleine  ??