Should The McCann Twins Be Tabloid Fodder ?

[faithlilly]

Following a rash of stories in the tabloids in the last few days focusing on the remaining McCann children I wondered what fellow members of the forum felt about this use of these vulnerable children to gain column inches ?

In a few months the twins will be starting secondary school, a totally different proposition from the, arguably, more sheltered environment of the primary school. Children can be cruel, and teenagers especially so, so is it really helpful to have the twins names and actions spread all over the tabloids, especially as there seems no discernible reason why they have been exposed to public scrutiny in this way. Is  Kate really unable to tell the relevant journalist that while she and her husband are 'fair game' discussion of their children is ' off limits' ? Would this really be so hard ?

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/6937582/The-twins-are-doing-really-well-but-they-want-their-sister-back-Kate-McCann-opens-up-about-Maddies-siblings.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3451086/Kate-McCann-reveals-told-twins-disappearance-daughter-Madeleine-children-want-sister-back.html with (moderated) comments below

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/495325/Madeleine-McCann-siblings-miss-her-Praia-de-Luz-disappear-Gerry-Kate-McCann-summary

34

[Angelo222]

Following a rash of stories in the tabloids in the last few days focusing on the remaining McCann children I wondered what fellow members of the forum felt about this use of these vulnerable children to gain column inches ?

In a few months the twins will be starting secondary school, a totally different proposition from the, arguably, more sheltered environment of the primary school. Children can be cruel, and teenagers especially so, so is it really helpful to have the twins names and actions spread all over the tabloids, especially as there seems no discernible reason why they have been exposed to public scrutiny in this way. Is  Kate really unable to tell the relevant journalist that while she and her husband are 'fair game' discussion of their children is ' off limits' ? Would this really be so hard ?

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/6937582/The-twins-are-doing-really-well-but-they-want-their-sister-back-Kate-McCann-opens-up-about-Maddies-siblings.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3451086/Kate-McCann-reveals-told-twins-disappearance-daughter-Madeleine-children-want-sister-back.html with (moderated) comments below

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/495325/Madeleine-McCann-siblings-miss-her-Praia-de-Luz-disappear-Gerry-Kate-McCann-summary

I totally agree Faith, if anyone else were to use them in such a manner undoubtedly there would be complaints.

It should be pointed out that all the articles are based on the initial interview which Kate McCann gave to the Sun newspaper.

The McCanns are shamelessly exploiting their remaining children in my opinion.  It's all very well keeping the twins in the loop but using them in such a manner is surreal.

[stephen25000]

Now they are using the twins as a ' good marketing strategy ' it seems.

[Mr Gray]

Following a rash of stories in the tabloids in the last few days focusing on the remaining McCann children I wondered what fellow members of the forum felt about this use of these vulnerable children to gain column inches ?

In a few months the twins will be starting secondary school, a totally different proposition from the, arguably, more sheltered environment of the primary school. Children can be cruel, and teenagers especially so, so is it really helpful to have the twins names and actions spread all over the tabloids, especially as there seems no discernible reason why they have been exposed to public scrutiny in this way. Is  Kate really unable to tell the relevant journalist that while she and her husband are 'fair game' discussion of their children is ' off limits' ? Would this really be so hard ?

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/6937582/The-twins-are-doing-really-well-but-they-want-their-sister-back-Kate-McCann-opens-up-about-Maddies-siblings.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3451086/Kate-McCann-reveals-told-twins-disappearance-daughter-Madeleine-children-want-sister-back.html with (moderated) comments below

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/495325/Madeleine-McCann-siblings-miss-her-Praia-de-Luz-disappear-Gerry-Kate-McCann-summary

I would think that those who despise the mccanns and every word that comes out of their mouth will be outraged and others will be indifferent...totally predictable and boring

[pathfinder73]

She is getting desperate and I wonder why  &%+((£

[Angelo222]

I would think that those who despise the mccanns and every word that comes out of their mouth will be outraged and others will be indifferent...totally predictable and boring

Point being that Kate McCann never learns, she lost one child because of her selfishness and abject stupidity and now she is using the twins solely to get Press headlines.

[Carana]

I don't have a problem with a general update on the twins.

What I have a problem with is:

- "experts" insisting that their sister is dead with no proof.
- "experts" accusing their parents of various forms of criminal activity
- nutters threatening to kidnap them to "make Kate talk"
- armchair detectives snapping them and uploading their photos.
- nutters announcing they're going to inform them that their sister's body is under RM's driveway
- nutters who perpetuate long-debunked myths in the hope that the twins will eventually learn the "truth"
- "satirists" who post obscene / upsetting cartoons / graphics / photoshopped images
- nutters pamphleting their village as they were about to start school
- interfering busibodies attempting to get their parents struck off the medical register
- interfering busibodies attempting to get the twins taken away from their parents
- nutters who were petitioning to get the case reopened because they assumed that the parents would soon be locked up, then who petitioned to get the case shut down again when they realised that this wasn't the case

- (...)

[Mr Gray]

I don't have a problem with a general update on the twins.

What I have a problem with is:

- "experts" insisting that their sister is dead with no proof.
- "experts" accusing their parents of various forms of criminal activity
- nutters threatening to kidnap them to "make Kate talk"
- armchair detectives snapping them and uploading their photos.
- nutters announcing they're going to inform them that their sister's body is under RM's driveway
- nutters who perpetuate long-debunked myths in the hope that the twins will eventually learn the "truth"
- "satirists" who post obscene / upsetting cartoons / graphics / photoshopped images
- (...)

so...so...true

[Erngath]

I don't have a problem with a general update on the twins.

What I have a problem with is:

- "experts" insisting that their sister is dead with no proof.
- "experts" accusing their parents of various forms of criminal activity
- nutters threatening to kidnap them to "make Kate talk"
- armchair detectives snapping them and uploading their photos.
- nutters announcing they're going to inform them that their sister's body is under RM's driveway
- nutters who perpetuate long-debunked myths in the hope that the twins will eventually learn the "truth"
- "satirists" who post obscene / upsetting cartoons / graphics / photoshopped images
- (...)

Very well said Carana.
Amazing the outrage at these press stories which pale into insignificance when compared with the "muck " posted online about their parents.

[Brietta]

Point being that Kate McCann never learns, she lost one child because of her selfishness and abject stupidity and now she is using the twins solely to get Press headlines.

Is it selfish and stupid to keep awareness of a missing child in the public domain ... or to use your horrific experience to help try to recover the children of others who may one day find themselves in a similar situation and traumatised by their child going missing?
All a matter of opinion.

The notion that the McCann children are being exploited by their parents is risible.

**Snip
Kate told how her family have been "completely amazed" by the fact Maddie, whose 13th birthday is in May, is still so much in the minds of the public despite being missing for so long.

She said the "outpouring" of support has kept them going over the past nine years.

This week Kate launched a two week campaign in The Sun to get a million people to sign up to receive free text alerts when a child goes missing or is believed to be in imminent danger.

The Child Rescue Alert campaign encourages people to sign up by texting the word HERO and their postcode to 85080.

It is run by charity Missing People in partnership with the National Crime Agency and education technology company Groupcall.

So far more than 330,000 have pledged their support for the campaign.

Registration costs a standard network text message rate.

Sign up free at www.childrescuealert.org.uk

Read more: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Missing-Madeleine-McCann-s-twin-brother-sister/story-28761684-detail/story.html#ixzz40W1Q5o1b

[Angelo222]

And I have a problem with parents of a missing child who:

- Jeopardize their children's safety by their selfish conduct.
- Blame everyone else while refusing to take responsibility for their own actions.
- Claim abduction in the absence of any evidence.
- Invent timings and refuse to take part in an official reconstruction.
- Refuse to cooperate with police including answering questions while under caution.
- Undermine the official police investigation and publish childish slants aimed at serving police officers.

[Carana]

so...so...true

I just added to my growing list...

[jassi]

I don't have a problem with a general update on the twins.

What I have a problem with is:

- "experts" insisting that their sister is dead with no proof.
- "experts" accusing their parents of various forms of criminal activity
- nutters threatening to kidnap them to "make Kate talk"
- armchair detectives snapping them and uploading their photos.
- nutters announcing they're going to inform them that their sister's body is under RM's driveway
- nutters who perpetuate long-debunked myths in the hope that the twins will eventually learn the "truth"
- "satirists" who post obscene / upsetting cartoons / graphics / photoshopped images
- nutters pamphleting their village as they were about to start school
- interfering busibodies attempting to get their parents struck off the medical register
- interfering busibodies attempting to get the twins taken away from their parents
- nutters who were petitioning to get the case reopened because they assumed that the parents would soon be locked up, then who petitioned to get the case shut down again when they realised that this wasn't the case

- (...)

You do seem to have a lot of problems.

[Angelo222]

Is it selfish and stupid to keep awareness of a missing child in the public domain ... or to use your horrific experience to help try to recover the children of others who may one day find themselves in a similar situation and traumatised by their child going missing?
All a matter of opinion.

The notion that the McCann children are being exploited by their parents is risible.

**Snip
Kate told how her family have been "completely amazed" by the fact Maddie, whose 13th birthday is in May, is still so much in the minds of the public despite being missing for so long.

She said the "outpouring" of support has kept them going over the past nine years.

This week Kate launched a two week campaign in The Sun to get a million people to sign up to receive free text alerts when a child goes missing or is believed to be in imminent danger.

The Child Rescue Alert campaign encourages people to sign up by texting the word HERO and their postcode to 85080.

It is run by charity Missing People in partnership with the National Crime Agency and education technology company Groupcall.

So far more than 330,000 have pledged their support for the campaign.

Registration costs a standard network text message rate.

Sign up free at www.childrescuealert.org.uk

Read more: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Missing-Madeleine-McCann-s-twin-brother-sister/story-28761684-detail/story.html#ixzz40W1Q5o1b

The association of the McCanns with a child alert system is what is laughable.  These are the parents whose selfish actions resulted in them losing their daughter (reason for disappearance still undetermined) which renders the project somewhat tainted by Kate McCann's involvement.

[Brietta]

I don't have a problem with a general update on the twins.

What I have a problem with is:

- "experts" insisting that their sister is dead with no proof.
- "experts" accusing their parents of various forms of criminal activity
- nutters threatening to kidnap them to "make Kate talk"
- armchair detectives snapping them and uploading their photos.
- nutters announcing they're going to inform them that their sister's body is under RM's driveway
- nutters who perpetuate long-debunked myths in the hope that the twins will eventually learn the "truth"
- "satirists" who post obscene / upsetting cartoons / graphics / photoshopped images
- (...)

Excellent post, Carana.

Even if the McCanns wished to protect the twins from all of that and more they could not.  The only way to protect them is if they have a total understanding of exactly what happened as far as they know it and the truth of all that has happened at the time and since.
I think they must have gradually had to introduce the twins to what is on the internet ... it would be impossible for them to be allowed access otherwise.

I wonder if there is a single sceptic who would welcome it if their family was being portrayed in the way the McCann family and any associated with them have been.