Shannon Matthews

[Betty Boop]

Why is the disappearance of this wee girl, not given the same media attention of the Madeline McCann case? I don't see Richard Branson or any other rich business men coming forward to offer any assistance to her shattered family. Is that because they are ordinary working class people? Double standards in this country or what? :bitchy: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3463481.ece

[Pretty Boy]

Spot on, children go missing everyday in housing schemes across Britain but it's only when it is a nice middle class family that the media give a toss. Unfortunately it's the case in most aspects of life , if you have nothing to offer the media or Mr Branson or anyone else who has got their face attached to the McCann case they are just not interested.

I should probably point out here i feel heartily sorry for the McCanns and everything they have been through, this is a dig at the hypocritical media not them as people.

[sharon 1875]

Hope shes found soon

[GC]

Hope shes found soon


Likewise, sadly I only see one outcome from this though.

[sharon 1875]

Likewise, sadly I only see one outcome from this though.


I know but i hope not.

[alex plode]

Hope she's found soon but the relative lack of publicity doesn't have anything to do with her poor "working class" background.

Sarah Payne, Holly Wells & Jessica Chapman were all from ordinary families yet these cases swamped the media at the time not because of family backgound, but because all 3 girls (and Maddie McCann) were photogenic, and that sells papers.

[Betty Boop]

Hope she's found soon but the relative lack of publicity doesn't have anything to do with her poor "working class" background.

Sarah Payne, Holly Wells & Jessica Chapman were all from ordinary families yet these cases swamped the media at the time not because of family backgound, but because all 3 girls (and Maddie McCann) were photogenic, and that sells papers.Do you really think that is why this wee soul's disappearance has not had the media attention of others, because she is not "photogenic"! That is outrageous if true! :bitchy:

[alex plode]

Do you really think that is why this wee soul's disappearance has not had the media attention of others, because she is not "photogenic"! That is outrageous if true! :bitchy:

Unfortunately yes and agree..it is outrageous.

Look at todays papers.. Shannon Mathew's pal is on the front cover of ONE tabloid, other papers have a variety of stories including a nice picture of Carol Barnes in a split skirt !

Maddie McCann was on the front of The Express , EVERY DAY for around six moths after her disappearance. Don't think that's got much to do with family roots tbh.

Further recent example...Steve Wright is convicted of killing 5 prostitutes and strongly suspected of at least one other unsolved case, so the Daily Mail post a picture of Suzi Lamplugh... :confused:
She was once on the same boat as the killer, but no evidence linking Wright to her murder.

Pretty children and attractive females sell papers - sad but true.

[Dashing Bob S]

Why is the disappearance of this wee girl, not given the same media attention of the Madeline McCann case? I don't see Richard Branson or any other rich business men coming forward to offer any assistance to her shattered family. Is that because they are ordinary working class people? Double standards in this country or what? :bitchy: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3463481.ece

Definately the case, no doubt about it. This child's life simply isn't valued as high by the people that are influential in our society.

[Dashing Bob S]

Unfortunately yes and agree..it is outrageous.

Look at todays papers.. Shannon Mathew's pal is on the front cover of ONE tabloid, other papers have a variety of stories including a nice picture of Carol Barnes in a split skirt !

Maddie McCann was on the front of The Express , EVERY DAY for around six moths after her disappearance. Don't think that's got much to do with family roots tbh.

Further recent example...Steve Wright is convicted of killing 5 prostitutes and strongly suspected of at least one other unsolved case, so the Daily Mail post a picture of Suzi Lamplugh... :confused:
She was once on the same boat as the killer, but no evidence linking Wright to her murder.

Pretty children and attractive females sell papers - sad but true.

And you are completely correct as well. The powers that be have a deep-rooted prejudice against the 'undeserving' victims and the 'deserving' ones. An obese child, for example, would get less sympathy as their parents would be considered lacking for letting them get in that state.

[RigRoars]

Unfortunately yes and agree..it is outrageous.

Look at todays papers.. Shannon Mathew's pal is on the front cover of ONE tabloid, other papers have a variety of stories including a nice picture of Carol Barnes in a split skirt !

Maddie McCann was on the front of The Express , EVERY DAY for around six moths after her disappearance. Don't think that's got much to do with family roots tbh.

Further recent example...Steve Wright is convicted of killing 5 prostitutes and strongly suspected of at least one other unsolved case, so the Daily Mail post a picture of Suzi Lamplugh... :confused:
She was once on the same boat as the killer, but no evidence linking Wright to her murder.

Pretty children and attractive females sell papers - sad but true.


These reasons never even crossed my mind until i read your post.I have to agree with everything you say however,and It makes me sick to my stomach.

[--------]

Why is the disappearance of this wee girl, not given the same media attention of the Madeline McCann case? I don't see Richard Branson or any other rich business men coming forward to offer any assistance to her shattered family. Is that because they are ordinary working class people? Double standards in this country or what? :bitchy: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3463481.ece


The fact is the McCanns had friends in the media who were able to use their contacts to keep Madeleine on the front pages for months.

And every time the story began to flag, either Gerry or Kate would hold a press conference or make a plea or an allegation or whatever to get it running again.

And then there was the suspicion that the McCanns might have had something to do with their daughter's disappearance. Nothing like a whiff of scandal to keep the tabs interested.

The fact that the Portuguese police could be targetted as either incompetent or hostile - xenophobia sells papers.

And the photos of the McCann child were VERY press-friendly - lots of informal shots of her at home and on the beach and so on. A big, loud, yelling family (however creepy they might appear from time to time) doesn't hurt.

And the wee girl - big blue eyes, blonde hair, button nose, rosebud lips - was just about the perfect child for the press's purpose - which was to sell papers. There were a lot of journos looking to make their careers out of Maddy McCann that summer.

And sad to say, the press aren't interested in another child-abduction so soon after the McCann story. The readers are abduction-weary, thanks to the six-month blanket coverage achieved by the McCanns. For all Kate-an-gerry's big talk about doing this, that and the other to fight child abduction, "to make sure others didn't have to suffer like we have," as they said, what they've actually done for their daughter or for anyone else's daughter amounts right now to a BIG, FAT, FURRY ZERO. LESS than zero, because right now a lot of people are (horrid to say, but it's true) BORED by child-abduction stories.

Meanwhile, poor wee Shannon's mum and dad suffer agonies.

[The cooler king]

The fact is the McCanns had friends in the media who were able to use their contacts to keep Madeleine on the front pages for months.

And every time the story began to flag, either Gerry or Kate would hold a press conference or make a plea or an allegation or whatever to get it running again.

And then there was the suspicion that the McCanns might have had something to do with their daughter's disappearance. Nothing like a whiff of scandal to keep the tabs interested.

The fact that the Portuguese police could be targetted as either incompetent or hostile - xenophobia sells papers.

And the photos of the McCann child were VERY press-friendly - lots of informal shots of her at home and on the beach and so on. A big, loud, yelling family (however creepy they might appear from time to time) doesn't hurt.

And the wee girl - big blue eyes, blonde hair, button nose, rosebud lips - was just about the perfect child for the press's purpose - which was to sell papers. There were a lot of journos looking to make their careers out of Maddy McCann that summer.

And sad to say, the press aren't interested in another child-abduction so soon after the McCann story. The readers are abduction-weary, thanks to the six-month blanket coverage achieved by the McCanns. For all Kate-an-gerry's big talk about doing this, that and the other to fight child abduction, "to make sure others didn't have to suffer like we have," as they said, what they've actually done for their daughter or for anyone else's daughter amounts right now to a BIG, FAT, FURRY ZERO. LESS than zero, because right now a lot of people are (horrid to say, but it's true) BORED by child-abduction stories.

Meanwhile, poor wee Shannon's mum and dad suffer agonies.

When your are guilty of 'disassociation of parental responsibility' what ohter avenues did the McCanns have to take?

[Loobrush]

It's quite astounding really. The way the media works is a joke.

[weestu4hibs]

i hve listend to all this talk , but people are forgeting , there is a wee inoscent girl still missing , it should not matter your back ground , thats what makes me sad ! people talk about the family , does it realy matter where you cxome from , you love your child no matter what , its a sad day when it comes down to class

[weestu4hibs]

The fact is the McCanns had friends in the media who were able to use their contacts to keep Madeleine on the front pages for months.

And every time the story began to flag, either Gerry or Kate would hold a press conference or make a plea or an allegation or whatever to get it running again.

And then there was the suspicion that the McCanns might have had something to do with their daughter's disappearance. Nothing like a whiff of scandal to keep the tabs interested.

The fact that the Portuguese police could be targetted as either incompetent or hostile - xenophobia sells papers.

And the photos of the McCann child were VERY press-friendly - lots of informal shots of her at home and on the beach and so on. A big, loud, yelling family (however creepy they might appear from time to time) doesn't hurt.

And the wee girl - big blue eyes, blonde hair, button nose, rosebud lips - was just about the perfect child for the press's purpose - which was to sell papers. There were a lot of journos looking to make their careers out of Maddy McCann that summer.

And sad to say, the press aren't interested in another child-abduction so soon after the McCann story. The readers are abduction-weary, thanks to the six-month blanket coverage achieved by the McCanns. For all Kate-an-gerry's big talk about doing this, that and the other to fight child abduction, "to make sure others didn't have to suffer like we have," as they said, what they've actually done for their daughter or for anyone else's daughter amounts right now to a BIG, FAT, FURRY ZERO. LESS than zero, because right now a lot of people are (horrid to say, but it's true) BORED by child-abduction stories.

Meanwhile, poor wee Shannon's mum and dad suffer agonies.
bored of child abductions , you are a very sad man , saddo

[bingo70]

bored of child abductions , you are a very sad man , saddo

youve obviously mis-understood, doddie's not bored of child abductions, its that the press dont want to print more stories about it as they think there's no more papers to be sold with stories like these.

[--------]

bored of child abductions , you are a very sad man , saddo


You owe me an apology, mate.

Read the post.

The fact is that the McCanns managed the media very, very well. In this they were helped by the fact that they and the wee girl were/are extremely photogenic.

The tabloids COULD have run the Shannon Matthews story as energetically as the McCann story if they had wanted to. They haven't, so I assume they didn't want to. Why? Because editors made a judgement call that running the Shannon M story wouldn't sell as many papers as some of the other stories they've been running these past few days. That's disgusting IMO, but it surely reflects the media values today's press and TV have embraced.

You're suggesting that I view child abductions as entertainment, and that after the Madeleine McCann story I can't be bothered to read anything about Shannon?

If we ever meet at a game, you'd better make sure I don't know who you are, pal.

[Jack]

Missing nine-year-old Shannon Matthews is reported to have been found alive in West Yorkshire.

[JimBHibees]

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1309334,00.html

Sky news will be interesting to find out where she was.

[Jack]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/7296756.stm


Missing West Yorkshire schoolgirl Shannon Matthews has been found alive, it has been reported.


West Yorkshire Police are yet to confirm that she has been found but said they were investigating reports the nine-year-old had been found.

She was last seen at Westmoor Junior School, Dewsbury on 19 February.
The force said the operation was the biggest missing person's case it had undertaken since the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper.

Unconfirmed reports say she has been found in nearby Lidgate Gardens in Batley Carr.
West Yorkshire Police said they were looking into reports that Shannon has been found alive.

[Barney McGrew]

Reports now suggesting that she was found hiding under a bed in her grandparents house.

[JimBHibees]

Reports now suggesting that she was found hiding under a bed in her grandparents house.

Yep on Sky website.

Dear oh dear. Can see the Old Bill getting a major slating for that?

[GreenandGlaikit]

Reports now suggesting that she was found hiding under a bed in her grandparents house.

Glad she's (reportedly) OK. :thumbsup: That however is a pretty weird report . Hiding under a bed??? :dunno:

The emotional cruelty perpetrated against the Mother seems staggering.

[shamo9]

Reports claiming she might have ran away. I don't think everything is what it seems in this case...

[JimBHibees]

Glad she's (reportedly) OK. :thumbsup: That however is a pretty weird report . Hiding under a bed??? :dunno:

The emotional cruelty perpetrated against the Mother seems staggering.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1309334,00.html

Seems the earlier reports appear to be wrong. Now saying she was found at the flat of a man who has in the past had kids taken into care. A bit more sinister sounding.

[Chez]

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1309334,00.html

Seems the earlier reports appear to be wrong. Now saying she was found at the flat of a man who has in the past had kids taken into care. A bit more sinister sounding.

Shannon' been put into care today until, at least, Monday, when it will be reviewed - why :confused:

[GhostofBolivar]

Shannon' been put into care today until, at least, Monday, when it will be reviewed - why :confused:

Probably for her own safety. Family are always suspects in these cases. The police don't want to put her in a situation where she could be in danger. They also want to keep a close eye on her so they can find out what happened in a non-threatening fashion - rather than surrounding her with polis and demanding she talks.

[--------]

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1309334,00.html

Seems the earlier reports appear to be wrong. Now saying she was found at the flat of a man who has in the past had kids taken into care. A bit more sinister sounding.


:agree: VERY strange.

[Betty Boop]

Shannon's step-dad has been arrested, accused of downloading indecent images of children. Good God no wonder the wee girl has not been allowed home! :bitchy:

[JimBHibees]

Very weird to be honest. Watched a documentary a few weeks ago where the family had let a Channel 4 camera crew into their house during the time the kid was missing. Seemed an unbelieveable thing to do in the circumstances especially when C4 stated at the end of the show the family hadnt been paid for it.

[Mike777]

this step father did look like a sly guy all the way through the documentry,
reckon he has something to do with it?

[davym7062]

why has the mother only seen her once since she was found?? summits not right:agree:

[hibsdaft]

i agree with the posts above about the media and i offer another reason for the lack of coverage on this one - the journalists would rather 6 months in the Algarve making stories up than a months honest reporting in winter-time Yorkshire

absolute vermin :agree:

[Ed De Gramo]

End of the day....this whole story is very fishy...:agree:

Child goes missing...mother investigated by Social Services 2 weeks earlier...Stepdad has child porn on his PC...Child found at Stepdad's Uncle's house...mother only had a brief reunion with daughter....

Something doesn't add up....

[shamo9]

Reports claiming she might have ran away. I don't think everything is what it seems in this case...
14/3/08

I'm a seer, damn it, bow before me:angeldevi

[Steve-O]

The mystery deepends further -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/bradford/7331107.stm

[Jay]

14/3/08

I'm a seer, damn it, bow before me:angeldevi

Maybe thats why the media interest appeared not to be there? Maybe the police asked them to back off a bit? I felt there was something not right about this case and often wondered if the family wanted to court publicity for money?

Whatever the reason I'm just glad the wee girl is fine and being cared for.

[bingo70]

i agree with the posts above about the media and i offer another reason for the lack of coverage on this one - the journalists would rather 6 months in the Algarve making stories up than a months honest reporting in winter-time Yorkshire

absolute vermin :agree:

absolute pish :agree:

the journalists would have no say if they were there or not, it'd be down to there bosses who would rather have them in the U.K so they could deal with other stories at the same time.

before declaring journalists vermin you should probably have a clue what yer talkin aboot.

[Steve-O]

Deary deary me...think some people will be retracting their outpouring of sympathy soon...?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/bradford/7333898.stm

[Hanny]

Deary deary me...think some people will be retracting their outpouring of sympathy soon...?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/bradford/7333898.stm

The deeply cynical part of me thinks the family saw the publicity the McCann's were getting and thought they could 'cash in' on Shannon.

Whatever is going on, it's quite clearly a bit suspicious.

[Sylar]

I heard an interesting "theory" on this fiasco today.

In an interview with the mother, when she was missing, she moaned about the financial assistance that was put up front to help the McCann's. I'm not sure I conspire to the following, but certainly see reason for it being mentioned:

The whole thing was a stitch up - the family sent her off to be hidden, out of sight, attempting to squeeze support money (similar to the FindMaddie campaign) out of a "sympathetic British public" and became bitter when it backfired.

Considering all the inconsistencies surrounding the situation, I thought this an interesting (if not a little controversial) theory.

Thoughts? Feasability?

[AFKA5814_Hibs]

I heard an interesting "theory" on this fiasco today.

In an interview with the mother, when she was missing, she moaned about the financial assistance that was put up front to help the McCann's. I'm not sure I conspire to the following, but certainly see reason for it being mentioned:

The whole thing was a stitch up - the family sent her off to be hidden, out of sight, attempting to squeeze support money (similar to the FindMaddie campaign) out of a "sympathetic British public" and became bitter when it backfired.

Considering all the inconsistencies surrounding the situation, I thought this an interesting (if not a little controversial) theory.

Thoughts? Pheasability?

Very feasible.

Not surprised it's all backfired on them, they don't look the brightest bunch.

[stu in nottingham]

I heard an interesting "theory" on this fiasco today.

In an interview with the mother, when she was missing, she moaned about the financial assistance that was put up front to help the McCann's. I'm not sure I conspire to the following, but certainly see reason for it being mentioned:

The whole thing was a stitch up - the family sent her off to be hidden, out of sight, attempting to squeeze support money (similar to the FindMaddie campaign) out of a "sympathetic British public" and became bitter when it backfired.

Considering all the inconsistencies surrounding the situation, I thought this an interesting (if not a little controversial) theory.

Thoughts? Feasability?

It's reported that Karen Matthews admitted in the back of the police car when being arrested that she knew where Shannon was all along. If that's the case it would certainly support that theory.

It's the little girl I feel really sorry for.

[DaveF]

Thoroughly depressing stuff if this pans out to be true and I wouldn't be at all surprised if these theories are genuine.

Criminal masterminds they ain't.

[Hibbie_Cameron]

I came out with this threory the day she was found under the bed.

I should be a policeman:greengrin

[Pheona]

Surely not :bitchy:

Read para. 6 (http://www.tiscali.co.uk/news/newswire.php/news/pa/uknews/story0.html&template=/news/feeds/story-template-pa.html)

[Sylar]

I hope the entire family are jailed for fraud - absolute joke.

[GreenandGlaikit]

Surely not :bitchy:

Read para. 6 (http://www.tiscali.co.uk/news/newswire.php/news/pa/uknews/story0.html&template=/news/feeds/story-template-pa.html)

Thats damn shocking, if true. :mad:


Seems "Shameless" might be a documentary no a drama.:greengrin

[LustForLeith]

Another nail in the coffin of Britain. Why work hard to get what you want in life when you can pretend your child is missing feared dead, gain public sympathy and money and waste valuable police time and £5 million of tax payers money in the process.

If thats what happened.

[steakbake]

its almost too good to be true. It's like an episode of shameless, cash in the attic, crimewatch and jeremy kyle all rolled into one. is there a tapas 7 in this particularly sordid case?

The Farmfoods 6?

It's just people. People are very strange.

[alex plode]

What I don't get is; if this was intended as a hoax; how were they going to get a poor eight year old girl to lie to the police, once she was "found" ?

[steakbake]

Likewise, sadly I only see one outcome from this though.

bet you didn't see her being found in her "uncle's" divan drawer?

[shamo9]

The main victims in this cause are the families that genuinely have a relative missing. Imagine the amount of tv coverage this pointless case has received and how it could have been used to help the thousands currently lost to us in this country.

[steakbake]

The main victims in this cause are the families that genuinely have a relative missing. Imagine the amount of tv coverage this pointless case has received and how it could have been used to help the thousands currently lost to us in this country.

Totally agree with that. What a hopeless waste of time for the police. At one stage, they were saying it was the biggest police operation in Yorkshire since the Peter Sutcliffe crimes.

I just don't understand it either.

[stu in nottingham]

Totally agree with that. What a hopeless waste of time for the police. At one stage, they were saying it was the biggest police operation in Yorkshire since the Peter Sutcliffe crimes.

I just don't understand it either.

Another thing I personally don't understand is that it was reputedly the biggest police operation since Sutcliffe but it took that long to find her at her relative's house just one mile away from her home.

[steakbake]

Another thing I personally don't understand is that it was reputedly the biggest police operation since Sutcliffe but it took that long to find her at her relative's house just one mile away from her home.

They can't have been looking very hard!!

Maybe it was a Wickerman style thing and they were only hoping for the local bobby to come and try to find her? Instead they got everyone on the case (and here's us under perpetual threat of terrorism, too) and they couldn't decide which one of them to burn at the end?

Still, it's justified a few peoples' existences for a while, journoes included and it's contributed a thread on hibs.net

[Hanny]

.....with child neglect and perverting the course of justice.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1312223,00.html

Honestly :wtf:

[ScapeGoat]

Anyone seen the film Idiocracy (has the bloke from Scrubs in it)?
Not a million miles away from reality...

[Chez]

.....
http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1312223,00.html

Honestly :wtf:

:agree: And her house is now boarded up - no chance of her getting her children back for a good while anyway, if at all :agree:

[Phil D. Rolls]

First up, there is the matter of care for the child. It would appear her mother has been neglectful and lacking care for Shannon. Something should be done about that.

I was thinking about the whole thing this morning and comparing this case to the McCanns. It seems to me that there could be a whole class issue here.

On one hand you have neglectful parents who are too busy partying with their pals to take care of their child. On the other hand you have a bunch of radges from a sink estate doing pretty much the same thing.

Why then the vitriol being heaped on one party, whilst the other seems to have elevated itself to being beyond criticism?

Could it be that much of the anger - whether based on a false assumption or not - which many hold towards the McCanns, is now being vented on this other family.

Middle class people lose a child, it's "terrible, what a shame, they are decent people, etc" . Same thing happens to a radge family and everyone can turn on them with impunity.

[steakbake]

i think the mccanns probably had the added advantage of being well taken care of in terms of their pr and so on, setting up a fund etc. they could also rely on the usual british tabloid attitude that foreign police are inept.

i dont really think there is a society on earth where there aren't haves and have nots, working or middle class = whatever you want to call it. maybe cuba and north korea, but then everyone there is in the have nots apart from the clique of leaders who constitute the haves.

i think with the shannon matthews thing, there was always the possibility that she wanted to leave her family. with the mccann case, she was such an age that that kind of choice would appear to be unthinkable.

[Phil D. Rolls]

i think the mccanns probably had the added advantage of being well taken care of in terms of their pr and so on, setting up a fund etc. they could also rely on the usual british tabloid attitude that foreign police are inept.

i dont really think there is a society on earth where there aren't haves and have nots, working or middle class = whatever you want to call it. maybe cuba and north korea, but then everyone there is in the have nots apart from the clique of leaders who constitute the haves.

i think with the shannon matthews thing, there was always the possibility that she wanted to leave her family. with the mccann case, she was such an age that that kind of choice would appear to be unthinkable.

Fair point, there are a lot of things which make the cases different, not least of which has been the fact that Shannon has showed up alive and well, whilst Madeleine is still missing.

At the same time, however, I think people are more ready to believe bad things of the underclasses than of the middle classes.

The acid test would be public reaction if the McCanns were ever shown to be guilty of anything to do with their daughter's disappearance.

Just now the only real evidence of difference in approach is the reaction to accusations of neglect. It seems to me that if the Matthews had left their kid at home alone whilst bevvying with pals, then they would be subject to a lot more vitriol than Kate and Gerry have been.

[LustForLeith]

Fair point, there are a lot of things which make the cases different, not least of which has been the fact that Shannon has showed up alive and well, whilst Madeleine is still missing.

At the same time, however, I think people are more ready to believe bad things of the underclasses than of the middle classes.

The acid test would be public reaction if the McCanns were ever shown to be guilty of anything to do with their daughter's disappearance.

Just now the only real evidence of difference in approach is the reaction to accusations of neglect. It seems to me that if the Matthews had left their kid at home alone whilst bevvying with pals, then they would be subject to a lot more vitriol than Kate and Gerry have been.

Can see what you mean, I'm not the biggest fan of The McCanns but I think their biggest mistake is leaving their children alone that night. As for The Matthews clan, the accusations are that they hid her for financial gain make me sick. It seems one family are searching to get their daughter back while another might have hid her, had the Yorkshire police and £5 million of tax payers money looking for her.

One thing that got me was claims were made that the Matthews family didn't get as much publicity as The McCanns because if class. Looking back on it now and if the claims they have hidden her, this was was jsut a plea for more exposure and money.

Can see where your coming from though.

[Phil D. Rolls]

Can see what you mean, I'm not the biggest fan of The McCanns but I think their biggest mistake is leaving their children alone that night. As for The Matthews clan, the accusations are that they hid her for financial gain make me sick. It seems one family are searching to get their daughter back while another might have hid her, had the Yorkshire police and £5 million of tax payers money looking for her.

One thing that got me was claims were made that the Matthews family didn't get as much publicity as The McCanns because if class. Looking back on it now and if the claims they have hidden her, this was was jsut a plea for more exposure and money.

Can see where your coming from though.

Can see where you're coming from as well. It hadn't crossed my mind that they might have been after money till the other night when someone mentioned it.

Pretty grim indictment on our "celebrity" culture, where people might think that being part of a media circus = fame and cash. I believe they could have done that though - I watch jeremy kyle on a regular basis and it amazes me the desperate measure some poor people will go to for attention and a maybe a wee bit of cash.

[LustForLeith]

Can see where you're coming from as well. It hadn't crossed my mind that they might have been after money till the other night when someone mentioned it.

Pretty grim indictment on our "celebrity" culture, where people might think that being part of a media circus = fame and cash. I believe they could have done that though - I watch jeremy kyle on a regular basis and it amazes me the desperate measure some poor people will go to for attention and a maybe a wee bit of cash.

I can't understand why you'd want to go on that, but I know someone recently who was at a party with people who many would describe as 'working class' (none of them worked mind) and two of them were proud of the fact they'd been on the jeremy kyle show.

Reckon inequaility and not poverty (as some people suggest) is running Britain just. "I would liek some money to treat myself but instead of working for it I'm going to steal/have loads of kids and claim benefits/get myself on show trashy telly show/pretend my daughter is missing and make a fortune that way."

As said before, another nail in the coffin of Britain. Along with the couple who won £100,000 on a scracth card but are complaining because they can't pay the rent on their council house. Even although they blew all the money and went on 11 holidays.

[steakbake]

i just think that the notion of the working class and middle class has been totally dismantled. how do you identify a person as working class or middle class? what is a middle class "area"? what are working class values and how are they different from middle class values?

to be honest, things have not moved on any way since rowntree's report post war: ignorance, illness, apathy and dependency.

those aren't working class things at all. they are a problem of poverty and poverty is in no way the same as the 'working class'.

[Phil D. Rolls]

i just think that the notion of the working class and middle class has been totally dismantled. how do you identify a person as working class or middle class? what is a middle class "area"? what are working class values and how are they different from middle class values?

to be honest, things have not moved on any way since rowntree's report post war: ignorance, illness, apathy and dependency.

those aren't working class things at all. they are a problem of poverty and poverty is in no way the same as the 'working class'.

Very hard these days - especially in a Britain where everyone gets to be a winner.

[steakbake]

Very hard these days - especially in a Britain where everyone gets to be a winner.

and if you dont win, you're a runner up!!

its a bit like the SPL. You can win it, come second, or be in the top six.

[LustForLeith]

and if you dont win, you're a runner up!!

its a bit like the SPL. You can win it, come second, or be in the top six.

Or be in the bottom half but finish on more points than the team above you

[Phil D. Rolls]

Or be in the bottom half but finish on more points than the team above you

Don't forget the "form since Xmas" league, where you can actually qualify for the UEFA Cup slot.

[LustForLeith]

Don't forget the "form since Xmas" league, where you can actually qualify for the UEFA Cup slot.

What about quailifying on the basis of the number of bookings you've had?

[Sylar]

Or teams who get praised for their "good discipline".

Always makes me think of the Chris Rock sketch about black people and their pride in everyday things:

"You know the worst thing about [black people]? [Black people] always want credit for some **** they supposed to do. A [black person'll] brag about some **** a normal man just does. A [black man'll] say some **** like 'I take care of my kids.' You supposed to you dumb mutha ****er! What kind of ignorant **** is that! 'I ain't never been to jail!'What do you want, a cookie?! You're not supposed to go to jail you low expectation-having mother****er!"

Chris Rock - wikiquote

To appease the PC community, i've replaced the "n" word which CR uses frequently.

I'm aware there's a lot of censored words in there so if any mod does deem it as innappropriate, feel free to remove it - don't want to tread on any toes - merely using an example to my original comment :)

[capitals_finest]

These animals probably done the wee girl a favour as hopefully the authorities will find her a decent family and she will get a fresh start in life.

[LustForLeith]

Whats peoples thoughts on the McCanns now? Interesting that theres been a leakk from the Portogues police saying that in her origianl statement Maddie asked Kate why she didn't come to her when she was crying the night before?

What I'm wondering is that if they were proven to be neglectful of Maddie, woudl they risk losing their other children? Just wondering, still think that their guilty of leaving her and her siblings by themselfs that night.

[steakbake]

they are still suspects for something. 'arguidos'

i just don't know about the mccanns. i dont think we will ever find out the truth of it.

[strummbo]

anyone any idea where the other 6 kids are?

I dunno, maybe morality has taken a dive for some folk these days

in this age of greed, impoverishment, cynicism etc

the only tangible similarity for me that means something to me is that i and my missus would never have done this. I.e. leaving my kids in a hotel a la the McAnns or what Shannons parents-***-guardians have done

Poor wee Maddie and Shannon.

[cabbageandribs1875]

Whats peoples thoughts on the McCanns now? Interesting that theres been a leakk from the Portogues police saying that in her origianl statement Maddie asked Kate why she didn't come to her when she was crying the night before?

...


would be more interesting to find out what the views are of some of the original posters views regarding this poor "hard done tae" mathews family, who thought it was quite easy to slate the polis:agree: a family of beasts/benefit fraudsters/and downright liars:agree: oh, and good luck to the mother getting her planned "make-over" costing the tax payers upwards of 100K, but as a previous poster said this family have probably done the young lassie a favour(although probably psychologically damaged for the rest of her life)at least she will hopefully get brought up by people who do care for her well-being :agree:



P.S. also delighted the mother is being remanded in custody until her trial on 11th november(might give her some time to reflect on things)...maybe not.

[Phil D. Rolls]

Another thing I personally don't understand is that it was reputedly the biggest police operation since Sutcliffe but it took that long to find her at her relative's house just one mile away from her home.

I reckon they knew fine what was going on, and had to go through the motions. Extreme sensitivity was required.

[lyonhibs]

In words of one syllable - if, as suspected, this Karen Matthews dole-**** (I make no apologies for using that phrase in the context) has used her innocent daughter as some sort of football in a sham "class war" in an attempt to weedle money out of a fund for a genuinely missing child (quite puttin aside the behaviour of the McCanns for one moment), appeared on tv tearfully holding her "missing" daughters favourite teddy etc etc - in fact has majorily ripped the pish and spat in the face of any parent who's child has GENUINELY gone missing, was in on this all the time, she needs a sound beating with a baseball bat and a LENGTHY LENGTHY jail sentence - I would be happy to administer either one of the above two myself.

What she's done - quite apart from the 7 kids by 5 different men (seriously - wtf!!!) - is thoroughly reprehensible - there are couples out there that would give their left arms to have kids, and would make excellent parents, but can't for physical reasons, and in so gravely breaching her fundamental responsibilities as a mother, she's laughing in their faces as well.

With her actions, if proven to be so by a court of law, she - not to mention her child porn sicko of a boyfriend - is a one image summary of why the UK will go to the dogs if the overwhelming majority of good people in this country and those in power aren't very careful.

[Phil D. Rolls]

In words of one syllable - if, as suspected, this Karen Matthews dole-**** (I make no apologies for using that phrase in the context) has used her innocent daughter as some sort of football in a sham "class war" in an attempt to weedle money out of a fund for a genuinely missing child (quite puttin aside the behaviour of the McCanns for one moment), appeared on tv tearfully holding her "missing" daughters favourite teddy etc etc - in fact has majorily ripped the pish and spat in the face of any parent who's child has GENUINELY gone missing, was in on this all the time, she needs a sound beating with a baseball bat and a LENGTHY LENGTHY jail sentence - I would be happy to administer either one of the above two myself.

What she's done - quite apart from the 7 kids by 5 different men (seriously - wtf!!!) - is thoroughly reprehensible - there are couples out there that would give their left arms to have kids, and would make excellent parents, but can't for physical reasons, and in so gravely breaching her fundamental responsibilities as a mother, she's laughing in their faces as well.

With her actions, if proven to be so by a court of law, she - not to mention her child porn sicko of a boyfriend - is a one image summary of why the UK will go to the dogs if the overwhelming majority of good people in this country and those in power aren't very careful.

Personally, I am in favour of taking them away in the middle of the night and shooting them like dogs.

If that is too much for the bleeding heart liberals, then why not just place them on peripheral housing schemes, with poor access to facilities available to the better off, such as leisure and employment, ensure they have the bare minimum to live and make no effort to educate the useless *****wits, as they don't want to work anyway, er.....

No, the dogs idea was much better.

[Betty Boop]

Personally, I am in favour of taking them away in the middle of the night and shooting them like dogs.

If that is too much for the bleeding heart liberals, then why not just place them on peripheral housing schemes, with poor access to facilities available to the better off, such as leisure and employment, ensure they have the bare minimum to live and make no effort to educate the useless *****wits, as they don't want to work anyway, er.....

No, the dogs idea was much better.:greengrin