The anti-pro switch.

It has just occured to me, that over the past couple of years, I know of a great many anti posters who, for various reasons, have crossed the floor to become Pro's, even if still a little critical of the McCann's actions of leaving the kids alone that night. However, I am not aware of one single case of a Pro being persuaded by the anti arguments to change sides. I could be wrong of course, but even if there is ONE example, the statistics are almost overwelmingly in favour of the anti-to-Pro switch, rather than vice-versa. Is it because of the venom, bile and hatred that is rampant on the anti-Madeleine sites, is it because rational, intelligent people can see through the anti-Madeleine lies, and realise they want no part of whatever it is being an anti-Madeleine means? There are now more Pro sites than ever, whereas the number of anti-Madeleine sites only ever increases when one splinters into two, due to internal, factional in-fighting, and most have only a handfull of members. Many Pro sites have membership numbers in the hundreds, one in particular I saw at the weekend has nearly five hundred members. I can only deduce that support for the McCann's has never been greater, and continues to grow almost daily. Anyone care to add their thoughts on this?

Thankfully Vee, the world isn't so full of vile people, in fact, I think a minority. Those few infest their forums with the most vile thoughts possible. The Madeleine case gave them that outlet.
But like you say, they are few and far between, dwindling in numbers fast. Thankfully.

I would never become an anti.But i will admit back in the very early days i was furious that the children had been left alone.The first time i heard the news was the Friday night i think,not sure.But my very very first reaction,and i spoke it aloud to my mates who were with me,it was....''where the fook were her parents why was she alone in the first place''I couldn't understand why she had been taken.But the next sort of 3 days i had heard more and more on the news and in the papers,i saw kate and gerry and watched them live appealing for her safe return,my heart went out to them.As a human being,and as a mother i found myself sympathizing with them,i could see that they were just a loving normal family,that they had been targeted and were suffering greatly..

I still to this day don't agree with them leaving the children,but lord knows none of us are perfect parents and we all have things we would never ever do with our children.But most of us are capable of not holding a persons faults against them,the mccanns have suffered the worst punishment ever,they are not abusive parents,they don't neglect their children.Its clear to see they are normal loving caring parents who adore and look after their children properly.A holiday away and a safe environment gave them a false sense of security and they made a choice which was to be the biggest mistake they would ever make.To hold that against them will mean we are all guilty in some way or another of putting our children at risk.We have all made mistakes,made wrong decisions and none of us can deny that.Weather it be with your children,yourselves your family etc...we have all done wrong.We all have regrets and have all done things that have hurt someone else,caused some problem or maybe even worse.

Every single choice we make as a consequence to it.And sometimes those consequences aint good.
My little girl isn't allowed to wander out alone around the streets near my home.She as just turned 7 years old.My cousin lives in the road below mine and if im stood on my door step i can see her house(its around 100 yards away).The streets are pretty safe they are little side roads so no cars, or very little.Its a little village so not many people around and all the houses are pretty close together...we all know eachother and it isnt like a town which is busy ,its very quiet.Sometimes my little one wants to go and play with my cousins little boy so i call my cousin on her phone and ask her to stand on her door step to watch,i then stand on my doorstep and i watch my daughter walk to my cousins house.She is in no danger,she is being watched at all times and doesn't need to go on the road at all.

HOWEVER...........today at around 4.30pm my cousin called me to chat on the phone.I was still under the impression my daughter was at her home playing with her son, so around 2 mins into our convo i asked if she was fed up with her yet,if she wanted to send her home to me.My cousins answer to me was..''shes not here..she left ages ago,she wouldn't wait for me to to call you on the phone,she had her shoes on and was on her way out of the door to come to you, so i told her to come straight home to you''
I was mortified...i ran out of my house,it was raining so i knew she wouldn't be outside playing.Ages ago she had left my cousins house??I couldn't believe my cousin had not watched her home or called me to go on my door step to watch her up.I was annoyed by this point.My cousin as just had a baby...and i think because she now as a baby she sort of puts her little boy (whos the same age my daughter) in n older child category and she allows him more leash than she ever used to.But i certainly don't let my child wander off.So i was worried...i found her in her friends house....apparently she had bumped into her friend on her way up our street and her friend had asked her to go to her house to play,so she did!!!!
She was in major trouble though when i got her home because she knows dam well she isn't allowed to do that.Some of the children here who are a lot younger(4 years old) are allowed to go and play in all the streets and the park alone.My child doesn't though,i like to know exactly where she is at all times.She as to stay by my house!

The thing is..IF she had been snatched off the street would i have been guilty as child neglect?
I dont think a 7 year old child is to young to walk 100 yards on a pavement whilst being watched from both ends.I suppose it depends on the area you live in.If its a city, very busy full of people with dangerous roads etc then it would be a no no.But a small minors village??Not sure maybe im wrong.Maybe i to have a false sense of security in my little village where we all know eachother?Maybe if my child was snatched earlier today i would have been been labeled as a neglectful parent who is guilty and needs to be locked up in jail.I certainly wouldn't put my child a risk.I love her and im very careful with her.But as i said,we are not all perfect....we all have rules and ways and means...and not all of us agree with eachothers parenting skills either.