Madeleine McCann: Patronising Aisling Symes
MADDIE WATCH - Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Madeleine McCann - Aisling Symes is missing. Aisling Symes is aged 2. Aisling Symes has gone missing from an Aukland suburb on Monday.
And you know what this means?
Kate and Gerry McCann say their “thoughts and prayers” are with the family of Aisling Symes. We do our emoting in public. Private matters are public spectacles. And Our Maddie has been the biggest shared grief fest in years, a global campaign lapped up by a once objective media.
But it’s not about the McCanns is it? This is about Aisling Symes. Or is it useful for the McCanns to be involved, and thereby raise the child’s profile in the UK – the child that went missing in New Zealand? How can us knowing in the UK help find the child? It can”t. But the McCanns need to do something - doing anything is better than doing nothing.
But the media has become the whole message. Kate and Gerry McCann are now the media’s familiar voice for all missing children and the face of the bereft parents, speaking about other missing children whether the parents want them to or not.
A cynic might believe the disappearance of Aisling Symes is both a tragedy and an opportunity? The McCanns are Ailsing Syme’s media celebrities, joining the singers and footballers on the side of the good, a familiar and reassuring face.
When Mari Luz Cortes went missing in Spain, links were made to Our Maddie. She became Maddy 2. Posters went up. And:
Mari Luz’s father, Juan José Cortés, said after a meeting with Manuel Chaves, President of the Junta de Andalucía, this weekend, that, while he is not against collaborating in the search for Madeleine and ‘even helping to draw up a poster of all the missing youngsters,’ the lines of investigation into the disappearance of the two young girls are distinct, and are being carried out in two separate countries. EFE [Spanish news agency] said he is considering taking legal action for using his daughter’s image for the campaign.
Said the Sun: “Both girls were pictured on posters put up by four-year-old Maddie’s parents because the cases were so chillingly similar.”
But does a missing child story need a point of reference? Are we so cynical and cold that we cannot feel unless the face of Our Maddie is placed before us? And what does it say about us that we need the innocent and abused McCanns’ authentic victimhood to shape the story of a missing child, that media obsession?
The McCanns’ kind words tell us nothing about Ailsing Syme - they just say something about them. The footballer in the Our Maddie T-shirt, the mawkish politician in the yellow ribbon and the woman with the balloon say nothing about the missing - they speak only about themselves. They have a need to advertise their caring.
No-one sane cannot but sympathise with the McCanns, working to keep their daughter in the news in the belief that in doing so there is a better chance of her being found. And Madeleine McCann, as we’ve noted, is no longer the benchmark for missing children.
But do the McCanns’ comment make us care about them or their daughter more, or less? Does it make anyone look for Our Maddie with a keener eye? Or is their appearance at the media spectacle when a child goes missing now just part of the show? We look. It’s on the telly. We look. But it’s not real. It’s just another show on the magic box. We look.
Mr and Mrs McCann, say in a statement:
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Aisling and her family. We wish Aisling’s parents the strength and support they will be needing at this most painful time, and we join them in hoping for Aisling’s safe and speedy return.
“We urge anyone who has any information about Aisling to come forward to the local police as soon as possible and end this family’s suffering.”
Says Sky News: “McCanns Pray For Parents Of Missing Girl.”
Even a person’s prayers are now part of the public spectacle to be featured in the media.
And instead of looking for a missing child the media is still watching the parents…
Posted: 9th, October 2009 | In: Key Posts, Madeleine McCann Comments (20) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
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October 29th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
I bet u 10 pounds that her parents would be sittting down not caring about her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why did they go to a pub to eat lunch and leave them in hotel.They are little kids who knows what they are going to get up too?If i went out with my friends i would rent a child minder. At least some one who could take care of them. Who knows what those people could look like? They could have been dressed like maids.Who knows? But we all know that she always be in our heart?She was so cute. Who knows were she is now?She could be dead?But lets hope she isn’t.She could have been treated like Baby Peter? WHO KNOWS?
October 29th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
What is the matter with you people? Can you not pass any chance up to cause the McCanns further pain and distress? I really think that it is you that needs to look inwards and start asking yourself some serious questions, ie like have you actually got a life? One that does not involved behaving like a sub-human being? You are sounding pathetic and like a stuck record, move on for goodness sake.
The McCanns are entitled to send their condolences just like any other person is, probably more so, because they actually know what those poor parents must be feeling like.
In any case Kate and Gerry McCann cannot win, if they did not send their thoughts they would be castigated and if they do they still get castigated by heartless imbeciles like you.The stuffed toy has come out! Hope this child is found and as awful as it is to say this, alive preferably, but a body could be found. She could have been swept out to sea so say the Police. Strangely an Asian looking lady and her dog were seen near the child.The McCanns SHOULD Be involved in all Missing Children Stuff.
They should be the voice of more things,
Great, Honest People we care about!
God Bless Them!!
October 13th, 2009 at 12:12 am
The McCanns SHOULD Be involved in all Missing Children Stuff.
They should be the voice of more things,
Great, Honest People we care about!
God Bless Them!!
October 12th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Kim
I’m sorry you feel so bad about Aisling. I felt the same about M. My attention was then caught by the way the media (and some websites) began to hound Robert Murat. Then they turned their vicious attention to the parents.
The gang mentality is alive and kicking (look at racism) and some people enjoy bullying. The victims cease to be perceived as human beings. There is no empathy. The “distancing” you mention takes over.
The other scary element was the “detective” one. The case became like an Agatha Christie story and, with no REAL knowledge, people began to construct their own “solutions”. It became a terrible sort of Cluedo game. Again, the parents ceased to be real people and became merely players in a story.
Then there are always the weird eccentrics and egocentrics who latch on to anything to bolster and broadcast their own bizarre theories and hang-ups.
Some people make themselves feel good by criticising others. “I’m a good parent!” But the truth is that nearly all parents take an occasional calculated risk of one kind or another. Even if what the McCanns did was a bad error of judgement, where’s the point in going on blaming them? And the move from that to suggesting their supposed criminal involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance, with no evidence, was a horrifying spectacle. The police investigate, not us.
With a few serious exceptions, journalists had little conscience about using the McCanns simply to bolster sales. It’s still happening, though differently since the successful threatened libel actions.
You’re right. The debate could go on forever and there’s no solution in sight. I must recognise that. I do hope that the case of poor little Aisling is solved very soon, and happily.
October 11th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
Alot of debates like these could go on forever. The psycology behind the sudden and unexplained loss of a child is so harrowing that it evokes massive emotive responses in all kinds of people, supportive or non. The innocence of a child, the child’s own right to be loved and cared for is never going to be as strong as it will with the child’s own parents. They have every right to search and publicise their child’s disappearance in any way they can, and any parent who loves there child would do anthing in their power to find them.
The world is not a balanced place. The McCanns choose to continue their search for their child and never give up, another poverty stricken woman in Narobi is forced to sell her baby on the street.
I have been deeply affected by the Aisling situation, and I live locally. Today I will go out with my daughter for a walk but at the same time look for Aisling. As a mother with a child, I feel it could have been me. I am frustrated I can not do more. There is also an Indian student missing, 23 years old. The media are reporting it but not to the same scale as with Aisling. And of course should I find him I would report it too. This is the choice of the media and not of those involved personally. Everyone is aware of how the media works, we are not that naive.
Many people who critise the parents, the media with an emotive issue like this, I believe are trying to objectify and rationalize the horrifying situation, it allows them to distance themselves from it and divert focus away from the reality of it would feel for them. Many people too like to focus the attention on to the parents, as if they are to blame as it makes them feel safer, that it could never happen to them.
My final comment is this. My thoughts and prayers are with Aisling, and all missing people and all those that suffer, for the world is not a fair place and all we can do is rely on those with good hearts and sound minds to make life as right as we can.
October 11th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
scotfree
I’d be very surprised if the McCanns have NOT sent a private message, but, as Sarah pointed out, if asked for a comment by the press, clearly they would have to say something.
The media do turn to them when a child goes missing. I suppose it’s a reflection of the fact that some people still remember Madeleine, and her parents enjoy a high measure of public sympathy. The papers know that adding Madeleine will add interest to any story and help to sell. Not very nice, but there it is.
Can you imagine what people would say if the papers printed,
“We asked Kate and Gerry McCann if they had any thoughts for Aisling’s parents but they replied ‘No comment’ “!!!!
Bat E Bird
But surely that point pretty well speaks for itself, doesn’t it? Reports were that thousands of parents changed their holiday behaviour in the wake of Madeleine’s disappearance. (How long that will last is another question, of course.) I think a lot of holiday sites also dropped their child-checking systems, which replicated what the McCanns did themselves. I bet no resorts offer that service any more. MW have dropped it in all their resorts. (They didn’t offer it at PdL, as it happens, which is why the McCanns organised their own rota for regular checking.)
So I don’t think they actually needed to campaign, as such, on that one, whereas the various charities for missing persons/children did very much want them to help them in their efforts to move the European Parliament into adopting an Amber Alert-type system. The Mcs agreed to help despite what they were going through at the time. I know it also helped to keep missing Madeleine in the public eye but it can’t have been a very pleasant experience for them. Quite a few people were still being unpleasantly critical of them at that time, on the net for example, but they didn’t let that stop them doing their bit to help.
October 11th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
Aithne - The aim of the article is not to comment on the parents of a missing child - but how the media is obsessed with missing children; how we are now involved in globalised grief where a child that goes missing on the other side of the world becomes out worry, our concern our news. The parents of Madeleine McCann are innocent. The voracious media that turned a single thread story into a global event and seeks to feed it might well be something else…
October 11th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
Maria, I have no problem with the Mcann’s giving moral but never financial, support to any parent that has lost their child. But why does it have to be a public statement that they are “feeling for the parents”? can they not communicate in a private letter, e-mail etc. with them? As for “it’s the media that ask for these comments!” I don’t think that this holds water, do you suggest that the McCanns are the only point of call when a child is list anywhere in the world? And lastly I do not recall seeing anywhere a message of sympathy from the McCanns to the parents of Melanie Hall over the tragic and permanent loss of their daughter - or was that too off message and not conducive to the abduction story?
October 11th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Rather than campaigning about Amber Alert, they would be better qualified to publicise the dangers of leaving young children alone.
October 11th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
scotfree
“……… and giving them the front page again.”
That’s just the way of the media, but, in any case, I’m puzzled as to why it bothers you so much if they do still occasionally make the news. Hasn’t that got to be a good thing from the parents’ point of view, not to mention Madeleine’s, whatever has happened to her?
“In offering help and support will they be helping the Syme family financially?”
So are you suggesting that they should give Aisling’s family financial help? I seem to remember that when they offered immediate help to the family of the little Spanish girl who disappeared, they were accused of simply using her case for their own publicity for Madeleine! Maybe they’ve learnt that it’s better to wait to be approached. And how would you know whether or not the family of Aisling have asked for, or want, help, financial or otherwise? And how would you know how the McCanns would respond to a genuine request for help of any sort?
You can’t know.
They have hardly been slow in coming forward to help the cause of missing persons, children in particular. They gave public support to the efforts of various charities to persuade the European parliament to adopt a system like the American Amber Alert system. Naturally, some poor souls even found reason to condemn them for that as well. They still went ahead and did it, knowing that at that particular time, while they were still a big media focus, their support might just might make a difference.
Few parents of a missing child can ever have remained more committed to finding their child (or the truth about what happened to her) as the McCanns, even in the face of some pretty vile comments from a few people on the net. None of us knows exactly what help the McCanns give, or have given, or will give, to anyone else.
Without having any evidence, these few people, with their own agenda no doubt, seem to get a kick out of mocking or condemning whatever they do or say.
I do wonder why……
October 11th, 2009 at 11:58 am
I am absolutely stunned to read this article.
Aisling’s parents were surprised and touched to be contacted by Kate and Gerry McCann as was I when I heard that they had sent messages of empathy to our family as we deal with this horrific situation. They have been through the same harrowing experience and to this day, do not know where their daughter is. Most parents out there have some comprehension of what it would be like to be in our situation. The writer of this article clearly has absolutely none! I am totally appalled at the suggestion that Kate and Gerry McCann are trying to score publicity or some sort of mileage out of contacting our family at this time. They are people who understand our hurt and want to support us by expressing their empathy for our situation. Anyone who thinks any different clearly needs their head examined. I only hope you never find yourselves in our situation. It is a dreadful place to be.
October 11th, 2009 at 2:46 am
Truley an ignorant fool you are.
They were asked to comment by the media. What were they to say? “errr…. no comment”???
Get over your unmoral self and go learn how to write meaningful articles rather than this crap that has no common sense or dignity.
Shame on you!
October 10th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
It may well be the case but coincidences do dog this case. New topic about Sweden but again we have a coincidence that the case finds a new lead - in a picture that was taken near to three months ago, that has not been investigated yet (?) coming the day after their statement about Aisling and giving them the front page again. Cynics of the world unite!
October 10th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Suspect they were probably asked for a comment. That’s the media Difficult for them to get it just right.
Bizarre that a few sad people remain determined to misinterpret everything the Mcs say or do.
October 10th, 2009 at 11:34 am
could the MCs not have given the Symes ‘private’ support & prayers?
October 10th, 2009 at 10:16 am
Looked at a lot of stories on this topic provided by Google news and in most cases the PR machine has turned the story to give more information about missing Madeleine and very little about missing Aisling. In offering help and support will they be helping the Syme family financially?
October 10th, 2009 at 7:20 am
Atticus - It’s not to cause the McCanns more pain. It is a comment on how PR - even when a child goes missing - sets the news agenda. The facts take second place to the sentiment. The McCanns’ professional team are smart and skilled enough to realise this. Good luck to them. They continue to suffer. They have been libelled. And they are innocent. But why does the mainstream media reprot it as news..?
October 10th, 2009 at 3:28 am
Hello
A Kiwi here , writing from New Zealand .
We here in NZ are of course very distressed about this little girl Aisling .
That the McCaans are also upset when they heard about Aisling sems quite a normal reaction . I saw The Syme family talking on NZ television last night , and although I obviously cannot speak for them , I do know how much they got from the support and caring of strangers , who have reached out to them in their darkest hours .
Whatever the motives of the McCaans, offering support and love seems to me to be a postive thing to do .
As far as distressful cases getting media coverage , sometimes it is very helpful , we had another case recently where a NZ child was abandoned in Australia . Without American television featuring the father on “America’s Most Wanted “, the perpetrator might never have been apprehended.
October 9th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
The stuffed toy has come out! Hope this child is found and as awful as it is to say this, alive preferably, but a body could be found. She could have been swept out to sea so say the Police. Strangely an Asian looking lady and her dog were seen near the child.
October 9th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
What is the matter with you people? Can you not pass any chance up to cause the McCanns further pain and distress? I really think that it is you that needs to look inwards and start asking yourself some serious questions, ie like have you actually got a life? One that does not involved behaving like a sub-human being? You are sounding pathetic and like a stuck record, move on for goodness sake.
The McCanns are entitled to send their condolences just like any other person is, probably more so, because they actually know what those poor parents must be feeling like.
In any case Kate and Gerry McCann cannot win, if they did not send their thoughts they would be castigated and if they do they still get castigated by heartless imbeciles like you.