We hold minutes' silence for non-dead people now

BillieTheBot

An unofficial one minute's silence has been held for missing Madeleine McCann.

Madeleine's mother, Kate McCann, observed the midday silence, said Sky News correspondent Ian Woods in Portugal.

She slipped into her apartment after praying for 50 minutes in a church in Praia Da Luz

The silence was organised by an anonymous viral email so it was not thought to be widely observed.

Tourist Catherine Morrisson, 59, of County Cork, observed the silence in a Praia Da Luz supermarket.

"It was a brilliant idea to show respect for the family and friends and relatives," she said.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/skynews/20070521/tuk-silence-held-for-missing-madeleine-m-45dbed5.html

The move was initiated in Portugal and soon spread to Britain with the Mirror giving it its full backing.

I'm sure we're all very concerned for the girl and sorry for the ordeal the parents must be going through, but for fuck's sake... :rolleyes:

Never understimate people's capability for mass hysteria.

Former Member

I can see why the family went along with it because they are desperate to keep the media profile high, but otherwise it seems daft.

The silence for remembrance day I am more than happy with. That's two minutes to stop and think about the horrendous things that happened. Whether anything else warrants one is another matter....

Former Member

Does seem a bit OTT, a minute silence ain't going to do much good. Perhaps if people could take a minute to look at the find Maddy website and familiarize themselves with the little girl might be more useful in finding her.

Former Member

Calvin wrote: »

Does seem a bit OTT, a minute silence ain't going to do much good. Perhaps if people could take a minute to look at the find Maddy website and familiarize themselves with the little girl might be more useful in finding her.

even people who have been to work?

theres only so much useful looking people can do, at the moment it's just hoping for a lucky break, 50 million viewing pictures of her on the website won't do much good

Former Member

Calvin wrote: »

Perhaps if people could take a minute to look at the find Maddy website and familiarize themselves with the little girl might be more useful in finding her.

I fail to see how that would help either.
I'm sure everyone knows what she looks like now.

Former Member

wheresmyplacebo wrote: »

even people who have been to work?

theres only so much useful looking people can do, at the moment it's just hoping for a lucky break, 50 million viewing pictures of her on the website won't do much good

tbh, I couldn't care if people look at the website or not. If you have time at work to have 1 minutes silence, I'm sure you can find 1 min to have a look at the website.

At least it would be 50 million more people who know what she looks like. Granted the chances of them seeing her are slim, but its a lot more useful than having a minutes silence.

Former Member

katchika wrote: »

I fail to see how that would help either.
I'm sure everyone knows what she looks like now.

A lot of people in this country know, but there will still be people in other countries who don't. It hardly going to hurt having more people know what she looks like is it.

Former Member

Jesus fucking Christ. I've been keeping quiet about this out of respect, but this whole thing is ludicrous. It's one girl who's gone missing. It's sad, sure, and I hope they find her again, but then I also hope that the thousands of kids who die of malnutrition and diseases every hour get help too. I hope that the thousands of kids suffering abuse throughout the world get saved. How about doing some proper fucking investigative journalism into these issues for a change, rather than this bandwagon, collective mourning bullshit. Imagine how many children could be helped with that £1m reward that some Scottish businessman put forward.

Indrid Cold

I'm With Stupid wrote: »

Jesus fucking Christ. I've been keeping quiet about this out of respect, but this whole thing is ludicrous. It's one girl who's gone missing. It's sad, sure, and I hope they find her again, but then I also hope that the thousands of kids who die of malnutrition and diseases every hour get help too. I hope that the thousands of kids suffering abuse throughout the world get saved. How about doing some proper fucking investigative journalism into these issues for a change, rather than this bandwagon, collective mourning bullshit. Imagine how many children could be helped with that £1m reward that some Scottish businessman put forward.

:yes:

Former Member

Similar thoughts, although I can appreciate how things get blown out of proportion because if you're close to it it seems like the only thing on the planet that matters and she and her family make far better headlines than famines.

Former Member

Of course, you can't blame the parents for using it to their advantage though.

Indrid Cold

I'm With Stupid wrote: »

Of course, you can't blame the parents for using it to their advantage though.

:yes: as well

Former Member

Scary Monster wrote: »

The silence for remembrance day I am more than happy with. That's two minutes to stop and think about the horrendous things that happened. Whether anything else warrants one is another matter....

Well I was in London during the 7\7 bombings and we had a 2 minutes' silence for that..but instead of just stopping what we were doing and having it in our own offices, EVERYONE got out of their office buildings and stood on the street all together to observe it....it was really powerful....as well as thinking of those who had died or been affected by the bombings, it was like a physical mark of strength...that the whole city was standing together...was pretty incredible!

Former Member

No you can't , and should not blame the parents; if someone put the worlds resources at your disposal, and you were in their position, you would use them to find your little girl, no-one is disputing that.

In fact I'm not even sure that I'm against the mass-media hype, its an unusual example of how this global omni-present media COULD make finding a very little needle in a very large haystack even more likely.

The scandal will be after this is (hopefully happily) resolved, and we can legitimately turn round and ask not why they 'made a fuss' but why they don't make a fuss like this over vulnerable, abused, missing or secluded children all the time.

Former Member

I'm With Stupid wrote: »

Jesus fucking Christ. I've been keeping quiet about this out of respect, but this whole thing is ludicrous. It's one girl who's gone missing. It's sad, sure, and I hope they find her again, but then I also hope that the thousands of kids who die of malnutrition and diseases every hour get help too. I hope that the thousands of kids suffering abuse throughout the world get saved. How about doing some proper fucking investigative journalism into these issues for a change, rather than this bandwagon, collective mourning bullshit. Imagine how many children could be helped with that £1m reward that some Scottish businessman put forward.

well said!

Former Member

Seconded :yes:

Former Member

I'm With Stupid wrote: »

Imagine how many children could be helped with that £1m reward that some Scottish businessman put forward.

Is it cynical of me to wonder why the big money came in so late? Is it because the chances of having to pay out are now so slim, but they can still be seen to be 'doing something'?

Former Member

good point.

Former Member

budda wrote: »

Is it cynical of me to wonder why the big money came in so late? Is it because the chances of having to pay out are now so slim, but they can still be seen to be 'doing something'?

I dont think its the case.

Former Member

I'm With Stupid wrote: »

Jesus fucking Christ. I've been keeping quiet about this out of respect, but this whole thing is ludicrous. It's one girl who's gone missing. It's sad, sure, and I hope they find her again, but then I also hope that the thousands of kids who die of malnutrition and diseases every hour get help too. I hope that the thousands of kids suffering abuse throughout the world get saved. How about doing some proper fucking investigative journalism into these issues for a change, rather than this bandwagon, collective mourning bullshit. Imagine how many children could be helped with that £1m reward that some Scottish businessman put forward.

:yes: I completely agree.

Former Member

Have you guys noticed the yellow ribbons that celebrities and TV presenters have been wearing for the last few days?

Guess what they're for...

Former Member

Aladdin wrote: »

Have you guys noticed the yellow ribbons that celebrities and TV presenters have been wearing for the last few days?

Guess what they're for...

I haven't seen them, but you can't ACTUALLY be serious?

I did see a woman driving along with a "Find Madeleine McCann" poster in her back window, though. The likelihood that she knows her, or that the girl has been brought to sodding BRAINTREE is absolutely minimal. It made me snicker, although I felt a bit guilty for it.

Former Member

My lovely people; I humbly submit to you that this is a prime example of why mainstream media doesn't and cannot represent the scope of public opinion.

How many people do you think have these sentiments, or have articulated or posted them in other places; and how many of those voices will be heard in the press?

Former Member

budda wrote: »

Is it cynical of me to wonder why the big money came in so late? Is it because the chances of having to pay out are now so slim, but they can still be seen to be 'doing something'?

AFAIK that money was offered pretty early in the search.

I don't like the idea of silences either, who gets to decide what's worthy of silence anyway. I remember in school having to stand for 3 minutes after 9/11 but nothing for the Belsan school siege. It's a load of bollocks.

Former Member

Franki wrote: »

I haven't seen them, but you can't ACTUALLY be serious?

I did see a woman driving along with a "Find Madeleine McCann" poster in her back window, though. The likelihood that she knows her, or that the girl has been brought to sodding BRAINTREE is absolutely minimal. It made me snicker, although I felt a bit guilty for it.

I am afraid it is true...

Mirror article wrote:

In Britain, celebrities touched by the disappearance have united in their support for the McCann family by wearing yellow ribbons.

Among those sporting the tribute were England cricketer Alastair Cook, Peaches Geldof, Michelle Heaton, Any Dream Will Do panellists Andrew Lloyd Webber and Bill Kenwright and Corrie stars Kym Rider and Sue Cleaver.

Grease Is The Word judge Sinitta also showed her support by wearing the ribbon on Saturday night's show.

Unlikely as it now sadly seems let's hope the girl is found alive and well. But if the worse were to happen and she was to be found dead, brace yourself for another 'Diana moment' up and down the land.

Former Member

We've never done this for whenever anyone has gone missing, so why should Maddy be any different?

Former Member

You could also say (as indeed some have suggested already) that had the parents been a pair of chavs in a council estate instead of a pair of middle-class doctors in a Portuguese resort, you can bet your bottom dollar much of the press would be demonising them and demanding the rest of the children get taken away from them.