Cultured Views

A familiar story

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

The recent mysterious disappearance of young Madeline McCann in Portugal back in May has brought to mind a similar mysterious child disappearance, except it was back in 1980 and it was in Australia.

The McCanns have been without their little girl ‘Maddie’ for 3 months now, and it seems the Portuguese police - in charge of the investigation - are no more clued up now than they were back at the beginning. To me, the Portuguese police have been far more concerned with keeping to their ‘protocol’ than they have with actually DOING anything worthwhile. What an inept bunch of keystone cops they are!.

Recently, because the Portugese cannot come up with anything else, the McCanns have been subjected to a vile media campaign hosted by the media in Portugal accusing them of drugging their children; drugging Maddie and also killing her. Unfortunately, the UK press have been just as bad fuelling ignorant and vicious remarks from an equally ignorant and vicious UK public. And the sole reason?…the McCanns don’t ‘behave properly’. They dont scream, howl and wail in front of a voyeuristic public. A voyeuristic public that actually loves this type of thing. 

The McCanns are deeply religious people; they have faith; dignity and hope. And for upholding these values, for not revealing their true agony in public, they are being held in deep suspician. After all, we all know how we would behave if we were in their situation…? We have all had a deeply loved child simply disappear into thin air…? We all know what is best for them to do, even though we have never been through a similar thing…?

This all reminds me of the Azaria Chamberlain case in Australia back in the early 1980’s. A baby girl disappeared from her parents’ tent during the night at Uluru (Ayers Rock) and the only witness was her mother who saw a wild dog - a dingo - leaving the tent with a large object in it’s mouth. That baby girl was never found. No body; no weapon; no motive; no witnesses (except those who heard her screams); and yet this mother was sentenced to jail for murdering her baby two years later. Why?. Because Lindy and Micheal Chamberlain did not ‘play the game’ according to how the media and the public thought they should. They also were deeply religious people; he was a Pastor; they had true faith, yet because they did not scream; howl, wail and thrash around in front of the cameras they were immediately suspicious. The most vicious media campaign was waged against them; and a gullible Australian public bought into it. They did not stand a chance.

In 1982 Lindy Chamberlain; 8 months pregnant; was hauled off to prison for ‘killing’ a baby she never killed, only grieved for. And the major ‘evidence’…? so-called ‘foetal bloodstains’ in their car that were not ‘foetal bloodstains’ at all…it was rust proofing fluid as proved some years later. And the ‘expert’ who found this evidence’?…a British woman brought out from the UK at great expense to ‘nail’ an innocent mother.

Lindy Chamberlain was eventually freed from prison in the late 1980’s but she had to divorce her husband and leave the country to escape the stains left by the media. I would be very bitter if I had been her.

I have a feeling the McCanns are heading the same way.

Popularity: 5% [?]

That ‘first’ day at school

Today my five year old son returned for his second year of school life, he currently attends the French version of nursery school and next year will be his first foray into the bigtime schoolwise. Nevertheless, that first day back after the long summer break always brings a mixture of emotions.

I well remember all the ‘first days’ of my older kids and I have to admit that those ‘firsts’ are getting a bit easier on me!. My eldest son started school in 1991 and I will never forget that first walk through the school gate - it was like walking the last mile with a condemned man and I was definately the weaker of the two of us!. I let go of his hand in the classroom and he walked over to join his new friends…this is when it is really hard because you have to turn and walk away and leave them with complete strangers. Something I had never done before because I stayed at home to care for my kids in the early years.

He coped brilliantly, I sat in the car outside the school and cried. Unable to drive off I sat there, outside the school for most of the morning and tried to get a glimpse of him during his recess break. No sight of him at all, then, the headmaster spotted me and approached the car. He bent down to the window and said three words: ‘He’ll be okay’. What else could I do?.

I went home and cried some more then got on with my life until it was time to collect him that afternoon. And so his school days began. I went through this anouther three times with my other sons and each ‘first day’ was just as hard as the first time. But the letting-go process was just that tiny bit easier. I have one more son to start school next year as he’s only three but I’m sure that will be the crunch for me…he’s my last and my ‘baby’.

Yes, starting school is easier for the kids than it is for us Mums.

Popularity: 7% [?]

The grass is not always greener

When we decided to come and live in France four years ago it was a decision that we put alot of thought into. OK, there were some areas that we could have considered  more but no matter how much research you do there is always some area that you trip up in.

In all the decision to come here has been a worthwhile one. France is a a very family oriented society;  a relatively safe society where you can walk down the street of your village late at night and not be accosted by a group of 11 year olds carrying knives. Like in the UK. Customs and traditions exist here that have existed for centuries.

One of my elder sons has disagreed though, he has decided that France is not for him and is planning to return to Australia soon. He is 20 years old after all so it is his decision to make. He was 16 when we arrived here and, unfortunately, not much has happened here for him that makes him want to stay. The schools refused to educate him for a start. He could not speak French well enough so the authorities would not allow him to attend high school. Crazy isn’t it?. In Australia no matter what language you speak no school would dare turn you away.

Life in a rural area also is not always what it’s cracked up to be. For a teenager it can be darn boring; French teens are not as outgoing or social as Aussie teens, many of them stay at home on weekends and on Sundays France literally closes down so there is nowhere to go.

William has had his fill of France, I think there’s just too much Australian in him.

Popularity: 6% [?]