Today I would like to write about something that’s been in the news for days and hitting the headlines all around Europe. I’m sure you’ve all read about the four-year-old British girl, Madeleine McCann, who was apparently abducted during a vacation in southern Portugal. Madeleine disappeared on Thursday, May 3, from a hotel in Praia da Luz, in the Algarve while her parents were having dinner in a nearby restaurant, regularly checking on her and their two-year-old twins, Sean and Amelie. Robert Murat, a 33-year-old Briton (who describes himself as half-Portuguese) has been suspected of abducting Madeleine. He was questioned by the police and his villa, which is close to the hotel resort from which the girl has been taken, was searched, but no evidence could be found. Mr Murat has become well known to journalists during the search for Madeleine since he had been helping police with translation work during the investigation. Murat’s behaviour has been described as very strange and suspicious.
The reason why I’m writing about this, is that there is something that I just can’t understand and that really annoys me. For me it is unbelievable what a big deal they make out of this story. I mean yes, of course it is shocking that things like that happen and of course I do feel sorry for Madeleine’s family! But why do they draw so much attention to that particular case? The family’s lawyers have set up a “fighting fund” to which members of the public can donate to help in the search for Madeleine. Contributions to the fund total some 3.7 million Euros, including donations from Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and other celebrities such as David Beckham. What a good deed, but to my mind this money could be used for much more important things. Thousands of African children could be helped with this vast amount of money, not only one single child whose parents are wealthy doctors anyway. I’m sure they wouldn’t have made such a fuss about the abduction if it had been a local child. In the UK, they are even passing text messages that urge mothers to pray (!) for Madeleine’s safe return to her family. Posters have been distributed and many have joined an e-mail campaign. It’s amazing what our (or rather the British) society is capable of achieving if they are moved by such a tragic incidence. If only they would act the same way when it comes to child poverty, famine or even environmental pollution…
1 comment:
Well, I agree with you on going overboard with the funds raised for finding the little girl...but as far as news and media attention, I think it is the right thing to do...because the girl might be found sooner...and you are right about how unfair it is that only the rich and famous get the media attention...Maybe your post will reach the authorities or the newspaper editors and make them think :-)
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