Reading the news can be a troublesome event. Before I even open the app, or the newspaper, or even switch on the radio, we’re faced with mostly the stories of the darkest deprivation and the most miserable things that can happen by the worst sorts of people on our planet.
J#m#y S#v#le
This week, the news has spent a lot of time focussing on him and the goings on of abuse at the BBC over the centuries. I did watch the Panorama programme on Monday, and it horrified me. I was by no way reassured that they thought investigating themselves using Panorama would make them look better. I came away disgusted and appalled by the BBC and by many celebrities in our midst, past and present. The fact that it was common knowledge that he was what he was is pretty much sickening.
I’m also astounded at the amount of direct accusations with absolutely no doubt that he did it all. If they are all so sure, why on earth didn’t they step up to the plate years ago?
And the argument of culture doesn’t really add up as it hasn’t ever been acceptable in my lifetime to abuse children in your trust, and I was born in the sixties.
Everywhere is talking about it as if it’s a done deal and yes I find it sickening and vile to have happened at all, but what I am even more disgusted with is what looks like the extent of the enablers.
Those who knew he liked really young girls and didn’t push it. Those who didn’t want to risk their own precious careers to take on the mighty icon of British good that he was seen as. Those who didn’t do background checks (if there were any back then) before giving him unrestricted access to children.
The enablers should all be lined up and answer for the consequences too.
April Jones
I still look every day to see if she has been found. A little girl who did nothing wrong, and was outside her home playing with friends when she was cruelly snatched away. How the families cope I don’t know. Every moment must be a nightmare.
Ben Needham
Back in the news. Police digging up the land where they stayed when he went missing. Will it bring up an answer to the double decade old question. For the family’s sake, I hope so.
Daniel Rigby
The 2-year-old boy whose life was cut short with 91 separate injuries to his body. There are no words.
Dog Fighting
The SSPCA launched an appeal today after a dog was found in Aberdeen with injuries that were likely as a result of illegal dog fights. I listened to the story on Northsound on the way home in the car today with the kids, and I pulled over to hear it all. The poor girl with old injuries, and fresh ones had obviously been either kicked out or managed to escape wherever she was. On one hand I was pleased she is away from wherever she was, but on the other hand, so sad to listen to what her life must have been like.
She had multiple scars to her face and body. About 2 – 3 years old, so still young and living a life of trauma. I was in Huntly a few weeks ago and was advised never to leave my dog alone, even in a garden as there were dog nappers going around. They didn’t know I didn’t live in Huntly, but still. It looks like it is going on everywhere.
People
I do have to remind myself that people who do these things deliberately are in the minority and that people are on the whole, very good.
Has it been a very bad news few weeks, or is it just that the news are reporting more and more of the worst of the worst?
Or are people really getting worse and more selfish and abusive due to our culture?
Who knows, but it certainly is depressing reading.
I’d like to think that we are just better at reporting news these days; I’m sure we’re no crueller than our predecessors. Perhaps public awareness of these things might somehow reduce the actual incidence?
Still, though… beating a two-year-old boy… or molesting a child in a wheelchair… it’s three steps beyond heartbreaking.