Tia

glitabo it's sad that Native Americans are also excluded and treated as an underclass in many parts of North America. They probably have much in common with benefit-dependent people in this country, without that safety net. Interesting, though, that there is more respect for their elders than here. I agree with you - I have witnessed severe dysfunction in professionals' families, where one would expect education and privilege to lessen the likelihood of violence, abuse and distorted relationships, but it doesn't.

Although, having thought about it, all speculation is just that at the moment, and doesn't help or solve anything! Time for bed....(for me, anyway!)

Pettallus , why don"t u like that term !! I don"t understand

POGS, I don't understand what your was supposed to indicate?

Petallus I don't think that I was responding with hysteria, but I am certainly emotional about this. A child has lost her life and it IS shocking. I have spent years working as a social worker and a teacher and I have sat on child protection case conferences and have worked with children and adults who have been victims of horrendous abuse.
I still find it shocking and I believe that we should not stop thinking it is shocking.
I am aware of the dynamics of dysfunctional families and parents who have no role models of parenting. I agree that these parents and families need support.
I guess that I am referring to the Native American ideology where the grandmother is revered as the wise woman of the tribe. In most extended families the grandmother provides respite, support and unconditional love. It is an indictment on our society that some families are fractured and have lost their way. I understand that but I am still shocked by it.
Also I don't think that this is necessarily class ridden. Dysfunctional families permeate all levels of our society.Sadly.

Anagram

Tia's body was found in the loft, apparently. Sniffer dogs wouldn't necessarily detect anything from below - although the police officers should certainly have searched it. Surely the neighbour just gave a false sighting report, for reasons we don't yet know.

grrranny.

What do you think made police officers and sniffer dogs to miss the body?

Do you think the neighbour, who has been held for questioning, had the poor girls body at the time of the searches or am I going into the realms of fantasy, I can do that. It is very strange.

Human error led to delay in finding Tia - human error understandable but how agonising for Tia's mother.

I have tried to take other issues to other thread as this is not the place to bang on as you say. Just got a bit confused and kept wanting to reply.

glass, very true.

pogs well said, some people on here have overlooked the poor little soul who has lost her life and are just banging on trying to prove their own point again!

For goodness sake does class have to come into every thread. This is about a child who has lost her life.

All GN's have a backround that will be different to another. That does not make any one of us better or worse than any other G.N. but comments certainly can cause upset, as proved time after time.

Class should be like beauty, in the eye of the beholder. It is plain daft to generalise because every class has good and bad people in it.

This is getting out of control. As I saw it, nanaej was reeling off a list of the kind of assumptions that are made in our class-ridden society. They weren't her opinions - or mine, or yours.

Sorry that was childish of me merlot and certainly did not contribute to mature discussion

Carry on being unappreciative then if it makes you happy.

You're way off beam, grrrranny and I don't appreciate your patronizing manner.

merlot we do make assumptions whether we admit it or not. It is part of our defence - is this person like me or not - are they a threat or not etc. Is working for the landed gentry a step up, down, sideways or no step at all from being middle class or miner's son?

The reference to drugs is relevant because the Sun reported he is a crack dealer (or whatever) and this contributes to his image as a low life who might well be capable of murdering a 12 year old girl.

To some extent class prejudice comes into it because if the wealthy, well dressed and influential are found to be drug users, they are not denigrated to the same extent.

nanaej I do not make prejudiced assumptions. I had a middle class upbringing, married a working class miner's son who then went on to manage a farm for the landed gentry. You carry on being prejudiced if it makes you happy.

I had the same reaction Annobel but I stifled it.

merlot Amy Winehouse didn't die of illegal drug use, according to her toxicology tests.

I think the discussion about drug use higher up the soclal scale relates to the references to class prejudice.

merlotgran I am getting my threads confused and drug use is not the issue. Tia's death a tragedy - my concerns about media reporting should be confined to another thread.

but at the end of the day the only person that matters here is Tia!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Excuse me but my DH is a plumber and has never rippeed anyone off and I will stand up here and say he never would. [mad]