James Bulger’s mother: Unmask my son's killers

[EternalOptimist]

newspapers trying to sell papers. 'Trevor Kavanagh in demands an end to the veil of secrecy '.
If they dont whip up a storm, they go under, like the Sport

[MarillionFan]

Personally, yes.

Oh and please let's not turn this topic into anything frivolous.

Not going to.

It seems to be that spending time in care as a child is 'cushy' for some and a nightmare for others(You only have to see the Neil Morrison series recently to see the other side). Emotive as it is, they were 10 years old.It would make no sense for them to be sent to jail after growing up from 10, placed in a secure unit, then care, then rehabilitated, to then go and serve another sentence in an adult court unless they commit an adult crime.

One has, was tried under his old name and jailed under his new. I think in time he will lose his anonymity due to his own actions. The other unless he commits a crime. Should not. I honestly don't understand what legal justice she continues to fight for.

[Lockhouse]

As it happens I've given great thought to that in the past. For an adult, without a doubt I'd want them dead and would go to great lengths to carry out that threat. My discussion was a friend who is a police officer who's actually quite calm and logical. His view was, as much as that gives you the desired result, this would cause you to be seperated from your children for your actions, the other would be to hate & wallow for the rest of the life which in turn would destroy yours. His view was to let the law do it's job, grieve and then get on with your life.

I agree with you, harsh as it seems. When this initially happened, I thought "That's three lives over", not just the kid who got murdered. If one of them has done nothing wrong since, then he's done his time. As a parent I know I could never get over it but eventually you have to move on. It would be an entirely different scenario if the offenders were adults, in which case, as a believer in capital punishment, they should have been hanged. But, they were kids themselves, their upbringing had to be a factor.

[PM-Junkie]

Anyone who thinks that a mother in this situation should "get on with her life" is either living in cloud cookoo land, or is trying to provoke people.

I would suggest that when these two gits killed her son, her life ended.

Personally, I think they should have been locked up and the key thrown away, so this conversation would never arise. They knew exactly what they were doing.

[Halo Jones]

I agree with you, harsh as it seems. When this initially happened, I thought "That's three lives over", not just the kid who got murdered. If one of them has done nothing wrong since, then he's done his time. As a parent I know I could never get over it but eventually you have to move on. It would be an entirely different scenario if the offenders were adults, in which case, as a believer in capital punishment, they should have been hanged. But, they were kids themselves, their upbringing had to be a factor.

WLHS

[Churchill]

I agree with you, harsh as it seems. When this initially happened, I thought "That's three lives over", not just the kid who got murdered. If one of them has done nothing wrong since, then he's done his time. As a parent I know I could never get over it but eventually you have to move on. It would be an entirely different scenario if the offenders were adults, in which case, as a believer in capital punishment, they should have been hanged. But, they were kids themselves, their upbringing had to be a factor.

Are you seriously advocating that we should blame their parents?

[minestrone]

Unmask my James’ killers | The Sun |News

I don't know what the panel think? But to be honest my initial thoughts are 'Get over it'!

It's been 18 years since two children killed another child. The tabloid press just seem to continually stoke this issue up and give James's mother the coverage she needs to beat herself up and continue to wallow in self pity. I feel the comments are harsh, but actually I feel them justified.

This is the press at it's worse. Sensationalist headlines designed to stoke up fear, hate and loathing for two adults who committed heinous crimes when they were children.

As much as it probably flies against the view of the press I don't think they should be unmasked, one has never committed another crime, the other has and so should could be reported on and for James's mother I think the continuous chest beating by the Sun does her more harm than good.

Harsh or not?

I agree to an extent, she lost a child and got a soapbox.

[MarillionFan]

Are you seriously advocating that we should blame their parents?

For a ten year old child's action, I would have to place a huge amount of blame on the parents.

You only only ask the question Churchill, but I ask you, do you state that you would take no responsibility for your 10 year old's actions(if you had one) that you had raised or do you believe that it's purely nature, not nuture?

[Peoplesoft bloke]

On a purely practical level, if the name and whereabouts of Robert Thompson are ever revealed, he'll be subject to a continual stream of attacking villagers with pitchforks (which vigilantes I regard with only slightly less contempt) - meaning he'll either need Police protection, or we let it happen and hope no-one murders him.

We have to allow the law with all it's faults and putrid lawyers and judges to run it's course - otherwise society doesn't exist (and I've always thought it's a fairly thin veneer).

Seriously - what possible good would "naming and shaming" do?

[NotAllThere]

In all seriousness, how would you feel if it was your kid who'd been murdered by those little bastards?

Eventually, you HAVE to move on for your own sake and sake of the rest of your family. Doing that does not in anyway validate or excuse the actions of the murderer. Being unable to move on harms no-one but yourself. Continually dwelling on thoughts of vengence will turn you into a seething mass of resentments - and the murderer has destroyed another life.

...the other would be to hate & wallow for the rest of the life which in turn would destroy yours. His view was to let the law do it's job, grieve and then get on with your life....

Exactly.

Of course the parents (of the murderers) have a great responsibility. While some kids are "just bad", most kids turn out the way they do because of the influences of the adults around them - mainly their parents.