Friday 5 December 2008

Shannon Matthews

So the poor child had a 'Bad' Mother.
Is it right that we should be raking over this sorry case, looking for someone to 'Blame'? or should we be working to find a wider solution to poverty and inadequate parenting?
I have even heard some folk shouting about the morals of the Matthews family for having 7 children with 5 fathers. Is anyone qualified to tell another who they choose to father their children?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

She can have as many fathers for her children as she likes as long as they support her and not expect us to pay for them which means getting pre-nuptial agreements in place and ensuring she has the means to afford legal action to make a claim where payment is not forthcoming. Mind you I wouldn't want them living next door to me.

Don Wood said...

The issue is not the amount of children different fathers etc it is about as Ken says finding a way to end the poverty and the education of both parents. If you grow up with bad role models the chances are you to will portray the examples you have been set. Children of parents with addictions grow up to become addicts themselves the abused become abusers. We as a society have a role to play. At Saint Pauls in Cliftonville we endevour to try and help those with drug and alcohole addictions plus the homeless and needy I often describe this as the hardest work ever but at the same time the most rewarding. We dont need to be blaming and shaming we need to be changing things and changing them for the better not pushing figures around and league tables performance tables etc.etc. We need real change change that helps people.

Anonymous said...

Poverty has and is and always will be something that is intrinsicly self sustaining. Poverty is the leading cause of poverty. Once recognise that being poor is something for which we place blame but a problem that as a mature society we create solutions to maybe we can create a world that is better.

However, blaming the poor for being poor is like blaming the French for speaking French or cancer patients for being ill.

Looking down on people for the level of society that they come from or live in must be recognised as an ill of society every bit as vile as racism or sexual discrimination.

One day a man whose life would go on to be very important to people the world over said: "Why do you try to remove the splinter from your brother's eye when you yourself have a log in your own eye."

I'm not going to argue religion but the point is well made that just pointing the finger and shouting demonstrates only a complete blindness to the truth of the situation.

Ken Gregory said...

Totally agree Matt