Tuesday, 14th October 2008
When spam conjures bad memories
Monday morning and my inbox is full to the brim again. It’s really an every day occurrence, but Mondays are more indicative of people’s dip in mood. It’s the “oh crap I’ve had a tremendous weekend, but now it’s all over, I have to be at work and if anyone says the word Vodka I’m going to die” attitude and they sit there, forwarding spam and chain letters out of sheer vengeance.
Spam is a real pain in the rectum. The ones that kill me are the ones about enlargement and enhancement and then there are the ones that instil shock all over again.
The ones that remind you what a scary place the world sometimes is. How sometimes we take for granted how easily some of us integrate in our society and live up to its stipulated guidelines and how some others struggle or even break this conventions in such a dismal; manner that leaves a whole nation reeling in horror.
Recently one of my spam emails caught my eye. It was a petition regarding Jamie Bulger’s horrific murder back in 1993. Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, the two 10 year old boys who had tortured and killed the then 2 year old toddler are now 25 years old and have been set free under new identities for a year now. The U.K. government spent £13,000 to safeguard the two young men’s identities as imposed by the High Court in January 2001 to protect them from revenge attacks. They were granted an open-ended High Court injunction protecting their anonymity.
Quite obviously there are some who believe that the time served by the offenders was not quite enough and are still calling out to anyone and everyone, who has been and still are in shock, following the horrible murder.
It does make you think. What is right and what is wrong? Have these boys really been rehabilitated or not? Have they repented for what they did? Will they be a threat to society again? One person was quoted as saying “If they committed this crime when they were only 10 years old let alone what they could be capable of doing when they are released as adults.”
It’s obviously very hard to trust that two people responsible for such a lewd and evil act, can be re integrated into society and I guess it’s even harder for those who have been affected directly by this tragedy, to come to terms with the fact that these two boys are being given a second chance to live a life under new identities, when they themselves took away Bulger’s life!
Venables and Thompson had turbulent childhoods, which can’t have contributed to a sane frame of mind at any point of their tender lives. Everyday the young boys went back to a ‘home’ (if one can even call it that)…full of violence, psychological dysfunction and pain.
Venables' parents were separated. His brother and sister had educational problems and attended special schools, while his mother suffered psychiatric problems. Following his parents' separation, Venables became isolated and an attention-seeker. At school, he banged his head on walls. No effort was made to find the cause of his distress.
Thompson was one of the youngest of seven boys. His mother, a lone parent, was an alcoholic. His father, who left home when Thompson was five, was a drinker who beat and sexually abused his wife and children. Despite his quiet and friendly manner, Thompson came from a home in which it was normal for the older children to attack the younger ones, and Thompson was invariably on the receiving end.
The pain these children endured must have been unbearable and so much to live with at such a young age. At an age where, your parents are your everything, friends play an important role and you are starting to learn about yourself and who you are. It’s already confusing enough to go through that and start gearing up towards puberty, let alone to deal with survival of the fittest in your own home!
I’m not excusing their actions, but what I am is confused. Confused as to how a society is meant to deal with two ‘murderers’ returning amidst them, confused as to how a courtroom is to pass judgement now that the years in prison have been served, confused as to whether I should feel sorry for these two humans or if I should feel sorrow for a mother who will never see her son grow, graduate, follow his dream, have a family, because someone stripped him from a beautiful life that he could have lived. I welcome you to send in your comments.
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Comments
I also believe that the government should do more to help the many children living with the kind of severe deprivation and emotional neglect that the Bulger's murderers themselves were going through.
This was truly a horrific crime carried out by two boys, who, although still being minors knew exactly what they were doing.
The deed itself was so appalling, that any sympathy or understanding as to “why”,was completely disregarded by the British public.
Saying that the boys had a difficult upbringing doesn’t hold water, one can argue that millions of other kids have difficult childhoods but they don’t go out and commit murders
This seems to be the argument of many defense lawyers these days.
On the other hand I have to admit that because of their age, I think that the authorities have acted appropriately by giving them another chance in life, whether this is the right decision or not only time will tell.
There have been many other cases that have sickened the British nation, Hindley / Brady, and more recently the Soham murderer Ian Huntley spring to mind.
The sentences given were full life sentences where life means life.
Unfortunately Myra Hindly died in prison, many people wanted her to rot in prison for a lot longer.
I recognize this is a terrible Murder...and that the mother of Jamie Bulger will never forget and have peace of mind after all that happened and this is cruel...BUT I still think that the two boys after 15 years in rehab and being 10 years old, if they were given proper rehab and education and some help from phsycologists something has changed...remember they were still 10 years old...I know that the first steps and influence for everyone begins from family and our first years BUT still 15 years might have helped..
In answering your question abou having them as neighbours..I have to be true, that I will be a bit scared ..and I think it's normal But if I have to think a hundred times...why can't they be given a chance ?? when other criminals who were older and more concious of what they were doing are freed an have been in jail for few years??
If u were to be a mother,would u want any one of these two as your neighbour?
the crime they committed in my opinion is unforgivable. no amount of rehab or therapy will do society justice by releasing them.
Think about "normal" 10 year old children and the trouble they get into.Most of the time it's either at school or else they fight a bit with their friends or they try to be mean to others etc....at least that is my impression on 10 year olds....NOW see the difference between a "normal" 10 year old and these 2 boys Jon Venables and Robert Thompson..don't u tink that in a way it wasn't really their fault??!?!
It is up to ALL parents - despite all personal limitations - to give their children the right start in life: to help them become fulfilled, emotionally healthy adults, capable of loving and trusting others.How can dese boys at the time feel dese things?
Despite all i don't side with the boys either as I don't think there is any reason why someone can kill someone else and in that manner..BUT don't u think that after 15 years of rehab they were given some help ??
I remember this case very well. No amount of time would do these two justice.
how can a mother ever forgive?
some crimes are unforgivable.At least that's my opinion.especially on children.
and now they are free,living lives under new identities. They could be anyone's neighbour.