I was sent an email by a well meaning friend. My initial reaction was ‘Yeah! I agree with that….’. However after reading it again I started thinking, hold on… not sure if I agree with this. Here is the email, included with my reply first.
—–Original Message—–
From: Gordon McLean
Sent: 22 January 2001 10:40
Sorry I can’t do this.
Much as I agree with the general feeling that these boys should be punished
I can’t leap on this kind of moralistic bandwagon. I doubt very much that
this is as black and white as is painted (nothing ever is). I have no doubt
the boys knew they were doing wrong, but to what level was their
understanding? The email below seems a tad hysterical and presents no
evidence (I do not count – ‘One paper even stated…’ as evidence). I also
have not seen any evidence concerning paint, batteries, or leaving him on a
railway track. Is this a virtual lynch mob?
“If Robert and Jon could be so evil at 10, imagine what they could do as
adults?” Do we have reason to state this? Is it not possible they have been
rehabilitated? They, as children, probably stand a better chance of
rehabilitation than adults as there minds are still open enough to accept
new ways of thinking.
I DO AGREE with the general sentiment, but do not agree (and never will)
with this kind of knee-jerk reaction. I will be contacting Lady Justice
Butler-Sloss with my own message, it will support the main aims of this
email (namely to ensure that the public voice is being heard) but won’t be
putting my name to this.
I have written about this on my own site – www.snowgoon.co.uk
See also – http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_992000/992233.stm
Apologies if this upsets – I have the same agenda as you, I just don’t value
this approach.
Gordon
—–Original Message—–
On February 12, 1993 a small boy who was to turn three in March was taken
from a shopping mall in Liverpool by two 10 year old boys. Jamie Bulger
walked away from his mother for only a second and Jon Venables took his hand
and led him out of the mall with his friend Robert Thompson. They took Jamie
on a walk for over 2 and a half miles, along the way stopping
every now and again to torture the poor little boy who was crying constantly
for his mommy. Finally they stopped at a railway track where they brutally
kicked him and threw stones at him and rubbed paint in his eyes and pushed
batteries up his anus. They then left his beaten small body on the tracks so
a train could run him over to hide the mess they had created. These two
boys, even being boys understood what they did was wrong, hence trying to
make it look like an accident. This week Lady Justice Butler-Sloss has
awarded the two boys anonymity for the rest of their lives when they leave
custody with new identities.
We cannot let this happen. They will also leave early this year only serving
just over half of their sentence. One paper even stated that Robert may go
on to University. They are getting away with their crime. They need to pay,
and we have to do something to make them pay for their horrific crime. They took Jamie’s
life violently away, and in return they get a new life. Please add your
name and location to the list and forward to friends and family. Please copy
this e-mail instead of forwarding so we do not get at the beginning of
sentences. If you are the 200th person to sign please forward this e-mail
to – cust.ser.cs@gtnet.gov.uk
attention of Lady Justice Butler-Sloss.
the list over again and sent to your friends and family. The
Love-Bug virus took less that 72 hours to reach the world. I hope this one
does too.
We need to protect our family and friends from creatures like Robert and
Jon. One day they may be living next to you and your small children without
your knowledge. If Robert and Jon could be so evil at 10, imagine what they
could do as adults?
Hi,
just read your blog and couldn’t help but comment.
Firstly, I agree! The Jamie Bulger murder was horrific and sick and now I have children of my own I feel even more disturbed by the act. However, I have always upheld that the farce of justice that took place during the murderers trial and sentencing was a a blot on the British justice systems record and reputation. To ‘up’ a sentence due to public outcry is ridiculous. Judges etc are not paid to respond to knee jerk reactions they are paid to uphold the law!
So, the murderers served their sentences (and unfortunately they did serve less than sentenced to but then again so do many other criminals) and were released and someone made the decision to protect their identity. COnsidering the outcry this makes perfect sense. The mob public were determined to linch them.
Whilst, I am sickened by what they did and can NEVER agree or condone I do believe that they were CHILDREN. (Children who committed an almost unforgivable crime but children never-the-less) I did things as a child that could have been dangerous or were considered cruel (I did not kill anyone incidently) and I didn’t understand the finality of death or the severe consequences of my actions. In some ways I am lucky.
I have heard all sorts of ridiculous comments about the murderers such as “they shouldn’t be allowed an education in prison”. It is difficult to not agree with the decision to protect their anonimity, because god knows what would happen if it weren’t.
Anyway, I have often defended this position and been called a murderer or sicko myself, so it was refreshing to read your comments. It is possible to be disgusted by their actions but respect their right to a safe life.
Many thanks
Having been sent the dreadful and horrifying chain e-mail you write about, I can’t sleep. So I was prompted to look at other responses, and found yours. I agree with what you say 100%, and I’m very disappointed with the person who forwarded the e-mail to me because, as you say, it is a knee-jerk response intended to incite fear and anger, neither of which will change the past or affect the future. It’s a classic example of tabloid gutter press in e-mail format – exaggeration, misrepresentation, not being clear of the facts or the desired outcome.
Anyway, I think you put it better than I can, and thanks, because it helped clarify in my mind why I felt so cross about being sent such a desperately sad e-mail that I can do nothing about.
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