JAW JAW IS BETTER THAN WAR WAR

I have said this many times before, but I will say it again just for clarity.

When I first began commenting on the case of Madeleine McCann, I did not know whether the parents were involved or not, but I had a lot of questions.  At the time I was unsure, I would not comment negatively about them.  Although I am a libertarian and all round loon, I actually have my own very strict moral barometer and there are lines I will not cross.  Attacking a grieving family was one of them.

As more details of the case emerged and the files were released (I studied them day and night), both from a 'guilty' and 'not guilty' perspective, I began to reach the 'beyond reasonable doubt' stage, and it was only when I reached that point, that I became more critical.  Some the people I posted with in those days are still around, a few have become great personal friends and I post with them still on Facebook.  They have known my feelings about this case since the very beginning, and I am most definitely NOT a pro.
 
Regarding, where and who I post with.  There are calls (again) for me to be caste out and ostracised because I am talking to the enemy, there are a certain anti's (usually the anonymous ones) expressing anger and outrage at my behaviour.  They seem to think that because I am 'anti' (one of them), that they can dictate where I post and who I post with.  The idea is ludicrous of course, but they have spent so long bitching that they have lost touch with reality. 

I am very much a believer in 'jaw jaw' not 'war war'.  That is, when you have a disagreement with someone it is better to sit down at the table and thrash it out.  The majority, actually strike that, all of the Madeleine groups are divided into two camps bitching about each other, each group agreeing (naturally) with everything their members say.  Well done, good post, pat on the back.  There is NO opposition.

Such is my nature, and I make no apologies, I find that boring and after 8 years, a little bit pointless.  For myself, I am writing for people who already agree with me, and as nice as that is, they are not really my target audience.  I want to reach those who are convinced of the opposite and those who may be hovering on the fence.

I have not 'gone over to the other side', and the idea that I have is extremely childish, it reminds me of playground bullying, 'don't talk to her, she's one of THEM', it's not the behaviour of educated, articulate, adults. As an educated, articulate adult I prefer to face the opposition head on rather than join a gang and whisper about them in a corner. 

The Madeleine Debate Group is open to both sides of the McCann divide.  I think this is a good thing, they can make their accusations, I can counter them with arguments of my own.  We may be antis and pro's, but we are people first and happily there are enough well mannered pro's on the debate group to make discussion not only possible, but interesting and lively.  In my opinion, we need to stop looking at each other as 'monsters', because as long as we all have that imagery, the wars will continue. 

I should add, that among my personal friends there are catholics and staunch tories.  We are polar opposites on our political and religious views, but we remain friends nevertheless, and I should also add, that they have never persuaded me to go to mass or vote tory!