WHY I WON'T SUPPORT THE RICHARD HALL VIDEOS

My spambox has been especially busy this past couple of days with sneaks from the cesspit trying to promote the Richard Hall videos.   Just for the record I am not going to publicise theories that name and accuse all and sundry of lying and being involved in a heinous crime.  I think it is morally reprehensible that people who through no fault of their own are being 'investigated' (stalked) by groups of self appointed vigilantes who have put them on public trial and found them guilty, based on nothing more than their own prejudices. 

I watched the first videos that Richard Hall produced and was deeply dismayed at the 'school boy' errors and the obvious input of chief conspiracy loon Tony Bennett.  Richard seems like a nice enough guy, but he has either been totally bamboozled by Bennett (many have, see his Wiki entry) or, and I hate to say this, he has been too lazy to check the facts out for himself.  Another reason of course, may be the 'answer to every question', the old filthy lucre.  The mystery of Madeleine McCann is a global phenomenon, documentaries, books etc about the case could potentially make millions.  Even justice seekers have to earn a crust.

I fully understand why the disappearance of Madeleine has gripped the inner detective that lies within all of us,  For some of us the need to know who dunnit, how they did it and most of all, why, can be overwhelming.  In the early days, I would have compared my own obsession with this case  to Sir Edmund Hillary's need to reach the top of Mount Everest, giving up was never an option.  I read everything, and I mean literally everything I could find, and in the early days, thousands followed and commented on this case.  It took a long time to sort the wheat from the chaff, but I had a few golden rules.  If the theorists I read dismissed or worked round the evidence of the dogs, I stopped reading (Birch) . If they dismissed the work of Goncalo Amaral and the PJ, I stopped reading (Bennett, HideHo, Textusa).   If they stuck rigidly to their own theories 'I'm right, dead right', I stopped reading (all of them, plus Peter (last photo) mac). 

Eventually, I reached the conclusion, that the only people who know exactly what happened within Apartment 5A, were the occupants and those present at the time, and they ain't telling.  The police may be able to work out a scenario based on the forensic and witness evidence available, but will it be strong enough to convince a jury?  It should be remembered that the 'authorities' have resources and facilities that the armchair detectives can only dream of.  With their limited 9 year old evidence (PJ files), their theories are already nearly a decade out of date. 

The problem with 'bad' researchers like Tony Bennett, is that they bring all their prejudices to whatever they do.  Tony Bennett had already reached a conclusion before his 'research' into this case began - that is, it involved deviant sex and had links to the hated Labour government of the time.  All his work thereafter has been led by confirmation bias, he has been looking for evidence that will support his own conclusions.  Those who support his work, will have the same prejudices, ergo, they will empathise, his words will be theirs too. 

Whilst confirmation bias has its' audience, it rarely, if ever, leads to the truth.  And for those of us who want the truth and nothing but the truth, it just isn't good enough.  It would be like  cutting the edges off round pegs, forcing them into square holes and saying 'that'll do' or even Sir Edmund settling for a ledge near the top because be 'wanted to go home now'.  These theorists are trying to satisfy our need to know with very dodgy, makeshift props that fall to pieces if you give them a prod.

Unfortunately, the McCann case already has an established and very dodgy audience.  Many thousands were initially drawn to this case because they were appalled that the mainstream media were bending over backwards to excuse the child endangering and gross negligence of this group of doctors in the lead up to the holiday season.  They were also quite clearly, in yer face, covering something up. Unfortunately, it also attracted droves of the self righteous and the sanctimonious, who used the case as a platform to tell us just how perfect they were, the usual nutters (psychos, misfits, obsessives, wannabe stalkers) and those who wanted to lead angry mobs. 

The largest group 'the usual nutters', have mostly, moved on to other targets and victims, but as becomes clear if you google 'McCann', a number still remain.  The majority who remain however, are still here because they care very much what happened to that little girl who went missing on her holidays.  They are here because they cannot accept that a small vulnerable child can just disappear with no-one being held accountable.  They are the good people who won't stand by and allow evil to flourish. They are here because they understand that the evil behind that child vanishing is still eating into innocent lives.  They are appalled at the injustice of a decent cop having his good name and reputation slandered because he has never forgotten what this case is all about.  They are appalled that an innocent lady could be driven to her death by the dark forces who will literally go to any lengths to keep the truth hidden.  I can only say, God help those who are living with that dark hand over them, they have lost their freedom.  The majority of us are here now because we haven't forgotten Madeleine, and because we cannot stand by and say nothing whilst this evil air of corruption continues. 

I think it is fair to say that this case has shown millions of tabloid readers just how much they have been manipulated.  They now know beyond a shadow of a doubt that their newspapers can and do lie to them.  In the pre internet days, news could be contained within borders, the opinions of an entire nation could be swayed and manipulated with make or break front pages.  Cover ups now are virtually impossible, most of the population walk around with camera phones and instant updates on anything they want.  This case has illustrated how the mainstream media have lost control, newspaper sales have plummeted, well known journalists have been exposed as part of the establishment, no longer led by a search for the truth, so much as regular job and pay cheque.  On that one aspect I will commend Richard Hall, he does at least pursue his ideas, even if they are a bit off the wall and in the case of the Holocaust denier, downright objectionable to many of us.  I don't want his work banned, nor do I want to steer people away, I always advise people to check these things out for themselves and to have faith in their own judgment. 

Whilst I am all for fearless documentary making, I have no respect for those that are not guided by honesty and integrity.  The most groundbreaking and indeed the most successful of those documentary greats are the ones that target the main players and resist the temptation to go off at a tangent to massage their own egos.  Four hours of 'look at how much work I've done' is a turn off for most people.  The urge to say, shut up and get to the point overwhelms most of us within the first 30 minutes.  The 'A' list presenters and commentators can show how much work they have done within a 2 minute segment, they don't have to accompany it with a biography and a time and motion study. 

Not only has Richard Hall been led off on a tangent by Tony Bennett - distastefully, all the people being accused in the Richard Hall videos have no right of reply.  They are targeting people who are bound by their own (decent) morals and values, and quite possibly judicial secrecy. Just because we are able, if we are that way inclined, to track down all the people named in the released PJ files doesn't mean that we should.  Those 'researching' the witnesses do not seem to understand that what they are doing has gone above and beyond that which most of us would consider socially acceptable behaviour.  In my opinion, it borders on psychopathic, there is something a bit 'Salem Witch Trials' about getting a crowd to point a finger at a selected target.  But above all else, it is sleazy and it is creepy and it is no doubt why many of them, hang onto their anonymity for dear life.  

The continuation of the abduction story is not without victims, people who are being made to suffer and live in fear to perpetuate the myth that Madeleine was taken by a stranger.  An effective government keeps the masses in check with fear.  Fear of aliens (the ones with dark skins who carry backpacks) and fear of paedophiles (one lurking on every corner and waiting to climb in the kids'  bedroom window when the lights go out).  Being named and shamed is a dark secret fear held by most of us.  We can always find something to torment ourselves with if we put the effort into it. But mostly we very protective of our personal boundaries.  Of course, attention seekers like myself are always vying for centre stage, but most people like to lead quiet unassuming lives, or they want to be known by their own talents, not their connection to an infamous missing child case.  It was her connection to the Madeleine case that led directly to the death of Brenda Leyland, something those naming and accusing the witnesses in this case should probably bear in mind when they share these videos.    

Those promoting these supposedly truthful accounts of what happened to Madeleine McCann are contributing to the trauma of those who are simply trying to get on with their lives.  The accusations against Robert Murat are unspeakable and the possible repercussions do not bear thinking about if a gullible deranged viewer decides to take this form of justice one step further.  All employers now google potential candidates, how many  of those named in the PJ files have seen their lives torn apart by these zealous 'researchers'.  For libel  purposes, I expect the damages are at present incalculable. 

 I will not add to their suffering by sharing the malicious and accusatory words of people looking for a short cut to easy money by claiming to 'know' what happened to Madeleine McCann.  Or more accurately, what everyone in PDL was getting up to that night, bar the people in Apartment 5A.  In any event, the answer is cash.  Media sensations like the Madeleine story are few and far between, it was bound to attract opportunists, people who would use the case of a missing child to set up a pretty pointless Foundation.  I have no problem with people making money from their talent, but stalking innocent strangers online is not a talent and accusing them of covering up the death of a child is despicable.  However, I don't want to ban these pulp  fiction chancers, nor do I want to silence them, the only way to deal with them is to challenge them directly and point out all the glaring, and downright ridiculous, flaws in their confirmation bias approach to research. 

Among the victims of all the Madeleine related spin offs, is Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Information.  The case of missing Madeleine has been, and is, being used by those lobbying for new privacy laws and restraints on what the media publish.  It is also being used by those who want legal access to all our computers.  For our own protection, doncha know.  Their battle cry is 'think of the children'. 

But I have digressed.  I haven't watched Richard's videos, nor will I (at this stage).  I am very precious about my time and at the moment  I am desperately seeking episodes of Family Guy (suffering serious withdrawal symptoms). I am still vexed at the 4 hours I 'lost' last time I watched the Hall videos.  I am still struggling to forgive Mark Wahlberg for The Happening (a title that takes irony to the extreme) for the 2 hours I will never get back.  Though it must be said, he has gone some way to make up for it with Ted.  The Hall videos however remain in the never go there again closet.

It would be wrong therefore for me to pass judgement on Richard's videos, I only have knowledge of his previous videos that I am afraid left me less than enthralled.  Apart from the absurdity of armchair detectives 'knowing for certain' what happened to Madeleine from the 9 year old evidence, I am horrified that real people associated with this case are being targeted and put on public trial by groups of vigilantes.  For some people, enough is never enough, they want/need that 'satisfying' end and if it sits comfortably with their own view of the world, as near as dam it will do. 

These Madeleine theorists are not justice seekers nor are they tackling the real cover up that is going on.  They are not life's achievers, they are not the movers and shakers, they are the fly by nights who zoom in, spend 5 minutes taking stock of the situation, before passing their expert opinion, and flying back off (probably via UFO) back to their real interests (aliens in Richard's case, the new world of Sodom and Gomorrah in Tony's).  They don't really care about the characters involved, they don't see them as the real people they are, they are as real and empathetic to Richard as his extra terrestrials and to Tony, as his band of demons.  They are collateral damage in their individual quests to become Cult leaders.  Also, Robert Murat got a huge payout for the dreadful slurs against his name and reputation and that irks some people, even to this day. 

I have become very philosophical in the years that I have studied this case.  Not only have I examined the motives of all those involved, I have carefully examined my own.  I have long forgiven myself for my obsessive need to 'solve the puzzle', it is a human trait shared by many, a driving force some might say.  Of course there are more important and imminent problems to solve all around me, but I'm fixated on this one, a bit like Sir Hilary.  I now know the 'answer', in as much as I am 98% there on how the strings were pulled, but I couldn't possibly say.  As to the logistics of how the actual scenario played out, I know only as much as Goncalo Amaral shared with us in his book The Truth of the Lie. 

I can take an educated guess at the psychology of what lay behind the actions of the inner group, but that can be nothing more than an opinion. Though I have to say, it is a very informed opinion.  One of the modules of my degree course, included deconstructing literature, and it was subject I took to with great relish, and have pursued ever since.  Tis my nature to deconstruct everything, an irritating trait, but I've learned to live with it.  And the McCanns and the witness statements have given me so much to deconstruct!

With Gerry's blogs and Kate's diaries, they saw a 'Kardashian' future of flashing paparazzi with newspapers and magazines queuing up to buy their story.  They put their love of the cameras and airtime above their own self protection. They switched off that part of the brain that was telling them every time they appeared on camera and gave interviews they were giving themselves away. 
They truly believed they had anyone who listened to them, fooled, every opportunity to speak directly to the public was taken, because they believed the more they talked, the more convincing they would be.  None of their advisors it seems has had the nerve to point out they have been digging themselves deeper and deeper into a hole. 

Kate perfected the 'look at how sad I am' whiney voice, almost at the outset of this case.  I'm guessing it's the one that has worked so well and on so many occasions since childhood.  They have told the abduction story so often, they probably even believe it themselves.  Kate even manages faux outrage at the suggestion Madeleine could have got out of the apartment on her own, she almost has to stop herself from saying 'haven't you been listening'.  It vexes her when her judgment is questioned.  One can almost see the 6 year old Kate stamping her feet and threatening to be sick.  But I am not going to deconstruct the huge volume of videos and texts available in this case just now, suffice to say that for anyone studying human behaviour, deceit, body language, psychology, actually any 'ology', this case provides volumes of resources. 

In the early days, the MSM were rushing for the opinion of Kate and Gerry(or they were just giving it via their press office) on major news stories and childrens' issues.  The epitome of good, solid, middle class family values and phenomenal fund raisers.  In other words, an advertiser's dream.  Their 'cash value' took precedence over the morals and scruples involved.  The Tapas Group's half arsed form of parenting was not only whitewashed,  it was almost recommended as ditzy sofa queens rushed to console Kate by saying 'we all do it'.  Thus ensuring that the prisoners of Mother England are not only looked down on by our European neighbours for the thuggish behaviour of our football hooligans and inability to cope with alcohol, we are also known as habitual neglecters of young children.  The British establishment treated their Portuguese suspect status as totally insignificant, almost with contempt, with the then head of CEOP Jim Gamble, sitting alongside the two arguidos publicising a 'live' missing child.  The Portuguese would not have shelved their investigation if there were any prospect of finding Madeleine alive and if there was a child predator on the loose in the Algarve.  There is no evidence of an abductor and there is no evidence of Madeleine being alive.

Despite all of the above, Kate 'we checked on them every half hour' McCann was made Ambassador for Missing Children and no doubt had lots of parenting advice books lined up for the highest bidder.  For those thinking this is entirely a joke piece, the aforementioned really happened.  Mrs 'it worked so well for 5 nights' Mcann is the face of a major charity.  Whilst the theorists are chasing their own preconceived ideas, they are overlooking the obvious injustices that are staring them in the face and continue to affect the lives of others.  They are targeting the nannies, the neighbours, or anyone who ever set foot in PDL or played golf, and they are overlooking the fact that a mother who left her very small children on their own, and makes no apologies for it, and who left 48 police questions unanswered is the face of a major charity supported by the Establishment. 

From what I do know, Richard is sticking with his initial thoughts (or should I say Bennett's initial thoughts) that is he has veered off into the realms of 2 degrees of separation and a vast amount of speculation, by a deranged 'researcher' who is quite obviously a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic - and a nasty one at that.  Will I be watching the videos, nah, I think I'll stick with the far more enlightened world of  the Griffins.  

Ps.  I am astonished that those who left the Jill Havern forum because of the cesspit's harassment of the Smith family and other innocent witnesses, are now promoting the videos of Richard Hall on the Candyfloss forum,  This is despite the fact that Richard has not only expanded on Bennett's initial stalking and harassment, he has raised it to a whole new level and taken it to a bigger audience.  Live and learn.