Smart family isnt right

[cruisnfamily]

Originally posted by kdibattista
Well said zurgswife -

this whole thread is making me ill

Count me in with the two of you!

I've been applauding kdibattista's posts and now I agree with Zurg's wife as well.

You people shouldn't judge until you have walked a mile in their shoes (and I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy)

 

[Dan Murphy]

I still like this picture...........

 

[jamsmom]

Thank you, Dan. As I have said before, you always have the right pictures

 

[Liz]

Yeah Dan, I love that one too.

Those who find the Smart family odd or suspicious, do you respect John Walsh? Because he has become a close friend of the family and has nothing but praise for them. Even the police, who have so closely investigated this, have no reason to suspect the family of any wrongdoing. So I'm just really confused by all the comments here.

 

[JasonLyons]

[
Those who find the Smart family odd or suspicious, do you respect John Walsh? Because he has become a close friend of the family and has nothing but praise for them.

I think John Walsh isnt right

 

[DixieDreamer]

"He is not crying real tears." "It is creepy that he is crying".

What the ????! Damned if he does or doesn't.

I just had the misfortune to read this thread. I did so even though it made me profoundly sad. I continued to read it despite the appalling comments because I was affirmed to see posts from folks I have come to know and appreciate on this board - posts which showed compassion and a wisdom to refrain from unkind speculation. The other posts just left a foul taste in my mouth.

I suppose we can manage to villify anyone if we work hard enough at it. Does that make it right? Would we wish for that kind of judgemental scrutiny were something unfortunate to occur in our families and place us in the center of a press frenzy? One event, one mistake, and it could be you that is standing under that spotlight. I hope compassionate people are by your side when that happens.

 

[JasonLyons]

I notice the good people of the world HATE anyone that dont think like them

 

[Liz]

Jason, just look at all the LONG posts you're responsible for!

 

[Buckalew]

I don't know, Dan. She looks like she wants to jump off that couch and run away again.

Sorry, ya'll but how can you read so much crap into those pictures. She looks happy and content to be home to me.

For all I know, I could be wrong and the whole situation could have been set up. Maybe her father paid the drifter to take her away and she gave birth to twins that were conceived when dad molested her. Maybe her father's crying is all put on. Maybe the girl wanted away from the siblings and that whole corny family who act like they are such a close bunch but aren't. Maybe the parents brought homeless people in and were wanting and waiting for one to make a move somehow on the family so that they could have their 15 minutes of fame. Maybe the father has spoken out so much the whole time during her disappearance and since she was found because he wanted more than 15 mins...

maybe... but I'll take my chances and hope for the sake of missing children and grieving parents everywhere that all of this was not made up and that these people are sincere and happy to have their daughter at home safe and sound. And if I'm wrong, well, it wouldn't be the first time that I wanted to expect the best of people.

Truly, this has been one of the saddest threads I have read here in my 3 years.

 

[CathyCanada]

I don't, Jason. Maybe I am not a "good people", I just disagree. My heart breaks for any family that loses a child. I thought the father was a little weird, but he would probably think I was weird too.

To me, this thread is about opinions. You asked for them, you got them. Some may feel more strongly about their opinions than others, but I don't see any hate here.

Thanks for the up close account Kim and you too, Tiiiigergirl. I'm happy that Elizabeth is home with her family where she belongs. To me, that is what really matters in all of this.
CC

 

[browneyes]

Originally posted by Liz
Those who find the Smart family odd or suspicious, do you respect John Walsh? Because he has become a close friend of the family and has nothing but praise for them. Even the police, who have so closely investigated this, have no reason to suspect the family of any wrongdoing. So I'm just really confused by all the comments here.

John Walsh is a good man. He went through hell himself. But just because he may or may not think the Smarts or odd or suspicious, doesn't have bearing on what I think.

I still think that pic of Elizabeth isn't quite right. Yes, she looks happy. But, anyone that has been through the things she most undoubtably went through can't spring back that quickly. Especially a 15 yo child.

I'm glad she's reunited with her family, I wouldn't trade places with her parents for anything. But she's going to snap sometime and it's going to hurt pretty bad.

 

[browneyes]

Originally posted by Buckalew
Sorry, ya'll but how can you read so much crap into those pictures. She looks happy and content to be home to me.

Brenda are you referring to my opinion that in that pic something just doesn't seem right, or are you referring to those that posted she looks happy in that pic?

 

[Buckalew]

Shannon, without going back and looking, I couldn't tell you who said what on this thread. I just remember reading through this thread (I started this a.m.) and saw several comments about what she and her family look like in the pictures. My comment is just that...I do not see how people can look at those pics and read anything into them.

I agree with the above post you made. She may look 'normal and happy' but her life is not normal and she has a lot to work through and probably will for the rest of her life. She needs help and from what the family has said, they seems to have the money and brains to know that she will need help. I don't think anyone has said that she is just going to walk through the front door and all is A-OK, like nothing ever happened. She has a long, long journey to travel. I'm happy that she probably has a relationship with God to help her through some very dark days ahead.

 

[RNMOM]

I certainly didn't expect this to expand as it has.

I just have an uneasy feeling about this whole situation. I can't understand why a wealthy woman would suggest a homeless person work on the roof of her home. What if he had fallen? What about warrenty and guarantees? I am far from wealthy and would never do such a thing.

I lived in Logan Utah for 2 years and the people there are very trusting and loving. They are not stupid or naive. Inviting people to come to your home to work on it and then giving them keys to that home seems strange to me. Especially when you have young children in that home. I just don't understand this.

So, I am uneasy about many of the facts. Am I glad she is back? You bet. Am I hoping this family heals and all is well from now on? You bet.

 

[palmtreegirl]

About the whole crying without tears comments.

My grandmother just passed away and at first I wept and tears would flow but after awhile I would literally sob with no tears. It was the strangest thing, I would be crying, sobbing even, but it was as if I ran out of tears. So I wouldn't judge him on that at all because it happens, you can literally be *all cried out* it happened to me.

 

[Tiiiigergirl]

I literally could not sleep because of this thread! That has never happened to me before. I have a couple of thoughts that keep circling and maybe if I post them I can get some sleep.

1. I was so grateful that NONE of the negative comments I've read here are being bandied about on the local media. If they have I've not heard them. No one is saying them across backyard fences here locally either.

2. This caused me to wonder exactly what everyone else in the country is seeing. I mean we are getting full media coverage. Fifteen minutes on a 30 min news cast are devoted to this story and 30 minutes on an hour program etc. We have FULL media coverage. Perhaps what seems weird is because you are just getting a snapshot and just what someone else wants you to see.

3. I've not heard anyone in her family say she perfectly fine now nor have I felt like we've been given that impression. This thread is the first I've heard of that. The only thing I've heard her family say is that they are giving her time to share her experiences so as to not further traumatize her by forcing her to remember (or get caught in a media storm).

Now maybe I can sleep.

 

[Mamu]

The Dis sometimes amazes me.

Why can we not understand that this was a kidnapping? Why does there have to be some underlining conspiracy? Why do we blame the parents? Why do we blame Elizabeth.

This Father, this Mother, these Children and especially Elizabeth have been through a nightmare that none of us could ever image.

Yes there are evil people out there, they are all around us. It's time to stop blaming the victims.

 

[zurgswife]

literally could not sleep because of this thread! That has never happened to me before.

Sort of the feeling I had yesterday afternoon...I reread the thread 5 o 6 times and it kept getting worse.....I was amazed at what was being said.....

Yes the pics don't look quite right...I think the little girl will snap at some point....hopefully not to drastically....but I think that is what you see in the pics a little girl taken from her family, happy to be back but there is a darkness that lies inside that she hasn't gotten to yet...

God Bless Elizabeth Smart and her familly...

 

[Olaf]

I'm one of the original posters who felt that something just didn't add up, and I still feel that way. I haven't seen the father on TV, so I'm not going to make any comment on him.

What is bothering me is that I sense a family in denial about what has happened to their daughter. They want everything back to "normal", which is understandable. I saw last night where they were taking Elizabeth to some kind of big welcome home party put on by family and friends. I wouldn't be doing that if I were in their position. Several people have made the comment that they are sure that this family is hooked up with counselors. How do you know that? I see no evidence of that, quite the contrary. I'm generalizing here, but many religious families have somewhat negative perceptions of mental health professionals.

I saw a report last night that this Mitchell fellow tried to abduct her cousin. That Elizabeth gave him directions to the home and told him in which room she slept. She may only be 15, but I'm assuming she has a brain. I repeat again, the story, as has been reported in the media, does not add up.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

See Olaf, those are the things that don't add up to me either. There is no way that this poor sweet girl has not been through a lot. Now you go dragging her to parties, and inviting the whole extended family home. How the heck is she supposed to destress? Elizabeth is the true victim here, and I have no blame for her. Yes I have not been in the parents shoes and I pray I never will be. But knowing me, there is no way I would be taking her to a party and subjecting her to friends and extended family at this time. They say she was brainwashed or had Stockholm Syndrom or whatever, if that was the case, I don't think we would have these smiling pictures. That is unless she is really trying to be happy which will be even more harmful in the long term. My heart breaks for her no matter what she has been through, it's too much for a girl her age (or any age). I hope that the Lord continues to protect her and she receives whatever healing she needs.

Of course having a dissenting, non-fluffy opinion on the DIS is like aligning with the Devil, itself.