You may very well be correct and I generally agree with your posts. We can't know for sure. I think the reason that some took offense to the Ritz and Norman's being set up through MB is that it fits the picture some have of the A's. I, for one, can easily imagine CA making demands even at a time like this. "If they don't want to help us, we'll talk with another station. Tell them we want the Ritz, not the Hilton. And tell them we'll be expecting a large dinner for everyone. We'll have Milsteads, Lee, Mallory and George, should we call ____?"
At least I admit the above is pure speculation, while many just make statements of fact as to the circumstances, usually sympathetic to the A's. It may not have happened anything like I suggested but with her personality, it wouldn't be a surprise to many of us to find out it did. And let's not forget, Caylee's remains were not identified at that time. They did not have a similar reaction when LP's divers claimed to find bones in the lake. Yes, they had to go somewhere but was this what was offered or was it demanded or negotiated?
If they were so upset as many assume, why were they surrounding themselves with PR, press and attorneys rather than family or seclusion? I've asked people to leave for much less pressing family circumstances. Is this whom one shares their "grief" with on the 'darkest day of their lives'? Sounds way too much like business as usual and also raises the question if this hasn't been the way it's been going for quite a while on their seemingly never ending media blitz.
Some very decent, compassionate posters, like you did in your post, imo tend to project their own experiences and feelings onto the A's. Also jmo, but the A's are not decent, compassionate people so that projection is going greatly skew things. Just about anything, in a microcosm, can be explained or forgiven. When one considers the totality of the circumstances, however, a true picture emerges. I don't see posters criticizing them for eating; I read it as criticism for continuing to be grasping, greedy, maniuplative people that will even use this "news" of possible remains of their grandchild to further their own agendas. At the Ritz, no less.
Of course, if we were to offer just about any poster here, under similar circumstances, a hotel room whether it be the Ritz or Holiday Inn, when they're distraught and cajoled, they're likely to accept. We may further convince them to have dinner at a place in the hotel, Norman's, Ruby Tuesday, whatever's there. A gathering including their adult children. But would most posters here also have the media, the PI's, the PR person and their attorneys at such a grief stricken gathering?
At the beginning of this case I had a great deal of compassion for the A's. I engaged in arguments in their defense, even with my own mother. It is their actions that eroded that sympathy. For anyone else in their circumstances, yes, I would have a great deal of empathy, compassion, sympathy. I can feel sorrow for the families of other murderers. But the A's are not like other people, imo. I can no longer see them as sympathetic victims; more like victimizers, particularly CA.
Just to clarify: I am in no way at all meaning to imply any negative implication toward any poster who has compassion for the A's. In fact, I think it is their own good nature, morals and experiences that they may be projecting on to the A's who, imo, are very unlike, maybe polar opposites of, those posters who are able to maintain compassion for them.
Sorry to toss all this out at you. Your post caused my thoughts to coalesce but it's something that's been nagging in my subconscious for a while. It's been a long time since they used up their last 'Victim - get out of responsibility free card' with me.
