Hello all, and I would just like to welcome myself. I have helped with the Victoria Stafford case as well as currently discussing on the Morgan Harrington case, but have looked over many forums in the past couple of days.
Many of you have very legit points, and very intelligent conclusions, however, I am a little offended at AB's appearance that keeps being brought forward in some responses on this board.
I would like to clarify a couple of things, she is NOT goth, not even a little bit. The style you are seeing is either classified as Emo or Scene. This is the trend everywhere right now, and has been for years now- but in no way was this girl a goth. I get coined goth all of the time. I am now in my twenties with two post-secondary diplomas and certifications in various courses. I own my own business and have never had a run in with the LE or with anyone else for that matter. I am your "stereotypical" goth; black hair, pale skin, dark makeup at times (not black lipstick, but red), typical "black" fashion. I listen to a variety of music, including yes, Marilyn Manson, a lot of underground industrial bands, but even bands from the Cure, Dead can Dance, to AHA or Johnny Cash. I recently saw Manson in concert and can't say that anyone at his concert was disrespectful in the least. I think a lot of the people on this board can be ignorant to the fact that they lump "goth" people into something that is negative. I am not negative. I hold a very successful life, and even though I had a bad childhood, it ultimately comes down to the choice that you yourself can make, and ONLY you.
These comments of ritual killings (like the WM3 which I believe are innocent boys), rarely happen, but I am not going to disagree that a lot of these killings end up being men or women dressed in "dark" fashions. A lot of "troubled" teenagers seek this route to emanate how they feel on the inside, but like a lot of us, we do it because we like it. It's no different than you always buying that "red shirt" because you love red! We are drawn to dark shades, and eclectic jewelry (well I am anyway) because that is what appeals to me. Do I call myself goth? No. I call myself being me.
Honestly, it's a culture, much like teenage girls going to a popular dance bar and dressing in slinky one-shouldered tops and skinny jeans with heels... Only we may frequent a different type of club that listens to a different beat- but we are both still dancing, it's just the matter in which it's done.
I also would like to mention that I was a cutter at an age where I didn't even know there was a term for it. I hid it from everybody, I wore long sleeves and pants in the summer, no one ever found out. I can say from experience that some people do it for attention, but I can also say that there are many who do not. It makes the person feel like they are getting the pain out, much like an arguing person punching someone in the face would (again, only in a different medium).
So my whole idea is, that no matter how this girl dressed or what medical condition she may or may not have, all of this boils down to the lack of parenting of this girl. Luckily my parents were always by my side, and hence me turning out successfully. I cannot say that this girl had a good life at all, and sometimes people are too weak to turn their lives around like I chose to do. Most serial killers had horrible childhoods- do the math here and stop pointing fingers at AB's attire.
Thank you
