MagicRose99 said:
Just my opinion:
I have read thru Maura's threads... and find something occuring every so often - one person who believes they are the "authority of facts" concerning Maura.
The truth of the matter is, NO ONE is the "authority of facts" concerning Maura. Her family may "think" or "feel" they know what Maura woulda, shoulda, coulda done, but the only FACT is that Maura is the only one who knows what Maura was thinking or feeling or was planning to do.
Just because the family "feels" or "thinks" these "facts" doesn't make them facts.
Everyone who has a theory or opinion should be able to bring them forth for discussion to bring new ideas and theories to light. To constantly claim that you "know for a fact" is wrong... YOU don't know for a fact, the family doesn't know for a fact... Only Maura knows what Maura was feeling, thinking, woulda/coulda/shoulda done.
To me, all theories should be welcomed... to open possiblities - open new avenues - that should be the objective here, not constantly "correcting" other posters or "berating" them for their theories/opinions. Unless something has been PROVEN AS FACT nothing else should be "assumed" as fact...
Just my opinion...
MagicRose99,
So glad to have you as a poster in Maura's thread. It is good to have "new thoughts"
Please correct me if I am wrong, but I am assuming that because you make mention of
"one person who believes they are the "authority of facts" concerning Maura." and that I often say that it is my goal to insure the facts are correct that I am the poster to whom you refer.
Although I have made it a goal to correct any misinformation and/or misunderstandings that I see posted, I certainly do not think for a minute that I am THE ONLY person who has the facts. Honestly, I do not even begin to address ALL of the errors in facts that I see posted here. I wish that I could. Unfortunately (maybe fortunately as some of you see it
)I just do not have the time (nor the energy). Also, murraydwyer, a relative of Maura's posts here and she certainly has the facts.
Whether my corrections are liked or disliked, it is necessary to "constantly" correct as much misinformation as possible. The misinformation winds up being understood as "fact" and invalid theories are then formed that in this thread often get repeated as fact.
There is much more mystery in Maura's case than fact.
I do not present as fact what the family thinks or feels.
I do not present as fact my opinions and I don't believe that I have ever posted a theory.
I do believe that there are several possibilities that might account for Maura's missing:
1. She succumbed to the elements and her body has not been found. I think this is possible and likely
2. She was abducted and murdered and her body has not been found. I think this is possible and very likely
3. She ran away. I think this is possible, but not as likely
4. She commited suicide. I think this is possible, but least likely
5. She was abducted, is alive and is being held against her will. I think this is possible, but the least likely of all
Now, all five of these "theories" are possibilites and there is *****absolutely no evidence to prove either of them******** That they are possible, very likely, not as likely and least likely are my opinions - not facts. Though, it is hard to dismiss that one of the five must be fact
My conversations with and intimate knowledge of people who know Maura well provides me with facts that are not published as well as providing me with corrections regarding error of facts in the media:
For example - 20/20 reported something along the lines that Sharon Rausch had met the Wilberger family; that they had prayed together and said that they were trusting God to take care of Brooke and Maura. That they also emailed back and forth and became good friends. Their report is only **partially** true. Sharon and Fred met the Wilbergers during the Montel Show. Sharon and the Wilbergers did discuss their faith in God and that Maura and Brooke was in His care, and that they had hope that both girls were living. Sharon and the Wilbergers never emailed back and forth and Sharon and the Wilbergers never became friends due to the girls going missing. Now, I for one, don't think for a minute that 20/20 intentionally reported this incorrectly. Mistakes happen. If I saw a discussion regarding this, I would post the correction to the facts. That would not mean I was attacking the poster who for a fact saw the report on 20/20; it just means that I have knowledge of the real facts.
We all misread on occasion, or we read something incorrectly, or we post something from memory that is incorrect. Or as explained above, we get misinformation from the media. For me to point out these errors is not picking on anyone - it is from a deep concern for Maura's case and to keep intereseted parties properly informed .
I could cry, "Woe is me - you're picking on me; everybody is picking on me. You don't like my opinions almost everytime someone responds to me." And although I sometimes feel this way, I have never presented my feelings. My personal feelings are not an issue, and my *opinion* is that no one else should be posting their personal feelings. But since, it seems to be a trend, I am on the other hand very tired of being accused of attacking people because I correct them. I would want to be corrected if I posted in error (and I have and was glad for it to be brought to my attention). I think it is time to stop the malicious attack on me about not wanting to hear other's opinions and theories. That is simply not true and a careful reading of my posts will bare that out.
The only thing I want is respectful discussion with fact (what little of it there is) noted as fact and all of the opinion, supposition and theory noted as such and not submitted as fact.
I have had several PM's during the last year or better thanking me for my advocacy for Maura's case, but sadly the websleuth members say they just cannot endure the "savagery" (as one put it) of the thread; therefore they no longer post - they only read. Today's post by Masterj confirms that this is the feeling of some members:
Masterj said:
While I read this thread everyday, I am often hesitant to post anything because I find that several posters bully others and act as if their theory is the whole truth. Everyone is certainly entitled to theri opinion and I don't think anyone should be criticized for correcting the mistakes or common misconceptions about Maura's case. None of us knows all of the facts of Maura's disappearance or her state of mind. However it is absurd and illogical to not take EVERY possibility into
consideration.
I have had no personal contact with Masterj. There have been no PM's going back and forth to him/her asking for support. He/she, I believe, has posted here on occasion, but not for a very long time.
I find it very sad that people feel intimitated in coming to this thread, and am thankful for Masterj and Kelly's support (from last night). I am still very confused as to why anyone feels intimidated or attacked because they may have information corrected or read of someone's information corrected. It is my strong personal belief that if anyone does not want the truth, then they should seek fictional mysteries.
And there is also the ignore button :twocents:
Respectfully,
Peabody