I know you're right, but I am NOT doing well on this one, because of the extreme, raw emotion surrounding this girl's disappearance.
I'm a guy, a big, tough guy who likes baseball, cookouts, lawncare and all the other "guy" stuff connected with livin' in the 'burbs.
But I find myself near tears in dealing with this situation. I have three older daughters, in their twenties, and I have a 12-year-old. I don't even want to deal with the transference to them. I have such a low threshhold regarding violence against children that I can't even deal with reading the stories.
Yes, I guess I do take it personally; I put myself in the Smarts' shoes, and then think "on top of it all, how would I deal with rumors and vicious, hellish gossip by all of Satan's imps, to the effect that I was responsible for it?"
Can you see where I'm coming from?