Every night for the last two months, thousands of abortion opponents across the nation logged on to a blog run by the suburban Chicago woman who identified herself only as "B" or "April's Mom."But the doll — the doll — was too much. She should have figured that some of those readers know their dolls.
People said they prayed that God would save her pregnancy. They e-mailed her photos of their children dressed in pink, bought campaign T-shirts, shared tales of personal heartache and redemption, and sent letters and gifts to an Oak Lawn P.O. box in support.
As more and more people were drawn to her compelling tale, eager advertisers were lining up. And established parenting Web sites that oppose abortion were promoting her blog -- which included biblical quotes, anti-abortion messages and a soundtrack of inspirational Christian pop songs.
By Sunday night, when "April's Mom" claimed to have given birth to her "miracle baby" -- blogging that April Rose had survived a home birth only to die hours later -- her Web site had nearly a million hits.
Why can't we see the blogger — Beccah Beushausen — as a fiction writer?
She didn't set out to trick or cheat thousands of readers. She got people emotionally involved in a story that they believed was true, but she didn't solicit money from them — only sympathy and prayers — and she didn't cause them to panic in any sort of a "War of the Worlds" kind of a way. She didn't even rope in Oprah, in that "Million Little Pieces" way.
I say: leave Beccah alone.
AND: Lest you think I engage in such fictions, let me recommend one of my favorite songs:
IN THE COMMENTS: Meade responds to coin-operated boy with beer-activated girl:
Posts
59 comments:
Of course! When conservatives lie they are just writing fiction!!
How convenient for you, Althouse.
And what a load of steaming Saturday morning nonsense. That's not an insult--it's fiction!!!
Very interesting to see again that true stories based on facts are only Fictional creations by artists working in the non-fiction genre of fiction. Its like listening to Barak Obama's many speeches telling about his saving the world from destruction from the great crisis all around us by taking personal control of all of the American money.
Does it depend on intent? Was it for art or financial gain? The Yale student who pretended to have abortions was a performance artist, right?
Yeah, Althouse, quit emotionally exploiting Juris Dentist!
It's Saturday morning. Can't you pick a more challenging target to victimize?
Shhh, Meade. People are going to think you're a fictional character.
Juris, there are anti-abortion Christian liberals, believe it or not. For example, many Catholic priests.
What kind of woman would home-birth a child known to be ill? And then post a picture of him (presumably while still alive). Good thing it was faked, 'cause the woman sounds wacked. Munchausens?
McKinney, who runs the widely read Christian parenting blog said.
"My readers were praying for her, and I feel guilty about that," she said. "But I have to admit her stuff was beautifully written."
From now on I will not believe a word of anything Theo and Bissage say. That's it.
I'm on to you two ;)
Titus is a dreadful writer, so I believe him.
but she didn't solicit money from them — only sympathy and prayers
Only? If there is a God, I would think invoking Him to aid her would scale somewhere ABOVE soliciting money.
It's a weekend morning... Ann and Meade are posting comments... Who gets up to make the coffee? Will there be bacon?
I'm with you. Leave her alone.
Hey! There was bacon!
Shhh yourself, Althouse.
And where is that so-called bacon?!
Admit it, you're fakin'
Fake bacon, that's so wrong — on so many levels.
I wonder if Beushausen possesses talent to convey her state of mind throughout this endeavor. I find these kinds of fraud fascinating, but I have no clue as to what compels people to conduct them.
Ah, maybe I wouldn't find them fascinating if I did.
Okay, but nothing wrong with real feelings, right?
What if the romance between Althouse and Meade is one giant hoax? I say they should still get credit for creating (or saving) one romance--even if it is fake. After all, isn't the social benefit of romance the perception it creates in the public?
The cool thing about my hoax is/would be that the NYT fell for it.
dbp : What if the romance between Althouse and Meade is one giant hoax?
Well, I'm going to LMAO when she gives birth to a Barbie doll.
Uh, excuse me, sweetheart, but there is nothing particularly cool and original about hoaxing the NYT.
Hoaxing the NYT?
Jayson Blair got paid by them to do it.
Beer Activated Girl.
That was sweet.
And I was still thinking about the squirrel launching video that garage posted in a previous thread. Man, you guys are hitting all my fantasies this week.
It's always, always women that do this. I watched the "Kaycee Nichole" saga unfold at Metafilter in real-time and never believed a word of it.
In an amazing coincidence, the P.O. Box of the blogger with the imaginary genetically defective fetus, is located in Oak Lawn, Illinois, home of Christ Hospital, where forced birth advocate Jill Stanek came to fame by protesting the hospital's policy of letting genetically defective fetuses quietly pass away.
And in another amazing coincidence, the blogger with the imaginary genetically defective fetus lives in Mokena, Illinois, where Jill Stanek keeps her own P.O. Box.
Which raises the question: Was the blogger suffering from a sort of Jill Stanek attention envy, or is she a Jill Stanek confederate?
Leave her alone why? She trolled people to play them for whatever reason. She has no expectation of not being trolled back. So she gets hate mail. Part and parcel in being a fraud.
"Why can't we see the blogger — Beccah Beushausen — as a fiction writer?"
This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters and places are creations and not representations of any real persons past or present. Any resemblances to any real events is entirely coincidental.
@Oligonicella The reasons books sometimes have that warning is so they can repel lawsuits by people who think it's about them. It's not a required warning to protect gullible readers.
this place is getting really meta
Yeah, leave her alone because she's learned her lesson, but, basically, she lied. She wasn't writing ficiton on purpose, I mean, she was pretending what she wrote was true. That's pretty messed up. She had to know from the comments she was getting that people thought she was in the situation for real. It wasn't an experiment or art project on purpose, it was a hoax because she was faking.
Oprah would ask for an apology.
I'm aware of the reason, my books have it. I'm also aware that it's a good policy to tell the truth.
You asked why we can't see her as a fiction writer. She is a fiction writer, but only in the literal sense.
Not because she was writing fiction for consumption as fiction. She's a fiction writer because she lied about her writing being the truth.
That's not what a fiction writer does.
Shhh, Meade. People are going to think you're a fictional character.
I knew it as soon as I saw that picture of him on a porch, reading the paper. Hey, I have that same man at home!
All reality filtered through language is fiction, to one degree or another.
Leave her alone, sure. As her friend pointed out, she needed some love and attention, and that's what she got.
But I bet her state is looking into her BCSW license, and they should. I'd be very leery of licenscing a therapist who either willingly strung people along by their emotions, or did so in the grips of some sort of emotional breakdown of her own.
"But I bet her state is looking into her BCSW license, and they should. I'd be very leery of licensing a therapist who either willingly strung people along by their emotions, or did so in the grips of some sort of emotional breakdown of her own."
I don't think I've ever met a psychological therapist of any sort who hasn't been completely, utterly bonkers.
Palladian, yes, it's a diagnostic tool. You can almost bet that whatever they specialize in, that's their own bogie.
Beth said...
"Hey, I have that same man at home! "
Lucky same man.
Palladian : All reality filtered through language is fiction, to one degree or another.
And yet, modern relativism is fiction, too.
But I bet her state is looking into her BCSW license, and they should.
They might if she had one. I tried all the social workers, marriage and family, and even professional counselor possibilities, without finding her name.:
https://www.idfpr.com/dpr/licenselookup/default.asp
I did find a Bobbie Beushausen, who is a licensed cosmetologist.
"Palladian, yes, it's a diagnostic tool. You can almost bet that whatever they specialize in, that's their own bogie."
I love the late psychiatrist and poet R.D. Laing, who was certainly (and admittedly) a specialist in and scholar of his own demons.
The Illinois social workers association came out with a statement saying she holds no state license as a social worker.
==============
The problem of this woman is that she is an emotional vampire, sucking up the trust and attention of others, diverting it from real cases...and making people less likely to give of their time, trust, emotional commitment, even physical support of truly needy cases in the future.
like the deceivers always getting smoked out about the "child with a deadly cancer" that turns out to be cancer-free, the Vietnam hero Vet haunted by flashbacks ..who turns out to be a two-month Army reject.
Another poster, Rebecca, at ZooLoo Blog, wrote:
I understand using blogs as a catharsis. I also understand using blogs as a way to hone your creative/fictional writing skills. There’s certainly not a blogger code of ethics that prevents people from doing this. But what are the guidelines when bloggers profit off their tall tales? Or when they receive monetary support and presents from their readers. Are they not taking advantage of people’s good graces? Should they include a disclaimer that what they’re writing might not necessarily be true if there’s the potential to receive earnings and gifts?.
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6329595&postID=9147407487695959174
First I've heard of this. It's not like the fiction writer didn't provide a service to her readers. Why get angry at her? Just acknowledge that you are easily duped and move on. Lesson learned.
I will add that this is a very entertaining thread to read through.
"The problem of this woman is that she is an emotional vampire"
This woman? I don't think you need the "this"...
Lucky same man.
LOL, Meade. And very charming - you made an excellent choice, Althouse.
She is NOT a social worker - she lied to the Chicago Trib and they did not check facts, the state board has now come out with a statement and is looking into charges.
She did not just write an innocent fiction novel, she went around soliciting people's time, money and sympathy. She would use other names and get email addresses from other people's blog telling them about her blog. (while posing as a concerned blogger). She very carefully calculated her lies.
This was not just something that "got out of hand".
She is NOT a social worker - she lied to the Chicago Trib...
This was not just something that "got out of hand".
A fantasist telling one more made-up story -- who would suspect?
The problem was lying in the first place. One lie leads to the next.
Palladian...How do you classify Truman Capote's novel "In Cold Blood" which is a fictional report about a real event? Is it a great hoax that manages to create its own place as an analysis of life.
"She got people emotionally involved in a story that they believed was true, but she didn't solicit money from them"
Not according that article you posted. It quotes one woman who she solicited money from. It might be nice if you read the article before commenting on it.
While where at it, I do like your idea of labeling things proved to be untrue as 'fiction.' How about we start with the Bible?
These sorts of emotional vampires and Munchausens are pretty common, sad to say. But they're not benign fiction writers.
A fiction reader enters a contract with the writer. "I will tell you a story - not a true story but an interesting one -- and you will listen." The reader enters willingly into a subcreation. Therefore, it is not a lie.
In this sort of case, the writer lies to the reader, claiming the subcreation is actually one of the factual happenings of the world. The reader is conned into believing this. That makes it a lie and a con game, not fiction. If the person were genuinely helpless to tell the truth, it would be an artifact of mental illness or a delusion, not fiction.
To call this fiction is a serious abuse of the term, and an insult to fiction writers. It also is a regression back to the philosophers who thought all fiction counted as lies, and looked down on storytellers as professional liars.
I was told about Beccah's blog by someone who knew her in real life. This person went to college with Beccah and really lost a baby in April 2008 to Trisomy 9. I trusted her judgement and I read Beccah's blog, but always thought something was a little off. I never sent her money or gifts because I could never shake that feeling.
Now that the whole scam broke, I've done a bit of investigating into her background. Beccah has a history of pulling these type of scams. Here are just a two that have been verified-
She told a couple she was pregnant and was going to give the baby up for adoption. She gave them an ultrasound video and took money from them for "medical" and "living" expenses (typical adoption agreement). Surprise, she was never pregnant and left the couple broken hearted.
While she was in school (college) she told her friends her boyfriend/fiance had died in a car accident. She did some fund raising and took money from people to help with her living expenses and tuition (because she was so upset/broken hearted her boyfriend/fiance had died). Too bad the boyfriend had never died.
If this was the first time Beccah had done something like this, then I would agree with you and say leave her alone. However, this is obviously a pattern of behavior from Beccah. She needs to get some mental health help before she ends up in prison or jail. You can only go around pulling scams for so long before it catches up to you.
Also, she tricked and abused the services of the wonderful non profit organization Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep. If you do not know what a wonderful service they provide to parents who are really carrying a sick baby or have given birth to a still born baby, google them and see. Beccah took part in a maternity photo shoot with them obviously wearing something to make her look pregnant. She had thos pictures to put on her blog all to boost the credibility of her SCAM. She got this all for free because that is what NILMDTS does.
At the very least, she should be made to pay a fair market rate for her photography session and pictures.
If it were 'simply a fiction story,' she wouldn't have set up Post Office box for her readers to send her money and gifts, she wouldn't have went into panic mode and took the website down. She would have explained that it was a made up story. She would have never led them to believe it was a real story in the first place. I say Beccah Beushausen needs psychiatric help to deal with her personal issues, because she's not handling them well on her own. How many fiction books have you picked up to read, believing they were a real story?
To Professor Althouse.
Dear Madam,
As the Ghost of a Gentleman, dead these 260 Years and more, you may imagine the Pleasure with which I read some time ago your Account of a Clock-Work Figure, made in the Year 1805, which writes Poems, Greetings, &c. in both the French & English Languages. Altho' this Automaton comes from a succeeding Age, I may tell you that such Machines were in great Vogue in my Day; and, I hope I say without Boasting, that they were often much in advance of the Penman shewn, whose principal Virtue seems to be his Survival.
Perhaps the most famous of these Mechanical Semblances of Nature was made by one M. Vaucanson, a very intelligent Artificer at Grenoble, and, later Paris. He is said to have made a mechanical Flute-Player; a Shepherd who play'd upon the Pipe & Tabor; a Tambourine Player; and, his crowning Achievement & Glory of his Art: The famous Shitting Duck of Paris.
This Bird could flap its Wings; drink of a Dish of Water; and, what is most astonishing, eat & digest Corn, deficating very convincingly the Products of its Digestion. It should not surprise the Student of Natural Philosophy to learn that M. Vaucanson, clever as he may have been, had not yet master'd the Fluxions of Humours attendant upon the Digestion of Food; so, the Bird's Offal had, of needs, been prepar'd beforehand. M. Voltaire remark'd that whilst the French Nation had many fine Accomplishments by which to remember the Age of Lewis the XIVth, the Glory of France under his Successor might best be compass'd by a Farting Duck.
As your Theatre of Topicks (as I call it) can no longer accept Writings of more than 4,096 Letters, I must leave this off, to continue immediately with the Second Part.
Please know that I am,
Madam,
Yours, etc.
Sir Archy
To Professor Althouse.
Dear Madam,
Here follows the Second Part of my Epistle:
Mrs. Palmer's rather odd Song of "A Coin-Operated Boy," sung above, puts me in mind of a Visit I made in the Year 1725, to Mr. Bressan, the celebrated Flute-Maker. I had within the previous Twelvemonth made the Acquaintance of one Mrs. Fetler, a young Irish Widow (who was to become both the greatest Love & the greatest Vexation of my Life); and, knowing our mutual Fondness for Musick, and her vary able Playing upon her own English Flute (made by Bressan), she drew my Attention to the following Notice in the Post-Boy for the 9th of August, viz.:—
ADVERTISEMENT.
Mr. Bressan, who makes Flutes & Hoboys after the neatest & best Models,
begs to inform the Publick that a wonderful Exhibition of Mechanical
Automata will be shewn in his Picture Gallery beginning the 13th Instant
of this Month, and continuing through Michaelmas next.
Mr. Bressan has spared no Expense to assemble the finest Collection
the British Publick have yet seen of Musick Boxes; moving Figures
performing several Actions; and, Instruments of Musick play'd by Clock-Work.
The Figures, which are above 20, and move their Heads, Legs, Arms, and
Fingers, so exactly to what they perform, and setting one Foot before another,
like living Creatures, that they justly deserve to be esteem'd the greatest
Wonders of the Age. To be seen daily between Noon & 9 in theEvening
at Mr. Bressan's House in Duchy Street, near Blackfriars. Price 1 s.
N.B.—On Michaelmas, the Exhibition will be held to include, Peter,
the Clock-Work Waiter, made by Mr. Bressan's Brother, Watch-Maker
of Liége, who has brought this Figure from that famous City especially for
the Occasion. Peter will obligingly pour Glasses of Wine for those present,
without spilling a Drop, 'tis assured. Price that Day, 1s. 6p., to include a
Cordial of good Madeira Wine, serv'd up by said Clock-Work Waiter.
Here I must leave off again, because of the new Limit impos'd of 4,096 Letters.
The Third Part continues below.
I am,
Madam,
Yours, etc.
Sir Archy
To Professor Althouse.
Dear Madam,
Here follows the Third Part of my Epistle:—
I had just return'd much fatigued from Scotland, and, feeling the Want of Diversion after three Months' Labour improving my Estate, I was well-pleas'd with the Prospect of such an Entertainment. Mrs. Fetler had, in addition, a mind to bespeak a descant Flute for her Daughter (who was old enough to learn the Rudiments of Musick). Accordingly, she, her Brother, his Wife, and I, all betook ourselves to Mr. Bressan's before Supper on Michaelmas in fine Humour, fit to be amus'd. We were not to be disappointed.
Besides many Clocks with curious Figures & Movements, etc., there was a fine Two-Key'd RuckerHarpsichord, painted with as much Delicacy as any Coach, or, even Snuff-Box I had ever seen at Paris. 'Twas fitted with a small Machine, resembling a Barrel-Organ, or, a Dutch Carrilon, but made with such Refinement that it play'd several French Tunes & two Airs of Mr. Handel with uncommon Exactitude upon the Harpsichord; yet, which was more surprising, with as much Feeling as any living Player could express. Mr. Bressan's Daughter said Mr. Handel had pin'd the Barrel himself & told her of his great Satisfaction at doing so.
The Figures that excited the highest Admiration amongst our little Party were, a pair of near to life-siz'd French Fencing-Masters; and, Peter, the Clock-Work Waiter. The Fencing-Masters, drest as French Officers, stood on a kind of Plinth or Piste, which contain'd much of the Machinery & Springs. They saluted one another, bowed, and began to duel, which went through-stitch with much Thrusting & Parrying, several Ripostes, and a Remise from one of the Mechanical Officers, which carry'd the Day, the other stopping to bow low & salute him. Whilst their Skill of Hands was great, what was most wonderful was the Action of their Legs, which, excepting that their Feet could never leave the Piste, was the most perfect Imitation of living Motion I ever had seen. Their graceful & athletick Gestures affected Mrs. Fetler greatly, who said with Astonishment, that she had never beheld any living Frenchman step so lively.
The Clock-Work Waiter made an even deeper Impression upon us. He stood behind a tall Table, with several Glasses set before him (or, more properly, it) on a green Cloth. Peter the Spring & Cog Servant, then took up the Bottle; neatly pour'd a Dose of Wine into a Glass; set the Bottle down again; and, lifting the Glass, offer'd it to the Company. This Mechanical Waiter then held the Glass steadily until 'twas taken by one of the nearby Guests; at which, it would repeat the Action with the next Glass in turn. What excited the most Curiosity was its Elegance of its Movement, whereby it turn'd its head, and smilingly nodded to the Person who had just taken the Glass from its Hand. 'Twas so like to Life, that several of the Company began earnestly to thank Peter for the Cordial. Mrs. Fetler and Mrs. Farrell laugh'd, saying they wisht their own Footman was so well-behav'd.
Here ends the Third Part of my Epistle. The Fourth to follow.
I am,
Madam,
Yours, &c
Sir Archy
To Professor Althouse.
Dear Madam,
Finally, you may have the Fourth and final Part of my Epistle:—
A little while after, Mrs. Fetler having made her Bargain for her Daughter's English Flute, Mr. Bressan told us of a Deputation he receiv'd from Waiters at the principal Coffee-Houses of the Town, enquiring whether the Profusion of such Machines as Peter might not cost them their Employment? "I told them no," says he, "for, altho' Peter may do one Thing well (and thus have the Advantage of some of your Bretheren), he cannot make Rejoinder to Abuse, and so should deprive many a Gentleman, who frequent your Houses, of their chief Amusement."
Mrs. Fetler then ask'd me whether she should not enquire of Mr. Bressan's Brother for such a Mechanical Man as she had seen that Evening, but fit for her own Employment. "But, Madam," ask'd I, "To what Use would you put such a Machine?" "Ah, Sir!" says she,"That's a Matter of some Delicacy." "Well then, Madam," said I, "Why should I not bespeak a Mechanical Woman to keep me company in your stead, when I am absent upon my Estate?" "I fear, Sir," says she, "that you could not bear the Charges." "What?" said I, "We are of nearly equal Fortune. If you would have a Clock-Work Man, why do you not think I could afford such a Woman?" "Well, Sir," says she, "It stands to reason that the simpler Mechanism must entail the least Expense. The Machinery of a Man should be perfectly plain & unbarrassing to the Owner; whilst that of a Woman would require so many Cogs, Springs & Levers for its proper Operation, that the Workman who made it should be justly ewarded a Fortune. Additionally, such a Complication of Machinery is very apt to be put out of Order; and so, Sir, you would have no End of Charges to keep her in Repair." "Madam," said I, "What you say is very true. I suppose, then, I shall have to look closer to Hand, if I would have a Substitute for you."
Several of the Company, who were close by, were much entertain'd by this Discourse, coming as it did from the Mouths of an Irish Lady and a Scotch Gentleman. We found that the Papers were full of it for a few days; and, that Bressan was much put out, saying he would rather have had such a Display of Wit in the News-Papers at the Beginning of his Shew than the End of it.
St, in short, Madam, you may see that my Age was not wholly ignorant of the higher Mechanical Arts, even as we had put them to more harmless Use than this Modern Age hath done.
Sensible that your Heart could never have been the 'Scapement Spring of Hobbes' Leviathan; but that it beats now, as real Flesh & Blood, for Mr. Meade, I am,
Madam,
Your humble & obt. Servant,
Sir Archy
Delighful is he... The o ld ghost.
Dear Sir Archy
Having just finished perusing your four-part missive on Althouse's Theatre of Topicks, as you term it, and having been so thoroughly entertained as well as educated thereof, I am caused presently to exclaim my deepest sense of heartfelt joy at your return. Due to my self-imposed limitation of one syllable for exclamations which shall expire as soon as I see fit, I must now say simply,
"Yay!"
*dances*
Your true and humble avid follower,
Chip Ahoy
It reminds me of I, Rigoberta Menchu.
Presenting something as truth has an effect on people that presenting it as fiction has not.
Rigoberta Menchu and her defenders fall back on "fake but accurate", or "indigenous peoples have their own standard of truth", blah blah blah.
But Solzhenitsyn did not lie in Gulag Archipelago. Not every story in it is true, probably--but he makes a clear distinction between what he witnessed himself, what happened to him, and what was told to him by others.
If he had made up stories about what had happened to him, the Soviet Union would have used that to discredit his criticisms.
There is no cause so noble that lies can be used to advance it.
You tell people something is true because they believe you. Becca Whatever wanted something from people--it may not have been money.
If she had openly written fiction, people might have said "I love your story so much, blah blah blah"--but because she presented it as true, she made it about HERSELF. Now SHE is so strong and brave and whatever and she gets emotion directed toward herself and not what she created.
Well, now she done f-d up.
I suspect Mr. Bressan was French, or a student of M. Vaucanson. No English Man could have invented such Mechanicks. At least in 1730:
"It is a Kind of Proverb attending the Caracter of English Men, That they are better to improve than to invent, better to advance upon the Designs and Plans which other People have laid down, than to form Schemes and Designs of their own; and which is still more, the Thing seems to be really true in Fact, and the Observation very just.
Even our Wooloen Manufacture it self, with all the admirable Improvements made upon it by the English, since it came into their Hands, is but a building upon other Mens Foundations, and improving on he Inventions of the Felmings
hmmm... you posted the Dresden Dolls. coin operated boy is a very adorable song. however.... i'm taking into account the anti-choicism, and i'm countering it with the lead singer of the Dresden Dolls, Amanda Palmer. and her delightful song about date rape, an abortion, and religion:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C17yfGyJjM
It does matter that she lied, that she tried to pass this fiction off as truth. I'm sorry, but I just hate this kind of rationalization.People will say stuff like "But if it made you think about a cause, made you feel, etc--does it matter if it's the truth or not?" Yes it does matter. The truth matters. Facts matter.You'd get a lot further with "She lied, she knows it and she's sorry," than with this tripe.
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