Althouse: "She was embarrassed and I think a little scared that something she intended to be a good-will gesture turned into something that was terrifying the community for a short time."

July 30, 2014

"She was embarrassed and I think a little scared that something she intended to be a good-will gesture turned into something that was terrifying the community for a short time."

"In her mind, her motivation was purely kindness. It was meant as a good-will gesture. In retrospect, I think she wishes she would have left a note."

13 comments:

MisterBuddwing said...: Does sound like the setup for an episode of "Criminal Minds," no?; 7/30/14, 8:02 AM
The Drill SGT said...: Over reaction to a wonderful kindness; 7/30/14, 8:09 AM
alan markus said...: I can understand the parents being creeped out by this.

And I would think twice about picking up an abandoned duffle bag at a public event.

Funny how there is always a relevant Seinfeld clip:

The Doll; 7/30/14, 8:28 AM
Anonymous said...: Drill SGT: Over reaction to a wonderful kindness.

It would have been an over-reaction to a wonderful kindness if they knew who did it. They didn't.

Porcelain dolls can be really creepy. I would have wondered if my Santería practicing neighbors were up to something.; 7/30/14, 10:20 AM
Uncle Pavian said...: Note to future self: If you're going to try to brighten somebody's day, leave a note.; 7/30/14, 10:59 AM
Birches said...: What parent would think to call the cops over this? Especially if all the girls went to the same Church---I think you'd be able to put two and two together before the cops got involved.

We receive toys left on our front porch often. I've never thought about it as malicious for a moment. We have a lot of kids. Kids like toys. Here's some free toys.; 7/30/14, 11:13 AM
traditionalguy said...: Dolls were used as voodoo curse tools in pre Christian pagan cultures and their new age comebacks.; 7/30/14, 12:14 PM
tim maguire said...: The dolls are not creepy, but the fact that 8 dolls mysteriously appeared on 8 front porches without any explanation and looking vaguely like the 8 girls who live in those 8 houses is the stuff of horror movies.; 7/30/14, 2:22 PM
retired said...: We're all a little guy shy nowadays.; 7/30/14, 3:37 PM
Rockport Conservative said...: This is a modern reaction. Back in the day May Day was a day to leave a bouquet on a friends porch, no notes were required.
It is interesting Criminal Minds is mentioned. For a while I watched it and enjoyed it. It finally became so sick and twisted I began to think it was a recipe book for psychopaths.
I think so much TV and Movie violence and twisted thinking has caused a a real change in the American mind, much as some people have become isolationists families have done the same.
It is a shame a woman who lovingly gave away her children's dolls is looked at with such suspicion. We should all be ashamed.; 7/30/14, 5:32 PM
Anonymous said...: @rockport

I agree. I was a "Criminal Mind" fan for a while. Loved the team dynamics and Spencer Reid in particular, but I couldn't help but notice that in the beginning I was so horrified that I could barely believe this was on television and towards the end I had become nearly immune. I don't watch it anymore.

To illustrate the general societal change, when I read a Steve Jobs' first-person anecdote about an older guy that lived on his street inviting young (8-11?) year old Steve into his garage to "show him something," I immediately went on full alert. "Don't go in there," I was thinking.

It turned to be a rock tumbler. Although there were always sick people, things have changed, probably with my gen or a little older. We were constantly told about the stray older kids that wanted to poison our Halloween candy with drugs, rape us, or kidnap us. I knew the 1 out of 3 rape stat before I was 10. Add a generation of publicized awareness of sexual abuse, "Stranger Danger", and mix with excessively violent programming and there you are.; 7/30/14, 7:03 PM
cubanbob said...: Just goes to show once again that no good deed goes unpunished.; 7/30/14, 7:48 PM
cubanbob said...: Just goes to show once again that no good deed goes unpunished.; 7/30/14, 7:48 PM