The "deflecting their fears" part is more like the deeper motive behind their "above it all" posture. The two things kind of fit together like a hand in a glove.
BOR has that same mentality. He's always talking in general terms about how the culture is going to h*** in a handbasket, then he turns around and wants to find a way to blame Shawn IN PARTICULAR for being with Devlin for 4+ years. Indicating he thinks MOST 11 yr old kids would NOT have reacted that way, only this one and maybe a few others, and the one who did obviously has something about him and his family to CRITICIZE.
BOR should educate his ignorant self and buy a clue.
I think that is what I find so offensive about many of the "Uber Freepers" (I think that was Bonnie's term). They always like to think they are ooooooohhhhh sooooooohhhh above everyone else. I always try to think, "There but for the grace of God go I." My kids are from a stable, loving, two-parent home. They are all straight-A students and are constantly praised by their teachers and principals. Until they hit 13, they were never allowed to go anywhere on their own. I still think this could have just as easily happened to any of my sons and, while I would like to think they would try to contact me, I can't say for sure that they would. None of us knows what our kids would do for certain.