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SHAME ON BOY'S FOLKS AND OPRAH (Kidnapped boy Shawn Hornbeck on Oprah Winfrey Show)
nypost.com ^ | January 19, 2007 | LINDA STASI

Posted on 01/19/2007 9:24:31 AM PST by Free ThinkerNY

SHAME ON BOY'S FOLKS AND OPRAH

By LINDA STASI

January 19, 2007

YESTERDAY, the parents of Shawn Hornbeck did what any parent whose child had been held captive and suf fered hell on earth would do in this circumstance: They put him on TV to suffer further pain, shame and humiliation. On "Oprah" yet.

Yes, Pam and Craig Akers, Shawn's parents, who say they have not (yes, that's "not") asked him about his ordeal because it would be too painful right now, nonetheless had no problem dragging their traumatized child out before God and everyone to answer questions on national TV.

Well, let me rephrase that. They might have turned down a first interview with God if He'd asked, but who can say, "No," to Oprah?

This, mind you, occurred yesterday - less than a week after the boy's dramatic rescue.

At least Elizabeth Smart's smarmy parents waited a month and a half to drag her out to play the harp on "The John Walsh Show" like a little abused, emotionless Muppet.

Shawn, however, looked like he just wanted to die - maybe of shame, maybe of terror, or maybe just because after being held captive by a monster, a child knows when he's being exploited. And yesterday, he was - in the most legal, sanitized, huggy-feely, disgraceful way.

Hey, kid, get used to it - this is your 15 minutes and you better milk it for all it's worth. And if your folks are anything like the Smarmy Smarts, you, too, will be a TV movie before long. Now that's entertainment.

And while no one asked Shawn if he'd been sexually abused by The Monster, Oprah did, in fact, ask his parents, saying, "OK, I'm going to go there and ask you, what do you think happened?

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial
KEYWORDS: shawnhornbeck
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To: timsbella

"They should have followed Ben's parents and refuse to spotlight their child."

Are you kidding -- the Ownsbys were on the Today show.


41 posted on 01/19/2007 10:03:40 AM PST by Constitutions Grandchild
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To: Free ThinkerNY

I saw it and I felt so sorry for the boy............


42 posted on 01/19/2007 10:03:57 AM PST by Red Badger (Rachel Carson is responsible for more deaths than Adolf Hitler...............)
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To: RexBeach

**SHAME ON BOY'S FOLKS AND OPRAH**

I couldn't believe that his parents would do this. Definitely not thinking of their son.

On the other hand, on one of the first threads about finding Shawn, there was a snippet about how the parents had both quit their jobs to look for Shawn and were virtually broke.


43 posted on 01/19/2007 10:04:19 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Danae
I have refused to watch Oprah for years now. This just makes me happier that I don't.

True that!

44 posted on 01/19/2007 10:04:35 AM PST by proud2beconservativeinNJ ("In God We Trust")
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To: D-Chivas

Without makeup she looks like she got hit by a bus

45 posted on 01/19/2007 10:05:59 AM PST by Free ThinkerNY ((((Truth shall set you free))))
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To: lovecraft
The Opriate of the masses.

My sincere compliments on this remarkably accurate phrase! I seriously plan to remember that one.

46 posted on 01/19/2007 10:07:26 AM PST by PacesPaines
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To: Free ThinkerNY
Without makeup she looks like she got hit by a bus

... or something they dragged out of the New Orleans/Katrina floodwaters!

47 posted on 01/19/2007 10:10:05 AM PST by PacesPaines
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To: Free ThinkerNY

>> Interestingly, it was what the parents of his co-captor, Ben Ownby, who were also guests on the show, didn't do that showed how tawdry it all was. They didn't let their kid appear. When Oprah introduced them, she also said, "His parents made a mom-and-dad decision and said that they feel he's had enough stress from television."

Audience applauded.


48 posted on 01/19/2007 10:10:30 AM PST by raccoonradio
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To: Salvation

I heard somewhere that the parents have refused any money to appear on Oprah or other talk shows, so let's not assume they did this for the money.


49 posted on 01/19/2007 10:11:55 AM PST by LWalk18
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To: stylecouncilor

ping


50 posted on 01/19/2007 10:12:04 AM PST by windcliff
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To: Salvation
They quit their jobs?
...How did they survive?
..aren't there 2 more siblings in that family?...step sisters?
51 posted on 01/19/2007 10:13:00 AM PST by Guenevere (Duncan Hunter for President....2008!)
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To: Free ThinkerNY

I was disgusted at his parents for doing this.


52 posted on 01/19/2007 10:13:09 AM PST by MEGoody (Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.)
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To: Republican Red
The parents had stated that they are doing interviews to take advantage of media interest and redirect it to kids safety.

While their hearts might be in the right place it's pretty obvious that what they're doing is ultimately misguided. I hesitate to bash them; from what I heard, both have been extensively involved in search & rescue efforts for kidnapped & missing children ever since their son was taken, Craig Akers especially. I wonder if a chance to advocate for his newfound mission in life --- a good mission, let it be said --- overcame his better judgment with regard to his son, who needs not so much advocacy as a sheltering home and a father.

53 posted on 01/19/2007 10:15:25 AM PST by SpringheelJack
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To: Free ThinkerNY

So, it appears that Queen Oprah removed her head long enough from Barak Obama's @#@ to do this show.


54 posted on 01/19/2007 10:16:35 AM PST by Marathoner
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To: LWalk18

Thanks LWalk18.

Confirmed no money:

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/nation/16493296.htm

Kim Evans, family spokeswoman and office manager for the Shawn Hornbeck Foundation, said neither the Akers family nor the foundation received money for appearing on Oprah.

She said other media outlets offered to pay for the first interview, but the family chose to go on Oprah because they hoped to reach a larger audience.

"We wanted to get the message of hope out to as many people as we could that there is hope for their sons and daughters," Evans said. "They took Oprah for that reason, because she has the largest audience. To my knowledge, there was no money involved."

From early morning to late night Thursday, the family gave interviews with local, national and international news organizations. The family required each to sign a contract promising not to publish or broadcast any report on the interview until 6 a.m. Friday. One provision of the two-page contract required news organizations that violated the embargo to pay $100,000 to the Shawn Hornbeck Foundation.

Once informed of the requirement to sign a contract, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch declined to participate in those interviews.


55 posted on 01/19/2007 10:18:25 AM PST by California74
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To: Republican Red

Maybe the exploitation they allowed on Oprah for a few minutes will allow the procurement of the intense help Shawn will need to normalize over the next few years.


56 posted on 01/19/2007 10:22:44 AM PST by raftguide
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To: Free ThinkerNY

I think it was bad judgement on the parent's part for putting their kid on t.v. I didn't watch it for that reason.

We all need to continue to pray for Shawn and his recovery, for it's going to be a long road of him.


57 posted on 01/19/2007 10:25:57 AM PST by diamond6 (Everyone who is for abortion has been born. Ronald Reagan)
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To: ThisLittleLightofMine

>>They are probably hoping this interview will quiet the masses and that they will be left alone.<<

Yeah, nothing like getting on Oprah to get you off people's minds.

ROTFLOL


58 posted on 01/19/2007 10:37:08 AM PST by SerpentDove (It's not rocket surgery.)
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To: Salvation

Shawn was molested by a 300 pound SKUMBAG !

The 300 Pound Skumbag had kiddie porn on his computer

Shawn said encouraging things about Ben being strong during his horrible ordeal !

BOTH Boys were raped , usually if you have kiddie porn on your computer & YOU SHARE PHOTOS WITH SICK BASTARDS !!!

Shawn was probalby blackmailed into posing for SICK Photos crap !

SHAWN Is Innocent !

FACT : Shawn's Dad Lost A LEG , Looking For another Missing Child !!!

FACT : Shawn's parent went through ALL Their Life's Savings Looking For Shawn

WHAT Have You Done to help a missing child ???????????????????


59 posted on 01/19/2007 10:45:36 AM PST by DvdMom (Impeach Nifong -)
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To: Constitutions Grandchild

Parents make their own choices and if they want to do the talk show circuit to shore up their finances, their call. Bringing out the child and making him part of the peep show - that's pimping in my book.


60 posted on 01/19/2007 10:47:16 AM PST by timsbella (Mark Steyn for Prime Minister of Canada! (Steve's won my vote in the meantime))
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