Abby Sunderland's Mom: U.S. Taxpayers Should Pay for Rescue

[Pepper]

Opposing Views:

Abby Sunderland's Mom: U.S. Taxpayers Should Pay for Rescue

News by Mark Berman Opposing Views
(2 Hours Ago) in Politics

The family of Abby Sunderland will not be reimbursing Australia for the $300,000 cost of finding her in the middle of the treacherous Indian Ocean. In fact, Abby's mother suggested American taxpayers should foot the bill.

"We're not wealthy people," MaryAnne Sunderland said.

She added that if Australia really wanted its money back, it should place a call to Washington, D.C. "The full cost of chartering an Airbus would be so high, you'd think they would have to work with the U.S. government for that," she tells Australia's Courier-Mail.



EDIT
RELATED

Sailor Abby Sunderland's Dad Signed Her To TV Deal Before Her Doomed Voyage


Here's a dose of reality.

The father of teen sailor Abby Sunderland told The NY Post that he's broke and had signed a contract to do a reality show, "Adventures in Sunderland," about his family of daredevil kids weeks after she set off on her doomed and dangerous solo sail around the globe.

Laurence Sunderland, a sailing instructor who lives in the middle-class Los Angeles suburb of Thousand Oaks with his pregnant wife and seven kids, opened their home to film crews four months ago.

[Pepper]

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And well they shouldn't be made to pay.

 

This is just your average American family.

 

An impoverished family, whose children learned how to sail in homemade boats made out of string and sealing wax.

 

Whose parents are sound as an Obama dollar and most likely related to Balloon Boy's parents.

 

And the fact that the 16-year old's solo sail was not endorsed by the American Sailing Association is just an afterthought and only needs to appear in small print.

[Pepper]

Saveliberty!

[Argyle58]

I have been a supporter of Sutherlands trip and of her parent's decision to allow it. However, any family who could afford to purchase and outfit this vessel for a circum navigation attempt could surely afford to pay for the consequences of failure. TANSTAAFL.....you pay for what you get.

[Casino67]

I have been a supporter of Sutherlands trip and of her parent's decision to allow it. However, any family who could afford to purchase and outfit this vessel for a circum navigation attempt could surely afford to pay for the consequences of failure. TANSTAAFL.....you pay for what you get.

 

 

Just wondering. Would it be legal to insist people, who try these kinds of stunts, get 'rescue' insurance?

[Valin]

"We're not wealthy people," MaryAnne Sunderland said.

 

And your point is?

 

 

Actions do have consequences.

[Pepper]

I have been a supporter of Sutherlands trip and of her parent's decision to allow it. However, any family who could afford to purchase and outfit this vessel for a circum navigation attempt could surely afford to pay for the consequences of failure. TANSTAAFL.....you pay for what you get.

 

 

Argyle58!

 

Am not disagreeing but my view is this:

I would be a supporter if the government did not intrude on any parental actions that endanger the lives of children in other areas. Since the government does intrude and take children away from the parents in certain cases, then I am not a supporter in this case.

 

Personally, IMHO this was exploitation.

[pollyannaish]

Well...that does it.

 

I had tepid support for this family and payment for the rescue until I heard the words that signal "deal breaker" for me: REALITY TV SHOW.

 

All done.

[Sanguine]

"We're not wealthy people," MaryAnne Sunderland said.

 

Well, I'm not either, but she wants me to pay for it?

[pinz]

Of course not, Sanguine, she wants the "government" to pick up the tab.

 

She's too stupid to take the next step intellectually and wonder where all that government money comes from. She's been trained well by politicians and activists stop short of that important step in the process.

[Sanguine]

Of course not, Sanguine, she wants the "government" to pick up the tab.

 

She's too stupid to take the next step intellectually and wonder where all that government money comes from. She's been trained well by politicians and activists stop short of that important step in the process.

 

Well said, Pinz.

[nickydog]

Well, there's always that "stash" of Obama's.

[pinz]

LOL, nickydog.

[Pepper]

Argyle, Casino67, Valin, Saveliberty, Sanguine, pollyannaish

 

Court will decide if sailor, [14-year old girl], is too young [to sail solo round the world]

 

 

WELLINGTON: A 14-year-old girl fighting Dutch authorities over her desire to sail around the world solo wants to move to New Zealand to continue her dream.

 

A Dutch court will decide today whether to allow New Zealand-born Laura Dekker to become the youngest person to attempt to sail solo around the world.

 

 

So here's the question:

 

will the Sunderland's be rooting for the judges to intervene and stop this young girl who is threatening the potential record of their daughter, Abby, or will the Sunderland's say, "you go, Laura"??