Scapegoating

Scapegoating

Assigning blame  to an individual or group, thus alleviating feelings of guilt from responsible parties and/or distracting attention  from the need to fix the problem for which blame is being assigned.

Scapegoating has been used throughout history as a means for people to move blame and responsibility away from themselves by attributing it to others (or to an object or event).

A scapegoat is the person or group made to bear the blame for or punished for those errors committed by others.

EXAMPLES:

• Robert Murat
• Paedophiles in Portugal
• Raymond Hewlett
• Victoria Beckham look-alike
• The "monster" who took Maddie
• Goncalo Amaral
• The British and Portuguese police (April/May 2010 McCann interviews)
• ...to a lesser degree, to any forum or individual who has spoken out against the inconsistencies in the McCann's version of their daughter's disappearance.