OUGD101 - Design Principles, No News is Good News - Research brief..

Initial reactions to the story..

Amrit Kaur, Leicester

I just read it, actually made me loll. What an idiot he is.  “Mr. Can explained that it was “clearly wrong” to offer to buy a newborn baby girl that was presented to him” “added that what he did was “clearly not the right thing to do” and that he had not been thinking rationally.”

Kirsty Alderson, Leeds

I think he was wrong because it seems as though his basic instinct was to throw money at the situation just because he can. A child’s life is worth so much more than any some of money.

Beth Yates, Bradford

I doesn't say whether the family wanted to sell the baby or not.

I think if they had wanted to then I could understand his offer, they baby and the family would both have been better off. However he comes across a bit mad if he just randomly went up to these people and offered them money.

The actual act of selling the baby doesn't really shock me, but I've never had kids - I imagine if I had I'd probably feel much stronger about the article. Then again it’s just like giving the baby up for adoption. It’s also the fact that it was James Caan that did it, he a person we've all seen on the TV so it seems less sinister than if it was just a person off the street.

Alex Slippens, Leeds

Its hard not to get caught up in your emotions when you can see that the devastation the child would have more chance to have a better life.

Melanie Harper, Leicester

If I were being cynical I would say that being a dragon has gone to his head, and he sees himself as god-like "I’ll give you £700 for a 100% share in your baby" "yes well I’d like to see what Deborah maiden has to offer...."

Hardeep Johal, Manchester

Oh I read about this in the daily mail on the weekend, it really pissed me off! I think jams caan's heart was in the right place, and its understandable to be taken up in the emotion, and you'd want to help the baby from being bought up in such harsh conditions. However, I think he was wrong to make the offer because if he really wanted to help the family, he would have just given them the money without wanting the baby in return. (Also, seen as he did make an offer. it was a pretty low offer of £742, when he has like £100million fortune)! I think money has gone to his head a bit. He needs to realise that other people value family/love over money! Whereas I’m not sure if he does. He has two daughters, right? Would he ever give them up for money?

Will Cotterill, Leeds

I think its outrageous to offer money for a human beings life, but then again if it benefits the family that the baby is coming from and it benefits the family the baby is going to then surely its doing completely no harm. Just because he’s a celebrity the media have picked up on what might be a small miss-hap when he wasn’t thinking straight. Well, I don't see it than being any different from adoption other than this time its not technically politically correct. We should step back from all the government’s rules and starting thinking like REAL people not some generic cult where most everyday normal activities have to be checked with health and safety beforehand.

Sarah Pritchard, Leeds

I think he did it to get some attention, because he knew that it would go in the news over here blatantly because the cameras were there, so that he could get a chance for the charity he is working for to be more known by people who possibly don’t already know about it but in my opinion if he did do it for that then he failed because now he has just made himself look stupid, and if he has got spare money to offer out for babies then why don’t he just pay for everything instead of asking for money through the charity

Lewis David Francis, Leeds

I think everyone should give him a break... worse things happen in the world

Paul Pike, Milton Keynes

James Caan only made a verbal offer, he didn’t force the parents to give up the child and the parents always had the option to say no. (or did I miss the part were he was brandishing a gun?). This issue is something that was between James Caan and the child’s parents; it’s not for the rest of the world to get involved. As no intimidation or violence was involved, wouldn’t this offer be classed under “Freedom of Speech”? Though…. If the parents were willing to give up their child for a sum of money, that would indicate that the parents didn’t value the child highly enough and perhaps it would be better off with someone who does understand the value of children


Ajay Solanki, Leicester

Omg so he offered to buy a baby and then just stated some rubbish about how it's not just about the baby, it's not about the baby it's about the families suffering and then he tries to make it better by raising money when he's a millionaire jeez could just add a donation himself and show that it was a insignificant thing that he did and that the problem was just him trying to help both his brother and the life of a new born child. And the currency change give like £10000 and you could sort out 10 families. The world is full of poison, it's all poison the ecstasy the love it's just all poison!

Jude Atkin-Bellamy, Milton Keynes/Sheffield

I do find it offensive. Sometimes people with too much money forget that it doesn’t buy everything, sounds like he’s used to just putting his hand in his pocket to get what he wants.