Girl Won Hannah Montana Tickets With Fake Essay Describing Father's Death In Iraq - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 12-29-2007, 12:03 AM

GARLAND, Texas (AP) - An essay that won a 6-year-old girl four tickets to a Hannah Montana concert began with the powerful line: ''My daddy died this year in Iraq.''

While gripping, it wasn't true - and now the girl may lose her tickets after her mom acknowledged to contest organizers it was all a lie.

The sponsor of the contest was Club Libby Lu, a Chicago-based store that sells clothes, accessories and games intended for young girls.

The saga began Friday with company officials surprising the girl at a Club Libby Lu at a mall in suburban Garland, about 20 miles northeast of Dallas. The girl won a makeover that included a blonde Hannah Montana wig, as well as the grand prize: airfare for four to Albany, N.Y., and four tickets to the sold-out Hannah Montana concert on Jan. 9.

The mother had told company officials that the girl's father died April 17 in a roadside bombing in Iraq, company spokeswoman Robyn Caulfield said.

She had identified the soldier as Sgt. Jonathon Menjivar, but the Department of Defense has no record of anyone with that name dying in Iraq. Caulfield said the mother has admitted to the deception.

''We regret that the original intent of the contest, which was to make a little girl's holiday extra special, has not been realized in the way we anticipated,'' said Mary Drolet, the CEO of Club Libby Lu.

Drolet said the company is reviewing the matter, and is considering taking away the girl's tickets.

Ireneparalegal · 12-29-2007, 12:07 AM

The girl is too young to comprehend what she supposedly wrote. That mother is a pathetic piece of work.

Ireneparalegal · 12-29-2007, 01:28 AM

Why didn't those fools check out the information FIRST before giving the tickets? DUMB!

Brian Damage · 12-29-2007, 01:28 AM

While I don't think you should punish the child, what can you do? It is fraud and nobody should be rewarded for that.

Ireneparalegal · 12-29-2007, 01:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

While I don't think you should punish the child, what can you do? It is fraud and nobody should be rewarded for that.

Indeed. Be honest with the child and tell her that "mommy was stupid, wrong and she lied." Let her see the consequences of what lying can do.

Brian Damage · 12-29-2007, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

Indeed. Be honest with the child and tell her that "mommy was stupid, wrong and she lied." Let her see the consequences of what lying can do.

Exactly, it's a lesson that the child will not soon forget.

Teach1 · 12-29-2007, 05:38 AM

I am an elementary school teacher. I really get riled when I hear stories such as the one about the girl lying in the essay. Yes, the mother was the one who told the child to lie. There is an important life lesson for the child to learn here. Obviously, the mother isn't going to teach the child right from wrong. If she doesn't get to keep the tickets, it will hopefully make a big impression that cheaters don't win! (At least they shouldn't). Let's look at the big picture and realize that a child being disappointed over getting a prize taken away because her mother told her to lie is not going to impact her life as much as learning that it is ok to lie and cheat and that is just the way of the world.

Thanks for listening.

Diane

Brian Damage · 12-29-2007, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teach1

I am an elementary school teacher. I really get riled when I hear stories such as the one about the girl lying in the essay. Yes, the mother was the one who told the child to lie. There is an important life lesson for the child to learn here. Obviously, the mother isn't going to teach the child right from wrong. If she doesn't get to keep the tickets, it will hopefully make a big impression that cheaters don't win! (At least they shouldn't). Let's look at the big picture and realize that a child being disappointed over getting a prize taken away because her mother told her to lie is not going to impact her life as much as learning that it is ok to lie and cheat and that is just the way of the world.

Thanks for listening.

Diane

Well said Diane and welcome to the boards.

Brian Damage · 12-29-2007, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee

The child did not do wrong. She should not be punished.

The child may not have did wrong, but the mother did. So because of that, the child must not be rewarded with tickets.

TripperFan · 12-29-2007, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

The child may not have did wrong, but the mother did. So because of that, the child must not be rewarded with tickets.

Totally agree. If they gave her the tickets the child wouldn't learn the lesson properly. I say, no ticket for the kid and lay some sort of charge on the mother with a fine. Not only should it teach the two of them a lesson, but hopefully anyone else considering such a stupid stunt.

At the concert here in Toronto, there was a disabled 9 yr old girl (wheelchair bound) who couldn't get tickets to the show. A local news station (CITY TV) was able to wrangle a pair of tickets for her and her mom and you've never seen a more appreciative, thrilled child.

I can't believe someone actually used the war as a ruse to get tickets for a concert. Sickening. Have they not heard of KARMA?

TJL · 12-29-2007, 01:14 PM

Now Im not a parent, and there is no way I should be giving advice about raising children, but even I know that what this woman did is totally messed up.

Sorry kid, you don't get to go to the show because your Mom lied.

You lie, you get caught, you pay for it. Lesson over.

topjouster · 12-29-2007, 01:15 PM

I don't believe that it is "punishing the daughter" to take away the tickets. I believe that it would be "rewarding cheating behavior" to let them win by cheating. I believe that they should not be allowed to receive their ill gotten gains. Today is the weekend and the corporate headquarters of Libby Lu is now closed. If anyone is interested in contacting Libby Lu's headquarters by phone or mail to voice their concerns or try to dissuade the company from awarding tickets to the cheaters in question, here is the corporate phone number and address. Try them on Monday asap during the work week. It is not punishing the child to take away tickets that they shouldn't have won in the first place. It is hopefully teaching them a valuable lesson.

http://www.saksincorporated.com/cont...eaddresses.asp

catlover79 · 12-29-2007, 02:52 PM

Sick, sick, sick.

HuntingtonM15 · 12-29-2007, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee

You all obviously want a 6 year old girl's heart broken. It was not her fault
the mother did this, she at her young age has no control over her mother.

That's quite irrelevant. If her heart is broken, it's because of her mother's actions, which as others have said, should not be rewarded.

TJL · 12-29-2007, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee

What I am saying is there is no way the girl could have stopped her
mother from pulling this stunt. You are all acting the little girl instigated
this.

Okay, by your logic, I can go out and rob a jewelry store of a diamond ring for a girl.

I get caught and arrested, but oh what the heck, the girl can keep the expensive ring. I mean, she didn't know I stole the ring.

12-29-2007, 12:03 AM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Girl Won Hannah Montana Tickets With Fake Essay Describing Father's Death In Iraq GARLAND, Texas (AP) - An essay that won a 6-year-old girl four tickets to a Hannah Montana concert began with the powerful line: ''My daddy died this year in Iraq.'' While gripping, it wasn't true - and now the girl may lose her tickets after her mom acknowledged to contest organizers it was all a lie. The sponsor of the contest was Club Libby Lu, a Chicago-based store that sells clothes, accessories and games intended for young girls. The saga began Friday with company officials surprising the girl at a Club Libby Lu at a mall in suburban Garland, about 20 miles northeast of Dallas. The girl won a makeover that included a blonde Hannah Montana wig, as well as the grand prize: airfare for four to Albany, N.Y., and four tickets to the sold-out Hannah Montana concert on Jan. 9. The mother had told company officials that the girl's father died April 17 in a roadside bombing in Iraq, company spokeswoman Robyn Caulfield said. She had identified the soldier as Sgt. Jonathon Menjivar, but the Department of Defense has no record of anyone with that name dying in Iraq. Caulfield said the mother has admitted to the deception. ''We regret that the original intent of the contest, which was to make a little girl's holiday extra special, has not been realized in the way we anticipated,'' said Mary Drolet, the CEO of Club Libby Lu. Drolet said the company is reviewing the matter, and is considering taking away the girl's tickets.
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

12-29-2007, 12:07 AM	#2
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	The girl is too young to comprehend what she supposedly wrote. That mother is a pathetic piece of work.
	__________________ DALLAS COWBOYS ARE HERE AT TRAINING CAMP!!!

12-29-2007, 05:38 AM	#7
Teach1 Member First Time Poster Join Date: Dec 29, 2007 Location: Arlington, WA Posts: 1	Great Ethics Lesson I am an elementary school teacher. I really get riled when I hear stories such as the one about the girl lying in the essay. Yes, the mother was the one who told the child to lie. There is an important life lesson for the child to learn here. Obviously, the mother isn't going to teach the child right from wrong. If she doesn't get to keep the tickets, it will hopefully make a big impression that cheaters don't win! (At least they shouldn't). Let's look at the big picture and realize that a child being disappointed over getting a prize taken away because her mother told her to lie is not going to impact her life as much as learning that it is ok to lie and cheat and that is just the way of the world. Thanks for listening. Diane

12-29-2007, 01:14 PM	#11
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	Now Im not a parent, and there is no way I should be giving advice about raising children, but even I know that what this woman did is totally messed up. Sorry kid, you don't get to go to the show because your Mom lied. You lie, you get caught, you pay for it. Lesson over.
	__________________ "I think I'll stroll up to the front to see how the shooting's going..." - Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce Read my blogs! http://centralparkamisguide.com/ http://dvdcriticscorner.com Visit me on Facebook!http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=641138880 Hey, I do the tweet thing too! http://twitter.com/TomLevier My shop of handmade items! http://www.etsy.com/shop/ColdGarageCreations

12-29-2007, 02:52 PM	#13
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,392	Sick, sick, sick.
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

12-29-2007, 01:28 AM	#3
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	Why didn't those fools check out the information FIRST before giving the tickets? DUMB!

12-29-2007, 01:15 PM	#12
topjouster Member Forum Cub Join Date: Dec 29, 2007 Posts: 2	I don't believe that it is "punishing the daughter" to take away the tickets. I believe that it would be "rewarding cheating behavior" to let them win by cheating. I believe that they should not be allowed to receive their ill gotten gains. Today is the weekend and the corporate headquarters of Libby Lu is now closed. If anyone is interested in contacting Libby Lu's headquarters by phone or mail to voice their concerns or try to dissuade the company from awarding tickets to the cheaters in question, here is the corporate phone number and address. Try them on Monday asap during the work week. It is not punishing the child to take away tickets that they shouldn't have won in the first place. It is hopefully teaching them a valuable lesson. http://www.saksincorporated.com/cont...eaddresses.asp