Rail for Life
08/23/2005
I do not claim to be the smartest person in the world but sometimes I wonder if I’m the only one to “get” some stuff.
Yesterday, a 27 year old man near my city committed suicide by driving his car across a parking lot, over an embankment, down a steep grade, and into the river below.
Today, the news is full of people up in arms shouting that the embankment is dangerous. There is a community outcry for a guardrail to be put in place to protect the public from crossing over the parking lot to get to the river in this manner.
The deceased had a brother who committed suicide three years ago in the same manner – at the same location. The brother was 22 at the time he committed suicide. The community is using this as evidence to prove that the property owner is remiss by not having a guardrail installed.
Unless I’m missing something, the parking lot, embankment, and grade to the river are soooo far secondary in this story. In my mind, the real story is: “WHY DID THESE TWO YOUNG MEN BELIEVE SUICIDE WAS THE ONLY WAY TO DEAL WITH THEIR PROBLEMS?” WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THEIR LIVES, BACKGROUNDS, AND HEARTS THAT LEFT THEM TO DECIDE UPON SUICIDE???” And, WHERE WERE THE PEOPLE IN THEIR LIVES THAT THEY COULD TALK TO WHEN THEY WERE FEELING HOPELESS?
This is indeed a sad story but let’s look deeper than railing. Something more important is going on here. If a person is planning to kill himself, he is going to try to find a way…if he is intent on killing himself, well placed guardrails will NOT make a difference.
May peace come soon to the Brown family, their friends, and the community in which they live.
Peace,
zss
© 2005 Wrosesongs
All Rights Reserved
I do not claim to be the smartest person in the world but sometimes I wonder if I’m the only one to “get” some stuff.
Yesterday, a 27 year old man near my city committed suicide by driving his car across a parking lot, over an embankment, down a steep grade, and into the river below.
Today, the news is full of people up in arms shouting that the embankment is dangerous. There is a community outcry for a guardrail to be put in place to protect the public from crossing over the parking lot to get to the river in this manner.
The deceased had a brother who committed suicide three years ago in the same manner – at the same location. The brother was 22 at the time he committed suicide. The community is using this as evidence to prove that the property owner is remiss by not having a guardrail installed.
Unless I’m missing something, the parking lot, embankment, and grade to the river are soooo far secondary in this story. In my mind, the real story is: “WHY DID THESE TWO YOUNG MEN BELIEVE SUICIDE WAS THE ONLY WAY TO DEAL WITH THEIR PROBLEMS?” WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THEIR LIVES, BACKGROUNDS, AND HEARTS THAT LEFT THEM TO DECIDE UPON SUICIDE???” And, WHERE WERE THE PEOPLE IN THEIR LIVES THAT THEY COULD TALK TO WHEN THEY WERE FEELING HOPELESS?
This is indeed a sad story but let’s look deeper than railing. Something more important is going on here. If a person is planning to kill himself, he is going to try to find a way…if he is intent on killing himself, well placed guardrails will NOT make a difference.
May peace come soon to the Brown family, their friends, and the community in which they live.
Peace,
zss
© 2005 Wrosesongs
All Rights Reserved
posted by I am Z @ 11:50 PM
1 comments
