Archives > Opinion > Letters To The Editor
Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
RSS
Share
I am very disappointed by the comments made by the author in the captioned article [The Tragedy of Suicide].
Ms. Pfeiffer's comments are truly callous, irresponsible, and do not in my opinion, merit publication in any reputable newspaper.
Ms. Pfeiffer takes on the sensitive emotional subject of suicide in a manner that clearly shows she has no grasp of the subject from a professional perspective. I suggest that your contributing authors, when writing on such topics in the future, do some research to gain an adequate understanding of all the relevant issues before they are published.
Ms. Pfeiffer makes an obvious contradiction of herself when early in her article she says, "Suicide is the epitome of selfishness -- the most self-centered act humanly possible." Then near the end of her article she says, "If someone is hell-bent on killing themselves the least they could do is select a less violent messy method. But then again, that would involve rational thinking."
Ms. Pfeiffer should realize that suicide is cultivated in the soil of despair. Geoff Ashley, Theology Pastor at the Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas, wrote a thoughtful Biblical position paper on suicide, (it is posted to the Church's Web site - www.thevillagechurch.net <http://www.thevillagechurch.net> ), in which he describes such a state of despair as, "A terrible affliction which robs, steals, blinds, deafens and misdirects. The despairing soul feels no hope, no rest, and no joy as emptiness, numbness, and apathy produce a spiritual vacuum. Darkness descends like a fog lying thick upon the heart and mind and nothing is seen, felt or heard except the silence." A person in such a state cannot be held responsible for their own actions. Such an individual is truly, "not in their right mind" and is completely irrational and unable to see any way forward as would a rationally thinking individual. An individual in such a despairing state can be no more blamed for their predicament than an individual who has a life threatening disease such as cancer.
Ms. Pfeiffer makes a final ridiculous comment in her article that, "too bad those throwing their lives away can't switch places with cancer patients who are fighting to live." Once again, with this comment she infers that a person committing suicide could make a rational decision to trade their life for a cancer patient. But, even if someone at arm's length could switch places for a dying cancer patient, with someone contemplating suicide, would anyone actually do that? Would you not take the person contemplating suicide to appropriate treatment just as you would with a cancer patient? This scenario proposed by Ms. Pfeiffer's caps her ignorance and insensitivity toward the issue of suicide. Her comments are simply without merit.
I believe your readers deserve better quality journalism than what is reflected in Ms. Pfeiffer's article. Especially in regard to a topic such as suicide that carries so much hurt and sadness for people who have been affected by it.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
David Bruce
Flower Mound
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
You must register with a valid email to post comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here:
Become a Registered User
- Return to: Letters To The Editor «
- Home «
- Top of Page ^
