9April13 LA Times - How not to say the wrong thing
7April13 Matthew Warren's Suicide
http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/06/us/california-warren-suicide/?hpt=hp_inthenews
8April13 As Palliative Care Need Grows, Specialists Are Scarce
Monday, April 8, 2013
April Current Events
9April13 After Years Of Struggle, Veteran Chooses To End His Life
http://m.npr.org/news/front/176509136?start=20
9April13 LA Times - How not to say the wrong thing
http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-75241622/
7April13 Matthew Warren's Suicide
http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/06/us/california-warren-suicide/?hpt=hp_inthenews
8April13 As Palliative Care Need Grows, Specialists Are Scarce
9April13 LA Times - How not to say the wrong thing
7April13 Matthew Warren's Suicide
http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/06/us/california-warren-suicide/?hpt=hp_inthenews
8April13 As Palliative Care Need Grows, Specialists Are Scarce
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I think the most interesting part of this story was Matthew Warren's comment in the letter to his dad, which included the bold statement--"I know I'm going to heaven".
ReplyDeleteI have a slight problem with someone boldly confessing that they know, without a doubt, that they are going to heaven. Is it not considered wrong, as a Christian, to act like you know the things that God knows? Isn't God supposed to be the only one that knows who goes to heaven and who does not? From a staunch Catholic viewpoint, suicide is an ultimate sin; so would he still go to heaven? This is where you find yourself caught in the crosshairs of different sects of Christianity.
I also think it is a very sad thing that someone who was so immersed in a supposedly wholesome, purposeful and Christian lifestyle to feel so depressed that they were driven to committing suicide. I think this speaks to how grave depression is and how it should be taken seriously as a condition. No matter the circumstances or backgrounds, anyone can be affected by depression.
Regardless, I hope his family is coping well with this loss, and they can find some sort of lesson or comfort in all the good he achieved during his lifetime.
Laura I completely agree with you about Matthew telling his father "I know I'm going to heaven." One does not know if he or she is going to heaven or not. I believe God has a plan for everyone and suicide is not his plan for anyone. No one or ones family should have to go through that pain.
DeleteHere's something related to our discussions about suicide:
ReplyDeletehttp://m.npr.org/news/front/176509136?start=20
I feel that Tomas Young has the right to choose whether he wants to live or die becuase his life was basically snacthed from him. Also if he feels that he cannot live life to the fullest then he should be able to end his life not only because its his right, because he served this country and should be able to do whatever he feels necessary.
DeleteI agree with Quentin on this subject because in all reality, you should have the ability to make the ultimate decision especially if you're in the situation Young was in. He served the country and deserves to have his rights fulfilled!
DeleteI really like the "How Not to Say the Wrong Thing" essay. It is so clear, such great advice. I hope you find it helpful also.
ReplyDeleteI agree, people who say inappropriate things and think about themselves when others clearly are in need drives me crazy. I think the "Ring Theory" is very helpful for those who need a guide to approach someone experiencing something traumatic you've never experienced. Many people don't know how to respond, but being self-centered does nothing, in fact even makes the other person feel worse. When this happens, it can cause the person in the center of the ring self-loathe and awful that their pain is causing others pain... Like the author wrote, most people do have common sense and approach the person with compassion and empathy, but I was recently surprised by a close friend who did not understand this simple concept. I understand the shock and feelings that this causes first hand. If you feel hurt or shock by the experience of someone else's situation that is directly causing them distress, you cannot make yourself the center of the ring; it is both inappropriate and disrespectful, even though it is often unintentional. All you have to do is think about others, but these situations often reveal those of us who are more self-absorbed than others.
DeleteI also liked this article because so many times I have been in situations and I have no idea what to say or how to approach people who are experiences pain, trauma or disease that is life-changing for them. It's terrible not knowing what to say, sometimes it might discourage you from talking to that person. The article makes it clear not to give advice and offer support and compassion. "The goal is to help"
DeleteAlso helpful, the article explains not to dump complaints in on the people closest to the center of the crisis. You may need to vent and get things off your chest like Katie's friend did but you should do it to an appropriate person.
I never think about what to say in advance so having this guideline in my head will help me say the right thing to the right person
Recently a show on life during the holocaust was on. It described the lives of a Jewish couple from Philidelphia who struggled to rescue some of the children from Vienna in order to get them to the United States. I found it very interesting, although I could not watch the entire show. The couple traveled to Vienna to rescue these childrens and were recognized by police. They went to the homes of many and personally asked the families if they wanted their children to go to the Americas. They also personally asked the children if they could leave the parents. It seemed like a terrible thing to do to take the children from their families but in reality at that time in Vienna it was the best thing for them. This was a means of protecting the children. The goal was to gather the healthiest kids who could survive the trip and wealth was ignored. I don't understand why only certain children were considered and I do hope to see the entire show soon. The show was called 50 children: Rescue Mission. Has anyone else watched it? If so what were your thoughts?
ReplyDeleteJust found this article. A man killed his wife and son due to the fact he "thought" he may have passed HIV on to them. The man attempted to commit suicide after he killed his wife and son, but failed. It is interesting because the man is 64 years old and that makes me curious to know when he decided he may have passed on the HIV or even when the man thought he contracted it. There is no word on if any of the three have HIV or not.
ReplyDeleteHere is the article:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/10/eugene-maraventano-murder-wife-hiv-fear_n_3053019.html?utm_hp_ref=crime&icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl1%7Csec3_lnk2%26pLid%3D296576
A recent article from USA today was about the 'lone star slaying'. A young college student was running around campus, building to building stabbing people. The article said 14 people were injured and 2 were severely injured. I do not know how people can commit such horrible crimes. It said in the article that mass murders are rare with knives considering all of the guns available today, that it is easier to kill mass amounts of people. It said it is easier to debate/control gun control than knife control. How could the government ever prevent the sale of knives? Just an interesting thought.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2308676/Lindsay-Sandiford-Bali-death-row-Britons-plea-shoot-now.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
ReplyDeleteIts funny that we haven't really discussed a lot on death sentences... Here's a case where it is a grandmother convicted of being a drug mule is accepting her death to firing squad. She said that she'd rather die than grow old in a prison cell for the rest of her life. But the article talks about her having good relations with the prison guards and her inmates and gets letters and visits from her family and her 26 year old boyfriend... Yet still would rather die. She also claims that she was smuggling 10.6 Ibs. of cocaine to Bali only because she agreed to after her son's life was threatened by the drug gang. Isn't the death sentence for that crime seem a little harsh?
My question for you all is what is your stance toward death sentences and your opinion for this case whether or not she should be sentenced to death for her crime. Also, what about her attitude that she'd rather die; is it better to die or live the rest or your life in prison?
We all should be aware of the bombings at the Boston Marathon by now. After all of these terrible events occurring within our country, it worries me a lot. I know you should not live in fear but anything can happen at any time. We have to be aware of our surroundings at all times. With so many people from all around the world running in the race, it could have been anyone that set these attacks. It is so awful to think how someone would want to hurt/kill another person. This was obviously planned. With the amount of equipment and technology we have, I hope the person who did this is found. We are lucky that more people were not injured or killed. Here is the most current link, but will more than likely change soon.
ReplyDeletehttp://news.blogs.cnn.com/2013/04/15/explosions-near-finish-of-boston-marathon/?hpt=hp_t1
I found out about the Boston Marathon through Facebook, and I wasn't sure what was going on, but it was crazy to hear what happened, and to see the videos that people have recorded. Having attacks like these coming up so frequently makes you asks questions like, why do people do this? Are the people who do this mentally ill? What gave them access to these devices if they are? Not many were killed, but it's definitely made an impact on our country, and it's now going global. Like Emily said, hopefully with the technology we have we can find out who has done this, so justice can be served.
ReplyDeleteAbout the Veteran-It is so sad to see what some of the nations war verterans have to endure each day. I commend Young and his decisions to stop treatment and take out all of his life preserving tubes. When he enlisted, he thought he would be getting revenge from the 9/11 attacks, yet only a few days later, he was left debillitated. His many struggles gave him the strength and confident in his decision to stop all treatments. We have talked a lot about suicide in class and I believe that for Young to do this is acceptable. He is a veteran and has been faced with so much, that he psychologically fed up with it and I don't blame him. I can't imagine being faced with that and I don't think I could or would last 9 years like he has.
ReplyDeleteThe Boston Marathon has now confirmed that 3 are dead, and over 178 people brutally injured. It is sad how you cant go anywhere these days without fearing for our lives. I hope the person responsible for this is caught and justice is served. USA
ReplyDeleteThe little girl who was killed was running for the victims of Sandy Hook Elementary. There are so many crazy people in the world who think that doing sadistic things like this is ok. The human life is not valued anymore. This is an example of it, whether it was an organized terror attack or not- I haven't heard.
DeleteOne of the victims who was killed was a young woman. Her boyfriend was waiting at the finish line for her to propose to her so that they could spend the rest of their lives together but it was cut short. This is extremely heart wrenching and I cannot even imagine the pain that he must be going through. Life is not fair and you never know when your time is going to come, therefore you should cherish every moment spent with the ones you love.
DeleteI could not believe my eyes as I watched what was happening yesterday. I have so many questions that I know no one can answer and it saddens me to think that anyone could do such a thing. However, look at what has happened in the past and it actually is less surprising that someone would be capable of such evil. Why do horrific events like this one and many others have to happen? It is sad to say, but I am running in the flying pig half marathon and I am frightened that something like this could happen there as well. It is unacceptable that people have to be afraid of just about everything: movie theaters, schools, malls, marathons, etc. I just wish there was some way that we could prevent any of these horrific events from happening.
DeleteTori,
DeleteI have not heard either yet if it was domestic or foreign. I did read in USA today that the type of bombs that were used were stuffed with ballistics that are consistent with what the Taliban teach. The latest update that I have read was that 72 of those wounded are still in the hospital and 14 are in critical condition. What a sick world. I wonder if these bombings are related to the letters that were sent to the Mississippi senator or to the president laced with ricin?
Lydia,
DeleteI don't know if they were linked or not. I know that the authorities did arrest the man who they believe sent the ricin tainted letters, but I haven't heard much further on the subject.
Yesterday in Kenton County, three schools were evacuated for bomb threats. I found this through a friend on Facebook. Here is the link:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.local12.com/news/local/story/Three-Kenton-County-Schools-Evacuated-For-Bomb/A6V3AcRONkOBSwxoV-8Bmw.cspx
For those who have children, or younger siblings (my boyfriend's little sister is in the 4th grade), this is some scary shit! The last thing, as a parent, sibling, relative, that you want to hear is that the school where your child attends has had a bomb threat issued on them. Especially with what happened at the Boston Marathon, yesterday. Several major cities, including Cincinnati, were on high alert because they were not sure if the explosions in Boston were the first of a string of attacks. Thankfully, (fingers crossed) there weren't and will not be any more bombings.
I am aware of this through my previous student teaching placement. I was at Summit View Elementary where the middle school constantly seemed to have bomb threats. I do not see why some students find humor in this. It needs to be taken seriously! Being an elementary education major, we have to be able to keep our younger students calm and have to be able to explain to them these events that happen within our society. I do find it very important for students to know what is going on, but it is difficult explaining it to some due to the frightening that may come with it.
DeleteOn Tuesday, April 16th, one of my high school teacher’s adopted daughters, Kristina, passed away. My high school religion teacher Mrs. Johnson had four daughters, two of which were adopted sisters. The two adopted sisters, Sara and Kristina, were raised in an abusive household before they were adopted and Kristina was mentally handicapped and deaf. She was always so nice and so happy, regardless of her past. She made many friends everywhere she went. Unfortunately she was recently diagnosed with an enlarged heart, which lead to congestive heart failure.
ReplyDelete