Man Interferes with Choice of Suicide, Cooperates With Police State
Can you imagine? A New Jersey man named Jesse Coltrane was communicating on-line with a friend in California when he found out the young man was apparently killing himself. Instead of respecting his friend's autonomy, he became judgmental and interfered! From the story:
During an online conversation Monday night, 22-year-old Jesse Coltrane realized his friend was distraught and even suicidal."At one moment he was cutting his arms," Coltrane explained. Jesse said he only knew the 18-year-old's first name and phone number and tried to convince his friend not to kill himself. The conversation lasted well into the evening while his friend continued cutting his forearm with a razor.Who does Coltrane think he is: His brother's keeper? And now his friend has been hospitalized for observation! Tyranny.
Jesse decided to call a police department in Sacramento and officers were able to track down where his friend lived in California.
Labels: Suicide. Prevention. "Choice."
posted by Wesley J. Smith @ 8:42 AM
10 Comments
10 Comments:
"Who does Coltrane think he is: His brother's keeper?"
Really! What ever happened to separation of church and state? :)
And it wasn't even his brother.
Wow, pretty snarky, Wesley.
I am curious: Did any articles about this actually take that tone?
Your, ahem, sarcasm highlights the irony that, usually people are heralded as heros for doing such things. But at the same time people who help a sick or disabled person -- or one who isjust plain old-- to off themselves are starting to be written about as compassionate.
What is the crucial difference?
lanthe, maybe if it WAS his brother he would have been expected to HELP him do it?
holyterror: No, the sarcasm is all my own. The tone of the article was lauditory, a view which I share.
"'And the Levite also passed by on the other side,' Tom called down. 'That's King James for f*** you, lady.'"
From the novel CELL by Stephen King. A bit vulgar, but I frequently think of this passage when I think of the way we're expected to be hands-off about other people's "choice." Not that the scene I quoted has to do with assisted suicide, but I've often felt like replying in the same to what some people say about abortion, euthanasia, and the mistreatment of the disabled and the elderly.
God love this man for loving his neighbor as himself.
We ARE our brothers keeper like it or not. And most of us fail miserably at it!
Jesse Coltrane is a great human being!
TE Fine...as to your comment. It is VERY offensive to me! Vulagar language is inappropiate in any setting...and shows a lack of ability to communicate.
And YOU do not seem to lack communication skills...so why fall back on it?
She's quoting Stephen King. I personally cannot stand Stephen King, and am not a fan of horror fiction, films, science fiction, etc. In fact I think it is a social ill, and worse than profanity itself. But within that genre, of which T.E., I think, is a connoisseur, it fits. She's quoting.
I think also that profanity properly is applied to and directed at the profane, and that's what T.E. is talking about.
Holyterror: Oh, my gosh -- I wouldn't be surprised if he would have been, or were one of these days.
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