Barron sent me this video and I thought it warranted its own post outside of the standard “Gun Death” serial.
Overall its a very respectful, but a bit melancholy documentary on people who killed themselves on the Golden Gate Bridge. They do a good job at letting the family air their grievances and celebrate the lives of their loved one. Also has the story of one man who survived jumping, and a few people who were foiled in their attempt to end their lives.
Now I’m not going to talk any more about the movie as a whole, its a good film, and you should watch it.
Now in the context of this blog and “Gun Death”, one thing I noticed as consistency in all these stories was A) Mental Illness, and B) most of the people planned this for months if not years.
Suicide is a horrible thing, and the movie made me sad, but its very obvious that it was the person, not the method or tool.
Honestly I didn’t make it all the way through since I was busy with other things. I will probably have it play in the background while working on something this weekend.
I will say like you what I did see was a strong note towards mental health. It annoys me no end that the argument is about the tool, not really about helping the person. I remember a debate on campus about concealed carry at WSU, the opposition was constantly saying we don’t need to carry firearms we just need to improve the mental health system.
No argument, we do need to improve the system, but what about when the system fails? The tool is merely that, a tool. It can be used for both good and evil. It is ultimately up to the person which side of the line they will be on.
I did find it very interesting though when you combine the statistics for the bridge, it’s location, and the complete lack of action to do anything to prevent suicides. Yet “Gun Death” suicides are the be all end all of the argument.
I guess in the eyes of Joan and their ilk none of these people really matter.
I’m about 15 minutes into it right now. What bothers me about it is how they show all these people standing on the bridge, with eerie music, and you keep wondering how soon until the next person hops the rail.
That must be how the anti-gunners see guns. You and I see a tool. They see people just one step from slaughtering everyone. And they don’t have the excuse that it’s a film, with eerie music, about suicides.
The sort of people who think like that are the sort of people who hear the Jaws theme whenever they get near a large body of water, even if it’s Lake Superior.
I must be pretty callous, because I don’t feel much pity for the jumpers. I think it’s pretty awful that they treated others like this. They put their families, friends, and innocent bystanders through this.
You have to wonder why they don’t put taller barriers. Maybe they made the rational decision that if people were going to kill themselves it might as well be somewhere that they don’t make a mess for others to clean up. Think of the poor bastard who has to wash the underside of a train, or the sidewalk in front of a tall building. At least all the Coast Guard has to do is haul the body out of the water and put it in a bag.
I guess that’s what makes me different that the regular anti-gunner. I don’t believe that fencing the Golden Gate Bridge will save anyone. If you’re dedicated enough to hop off the bridge, you’ll just go somewhere else to kill yourself. Why should we mess up our view of the bay in order to force you to smash yourself to bits in front of the BART?
Nah, you’re not callous, they’re sick unhappy people exercising their free will. Nobody pushed them, and nobody forced them to go to the bridge.
My heart goes out to those left behind that are stuck with the whole “Could I have done something” questions.
I’m one of those people, and it sucks….
Higher barriers in all but one spot, and in that spot, a diving board.
Beneath that, a well-camouflaged net and air cushion. Or not.
Of course it is the tool. Did you know that you are 8000 times more likely to die from a Golden Gate Bridge than someone who doesn’t have one near their home?
LOL! Isn’t that true! Because the tool is instrumental in the suicide. (BTW the movie wasn’t 100% clear, but it sounded like several of the suicides covered the departed traveled a good distance to get to the bridge for their last day)
Still that little number begs the question when the antis talk about the dangers of guns in the home. Do places with fewer guns have fewer suicides? The answer is an easy to determine “no”!