I was very moved by the article by Linda Gabaccia. As a friend of Bob Sacks I frequently read the Copake Chronicle and enjoy the portrayal of life in a small New York community.
It is obvious that although Copake is a small community it is not spared the trials and tribulations of the larger society. Suicide is unfortunately a last resort solution to people who are in deep despair, feeling hopeless and helpless. Just this morning there was an article in Newsday about a 17 year old girl who was popular, outgoing and a successful athlete, who ended her life. She gave little to show that she was on this pathway.
People are asking , what did we miss? Sometimes it is impossible to answer this question. There are however many people who do show signs of depression, fear and despair. Without being too intrusive we must be proactive in providing awareness and treatment programs to try to help those who might need an intervention. Copake showed how a community could learn from a terrible tragedy and come together to show real humanity. People can save people.
Congratulations Copake
Professor Bob Rubin CSW, Nassau Community College.
No comments:
Post a Comment