The cure for the evils of democracy is more democracy!
H. L. Mencken, Notes on Democracy, 1926
There is an epidemic sweeping across America. It transcends politics, economics or any other group classification of the citizenry.
It is affecting our strongest and bravest warriors. It is forcing us to lose the most defenseless amongst us. It can take your colleagues, your neighbors, or even those closest to you.
This scourge is suicide.
There are those who are much wiser than The Madison Conservative on this topic and who have studied this alarming trend. They have found various and sundry reasons to explain the causes of this phenomenon.
There are debates on many national policies sweeping across America these days.
One issue glaringly absent is a discussion on mental health. The stigma of declaring one may have mental health issues still carries with it the stigma and shame of being a social outcast. Such ignorance can no longer be tolerated.
With Memorial Day fast approaching, it seems more than appropriate to shine a light on suicide running through our veteran community. As we have noted, there are many causes for the problem, but addressing those realities takes time, and that is one luxury we cannot afford. We do not have the expertise or experience to promote rapid solutions, but we do have a very strong request.
Many people who are falling into the well of despair and emotional pain that is the precursor to suicide often need someone to simply listen. Listening without looking to respond is one of the hardest characteristics to demonstrate to someone who is looking for a good ear.
No one can ever truly know another’s internal thought processes, so trying to commiserate is an exercise in futility.
Please understand that it is agreed that the human condition almost mandates we try to find something comforting to say to anyone who just needs to talk. But then it’s about you, not them.
As the holiday weekend nears, please find some time, maybe an hour a week, to reach out to a veteran and let them you’re up for listening, and then do just that. It may take some time. But being consistent can demonstrate your seriousness. If not a veteran, then maybe somebody else you may feel is in need of talking. Life is such a precious and unique gift, consider the state of mind of someone willing to end it.
As we noted above, this epidemic attacks our strongest and our brvest. Please try to make an effort and let them know that asking for help, letting them talk or vent, has no correlation to weakness. In fact, the mere act of asking for any type of support shows much more strength and bravery than any battlefield courage.
We are in no way advocating that your listening is a replacement for sound medical intervention.
All we are asking is that for this coming Memorial Day weekend, give our veterans an hour. They willingly put their lives at risk to help protect and serve this nation on your behalf.
Surely the least one should do is to take time to listen.
Let us do our best to lose no more warriors to suicide.
Memorial Day is to honor our fallen. Perhaps the best way to demonstrate that their sacrifice was not in vais is to support the brothers and sisters they left behind.
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