Webcam suicide
Published Wednesday, December 3, 2008
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To the editor:
I believe that it is high time that we take responsibility and teach each other to take responsibility for their actions.
The Internet and cyberspace is not a plaything or a joke. It is a serious tool for national and international business transactions. Both fun and games and serious business can be taken seriously. But when it comes to enjoyment and joking, some serious rules and boundaries need to be established.
Life is no laughing matter, and playing with someone’s life is no laughing matter.
After reading the news article, “Audience watches as student commits suicide on Webcam,” I am sickened that so few people did anything about it and so few people had the moral conscience to report it.
Of more than 3 million hits and 8,000 posts to this student’s suicide and help plea, and almost no one reported it seriously. Furthermore, there were an awful lot of people that goaded him into committing suicide.
Something must be done about this. Isn’t suicide murder? Isn’t assisted suicide assisted murder? Isn’t posting a pro “do it” remark aiding and abetting a murder?
Regardless of the way you think, you must agree that suicide is a serious matter and should never be taken lightly. The tongue is a very powerful instrument and often the posts on the Internet can be just as powerful and devastating.
After reading a book about an 8-year-old African child and soldiers who grew up on fake Rambo and Dolph Lundgren movies, I found out that actions in one country can seriously affect the actions of people in another country.
When producing a Rambo movie aids in the genocide of a people in a far-off country we must seriously consider how our actions on this planet will affect the life of another person on the opposite side of the world. This is called the butterfly effect. And I can now see it’s reality. When will we wake up to see how serious our own actions are?
Klinton Chace, Fairbanks
Community Discussion
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I agree that something probably should have been done, but that something isn't regulation or restriction of the Internet. Under no circumstances should the Internet be limited. Let users and parents do the policing, not government.
we have no need for further laws on the internet. that being said the darwin theory is at work. you can't fix stupid. as far what other people in other countries do as long as it doesent affect the usa let them make their own mistakes. our country is not the worlds policeman.
This does not require more regulation of actions by a governing entity, it needs people to push back indifference caused by being desensitized from the world around us and start thinking with their second brain; the heart.
Ooooooooooooh!!! Sarah Palin's coming to town!! I'm going to cancel all plans and fight the sheeple crowd to see her in person!!
Ooooooh!! I can't wait!!
((((BFD))))
Swan, try to get on the CORRECT page.
It all comes down to individual responsibility.
You are responsible for your own family. I'm not. If your children aren't being watched, protected, and guided properly into adulthood, that doesn't make them my responsibility.
Our children definately need more Parenting. Amen, it isn't the job of myspace, justintv,xbox360, ps3, WOW etc to babysit or keep or children out of harms way. What happened to right and wrong, morales, virtues, quality of life, respect, and education? My kids have rules, bedtimes, reading times, dinner time at the table, homework/study time. With all that my teen may get an hour or two of time on the net or game system in the living room supervised, and suprise he respects me for it. Ya, I am not real popular with all his friends because he can't always stay up all night, or he is not allowed to run the town with his friends. But, I have a pretty good idea of where is mind is. Remember we all survived without that stuff and believe it or not they can survive with it limited and supervised!
Kids have the rest of their lives too express their individuality. Right now they can express doing their chores, doing their homework and finding ways too entertain themselves without elctronics, in my house you can play the games for the same amount of time you read a book. IF you read for 20 minutes, you can play a game for twenty minutes, etc. Although, I think they owe me some reading time. LOL.
Respect and trust are the most important things between parents and children. My parents always allowed me to go out with my friends, etc., because they knew I respected them and wasn't doing anything stupid. Obsessively micromanaging your kid's life isn't going to do any favors, but making sure you know your kid is definitely essential.
someone really screwed up
same mind set as the people who crashed down the Mall doors to get their NEWEST TOY on sale and someone got trampled to death as a result.. COME ON PEOPLE!!
whats happening to us!! well I already know what is, but it just boggles my mind that I could be living amongst the very same mindsets those people who just HAD to be the FIRST into a Mall to get a SALE item, enough so that a person got KILLED so they could be the first.
This webcam incident just goes to show you that no one wants to be the first to do anything about it.
And in this day and time.. its a confusing matter. If a family has a child or husband or wife go missing, the police say WAIT 24 hours or whatever the rule is now, in the meantime you don't know if that person is dead or alive. Same with this webcam thing. Had anyone tried to warn any authorities WOULD they have even acted on the FIRST warning? I don't know they would have. In our day and time.. its almost a FEND FOR YOURSELF kind of attitude because no one cares anyhow.
I agree..the internet has made things too easy for a lot of people to go the wrong way. But the ROOT problem is deeper than that. The internet is just a tool to go further into their problems. Usually the person is already in 'trouble' with personal issues that are often gone unnoticed.. however again, because of the life styles of many many people worldwide .. there is no time to stay at home for parents anymore. In order to be able to live in a home anymore the bills are so high the parents have to be away from home 24/7 almost just to keep the home and fridge full of food. The kids suffer this travesty!
And if you were to do a survey of the population of these kinds of people I would dare venture to say that double income familys that need it to keep their homes are literally living way above their means because they want to.
We are a money and material possessive hungry peoples and as a result we are seeing these tragedys.
If people lived more simply and bought less.. the parents could be home more often to be with their children while they are growing up.
And the Mall thing in the news was awful..whats this teaching our kids??? A lot of those people I venture to say were going to BUY their KIDS Christmas gifts... and look what it got them. Shame! and I say FOR SHAME on all of them for standing in those lines to be the first, as far as I am concerned they are ALL guilty of that trampled persons death. GO HOME folks and be happy you have food in the fridge and each other as the TRUE GIFT this season. This Season of buying gifts, consider NOT giving a gift at home at all, but helping the poor and needy instead, teach your kids THAT and you will be well ahead of the game. TEach the kids giving is better than getting. So if familys didnt give in their homes but GAVE OUTSIDE the homes (not toys, not candy..but clothes, REAL food and paying someones fuel or power bill) that would be a TRUE GIFT indeed.
JustMe---
You're incredibly self-righteous.
Are you a messiah?
Or just another opinionated schlub, like the rest of us?
I wonder how many people actually took this person seriously. I sure some people just thought that this person wanted attention and wouldn't go through with it. I still can't imagine just watching and not bother calling the police.
AK_WDB, Going out with your friends and running with your friends are two different things. My son can go to the movies with his friends, hang out at their house if I have a home number and know the parents. Running with your friends means "Mom, I am going with so and so.... and that just isn't allowed in my house. If you have no plan.....idle hands...... etc, get my point now?
This is why I always tell people that allowing TVs and computers to be in a child's room is a bad idea. Can't monitor their time nor what they watch or visit, even with Vchip, blocking, gaming, etc.
Some friends of mine had all school-age kids and only 2 computers. Kept them in the living room. The oldest ones with homework got their stuff done first, then fooling around was permitted if chores and dinner were done.
Computer time was negotiated with either completion of chores or homework. As the kids got older, they had the option of either earning pocket money or computer time.
Worked pretty well for them.
My real concern is that so many people these days are willing to go the wrong way. But the ROOT problem is people Are screwed up.
jroosterdude and AK_WDB, right on. Parents need to parent their children, not be their best friends, that's just setting them up for failure. All children need some supervision, but standing over them every second of the day isn't going to help them either. Well, it might while you're standing there, but you're going to have to learn to trust your children at some point. So, at least teach them to have respect for themselves and others, that they are responsible for there own actions and above all, honesty is ALWAYS the best policy. Children learn what they live and live what they learn, "Do as I say, not as I do", won't fly.
the simple way to look at it is...
it's illegal on a landline, on a cellphone, by text messaging on a cellphone why not on the net, a crime is a crime?
plus
if you type a admittance of guilt online to a crime it's used as a confession to the crime or if you plan a crime online.
i see charges from laws that are already on the books & rightly so....
to Glacierless and whoever is like him/her? the following below is an example of the very people we live with today and the ones on the webcam and the ones who wait at Mall doors to trample people to death to fill the lusts of their hearts and souls. Self Righteous you say? for speaking the TRUTH? sobeit!! I am proud to be that then if that is what I do .. speaking the TRUTH about mankind today. the following needs no explanation ..its SPELLS IT ALL OUT.
King James Bible (2 Timothy 3:1-9)
But mark this : There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be overs of themselves, lovers of money, boastful , proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents , ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-- having a FORM of godliness but denying its power. Have NOTHING to do with them.
They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women., who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of EVIL DESIRES, ALWAYS LEARNING BUT NEVER ABLE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE TRUTH.
Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so ALSO THESE MEN OOPPOSE THE TRUTH--- MEN OF 'DEPRAVED' MINDS, WHO AS FAR AS THE FAITH IS CONCERNED, ARE REJECTED. But they will not get very far because , as is the case with those men, their folly will be CLEAR to EVERYONE.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy
........And that my friends IS why the Scriptures DO apply here and with the Rex Defrance case and with the Horse shooting case and many others like it... say what you want..... but that there is the answer for all that is happening in front of you daily..... its not me you will have to face someday but the Almighty God of Israel , Creator of the Universe and the Heavens. Its not ME you have to worry about BUT Your Creator......
The US goverment governs the web by not letting citizens deposit and withdraw money on gambling websites whats wrong with putting our hard earned taxpayer money to work by taking every suicide or murder threat thats posted on the web seriously???
JustMe-
Your 2:46am post shows me that you have lost all credibility with just me at least.
Amen to that jroosterdude!
Corrine~ everyone is entitled to their opinions.. this is mine..its just some of the ROOT of most everyones problems today...... if a person doesnt like what is said up there.. then they must relate to one or all of the sins mentioned up there...it bites doesnt it? and no one wants be held accountable for those things...... the sad thing is ..its true and very real and its revealed to us daily and more so as the End times approach.... its EVIDENT in the way mankind is acting in our world .. just read the news ..watch TV and look around you daily at everything. Its Evident in everything I have been seeing in the Fairbanks Daily Newsminer articles lately. It doesnt surprise me though... its just sad
It has nothing to do with all your religion stuff. And possibly "relating" to some of what you said doesn't necessarily indicate guilt or sin of some kind. There are different ways to "relate."
What you have shown me in that post, is that you pass judgment on things you obviously know little or nothing about.
I often agree with a lot of what you say. But you have ruined your credibility with me in that post.
"its EVIDENT in the way mankind is acting in our world"
No it's not. Shut up.
O, and as far as parenting. This is all that needs to be said.
http://img525.imageshack.us/my.php?image...
I see that once again JustMe feels the need to spout their self-righteous dogma from the book of myths and fables. And, as usual with these types, they finished up their rant with the threat of hell fire and damnation. I don't get it, do they think that threats of eternal torture are somehow a positive message? Oh wait, that's right, they are trying to use their empty threats to control the masses - just like religious folks have done since man first invented gods...
So sad that some people refuse to grow up and instead insist on being "born again" as self-righteous, bigoted, sheeple who live off of empty threats and foolish bribes.
Hey JustMe -- You are still waiting for that 2000 year old vision of a crazy old exiled nut job to come true? (revelation)
You realize that Jesus was a habitual liar, right?
You do realize that the promise was that the "End times" were supposed to happen during the disciples lifetime, right?
Amen, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. (Matthew 23:36 NAB)
"Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a trumpet blast, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. "Learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things, know that he is near, at the gates. Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. (Matthew 24:29-35 NAB)
Matthew 16:28 “There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. (Mark 13:30-31 NAB)
He also said to them, "Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come in power." (Mark 9:1 NAB)
"Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:27 NAB)
"There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand." He taught them a lesson. "Consider the fig tree and all the other trees. When their buds burst open, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near; in the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. (Luke 21:25-33 NAB)
So, either Jesus was a liar, or all of the people he was talking to are now over 2000 years old...
The "End days", what a joke.
JustMe, meet newsreader. newsreader, meet JustMe.
Hmmmmm JustMe, seems like you are a few centuries off. Aren't you describing the Greeks? Or maybe you are describing the Romans? Or perhaps the Aztecs? If those societal character defects were all it took then the prophecies would have been fulfilled thousands of years ago.
Every great society runs itself into the ground over greed, ours is no different than those who have come before us. We, sadly, with our advanced intelligence have chosen to ignore those things that have killed the great societies of history and to repeat those very things. Likely as not someone will rise from our ashes, and someone from theirs, and someone from theirs, until someday a society wakes up and learns that the rich can only get rich at the expense of everyone else for so long and the greedy can only hoard from the needy for so long before it all comes crashing down. We are simply taking our turn.
As to the post, I believe that Klinton needs to take responsiblity for Klinton's actions and that Klinton needs to teach responsibility for ones actions to those within his influence. If each of us does that in our own lives then the world will be a better place. WE don't need to do anything, I need to do the right thing. Morality does not need to be dictated, it needs to be taught by parents and significant others in ones young life. Unfortunately, greed doesn't leave much time for teaching.
Suicide is a major problem here in Alaska! There is a new program called (dancingwiththespirit.org) and it's focus is on Suicide prevention. Please support this urgent solution which is expanding nationwide!
"...until someday a society wakes up and learns that the rich can only get rich at the expense of everyone else for so long and the greedy can only hoard from the needy for so long before it all comes crashing down. We are simply taking our turn."
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-an understanding of class in terms of differing relations of production and as a particular position within such relations
-an understanding of material conditions and social relations as historically malleable
-a view of history according to which class struggle, the evolving conflict between classes with opposing interests, structures each historical period and drives historical change
-a sympathy for the working class or proletariat
-and a belief that the ultimate interests of workers best match those of humanity in general
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marxism
------------------
Just sayin'.
You know, Valk, I thought the same thing.
I also thought that twodecades had the best post on this thread.
Does this make me a Marxist?
Does this mean that Marxism really is the answer to acheive not only stable long standing nations, but also global world peace?
Just wonderin'
I wanna live in Star Trek's utopia - no one has to work, everything provided for you, no one seems interested in being "rich" (why would you when you can make whatever you want with a replicator?)
I guess I'll just have to wait for Kurzweil's singularity to come - only have another 3 - 4 decades. Hope I can hang out that long (should probably quit smoking).
Fair enough Valkyrie. On its face that is a Marxist type of statement. I will give you that. I am not against capitalism. I feel that people should be able to realize their potential without governmental or societal condition at all so long as they are within the law in doing so. What I am frustrated with is unfettered greed and the lack of a feeling of responsibility to the country/world as a whole strictly for the purpose of making more money than one could spend in multiple lifetimes or generations of a family. I have said on a number of occasions that it is greed and materialism that is killing our society and it is not just the greed of the top 1%, but the societal greed that we as a country and perhaps as a world have propogated since the end of WWII.
I don't have the answer, I wish I did. But I certainly don't think the answer is Communism.
I only know that if I were making a billion dollars or even millions a year, as many do these days, and I only needed a couple hundred thousand to live a comfortable lifestyle that after I had saved and invested enough for my kids to be set for life, and their kids to be set for life just living off the interest of what I had earned I would start working on projects to make my community and country better. Building infrastructure in poorer areas for education and alternatives to the streets, setting up grant programs for the underpriveleged to get education, underwriting health programs for the working uninsured, raising the wages and benefits of those that made me my billions, things that would help those people who are struggling to get by even though they get up every day and work hard for their meager living. I also believe that I would try to run my company in a forward thinking way looking to better the country that I live in through inovation and continued thought toward the future and its needs, and if I chose greed over doing what is right and intelligent then I would not go flying in my Gulfstream jet to beg for welfare from the people struggling to get by to continue to finance that greed and ignorance.
But that's just me. I am not a Marxist, I am a pissed off American who belives that if those who have made billions would invest a part of that in a better community/country/world instead of only in making more for themselves, because they want to not because they have to, our country and our world would be a better place. Sadly, there is no Utopia and just because I am not a greedy ahole doesn't mean that others shouldn't be.
But that will not stop me from being pissed when Exxon is making 3 billion a quarter but has yet to pay back the Valdez spill victims, and GM vp's are making millions a year while running the company into the ground at all of our expense, etc, etc.
How is that for a disjointed rant?
Wisechief, thank you for the link to the dancing with spirit group. It's always good when us elders can work with the young'uns. I never knew anyone when I was a kid who killed themselves. Each of my five children has known several kids their age who did. It's horrible and we need to do work to change things.
Sometimes committing suicide IS, in a way, taking responsibility...at least according to the Roman and Japanese cultures where suicide was considered an honorable action in some circumstances.
I personally believe that there are almost always better alternatives. To encourage suicide is sick. To watch it not much better.
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