Feedback: We could all be on bridge
Published 3:00 pm Saturday, June 1, 2002
I am writing in response to the letter to the editor, “Put counselors at the bridge,” written by James L. Clements of Oak Harbor in the May 29 paper. At first, reading your letter Mr. Clements, I found myself asking what point are you are trying to make? At first I felt your letter was just mean spirited and then I looked “between the lines” at what you really must have meant. When you said that Deception Pass Bridge is becoming the Northwest’s capital of “cordless bungee jumping.” And, “Can’t these people read the signs that prohibit throwing things from the bridge?” What you really meant was, “Isn’t it tragic that a person can get to a point of desperation so great that suicide is their only alternative?”
How sad for the families and friends who spend the rest of their days wondering why they couldn’t see this coming, how could they have helped.
Then you said that “Washington is such a liberal/socialistic touchy-feely state, it is a wonder that some bureaucrat hasn’t instituted a program to install 24/7/365 counselors at each end of the bridge.” I bet what you really meant there is, “I am so glad to live in Washington state where folks are interested in prevention and intervention and caring for one another.” We need to do more of that.
How can we do a better job of it? How can we work as a community to prevent these tragedies? And finally Mr. Clements, you stated, “Just think of all the extra taxes that could be rammed through a Democratic legislature to support this program.” I know that what you really meant was that we need to re-evaluate our priorities and put our tax dollars back into the ever hard hit mental health system so it isn’t so overtaxed. It should be that when a person needs some help along the way that there are enough resources available so they can get that extra help that they need and deserve. We have to find ways to accomplish that.
Most of all Mr. Clements, I am sure you are thankful that you have never had to deal with such a tragedy or crisis so close to home. Well, just think about it. At any given time each and every one of us is just a chemical imbalance or an insurmountable problem away from being on a bridge somewhere ourselves. Let’s be there for one another. Let’s quit sticking our heads in the sand and figure out how to do better.
Barbara Cope
Coupeville
