Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2021/01/13/georgia-man-arrested-at-capitol-insurrection-commits-suicide.html
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Sad fallout, no matter what he was thinking.
More evidence that the mob wasn’t just a bunch of disgruntled lower/working-class yahoos.
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I don’t want to sound callous but my honest reaction is, like… if you feel that bad about it, how about contrition instead of suicide?
I know a lot of us have harsh words for Turmp supporters, and they deserve it, but for future reference, I absolutely don’t want anyone to kill themselves. I do want them to not burn society to the ground. It cannot be that hard to square this circle.
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If this was a political thriller like the Pelican Brief, the pattern of “medical related deaths”, accidents and suicides would point to a clean-up operation or trail covering. At least no one is “falling” out of windows or accidentally swallowing polonium or Novichok.
Lets see how thorough the investigation of the security lapse really gets.
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These people have to process their perceived loss like any other. Aren’t there well-known steps (anger, denial, bargaining, depression, and acceptance)? Maybe his family and friends will also be experiencing them.
I wonder when or whether Trump himself will reach the depression stage and if there is help available to him when it comes.
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It’s terrible that the insurrectionist took this way out, and yet not unexpected. It’s a logical, though extreme outcome when a weak-willed and entitled bully suddenly discovers that his privilege no longer shields him from the consequences of his actions. Rather than face punishment on the terms of his victims (in this case the American people), he petulantly chooses to make his own in this wasteful and selfish way.
[also, @GinaLoukareas, you might want to post the usual suicide hotline info in the main article]
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Been thinking about this a lot, too. I remember a quote from Arnold Schwarzenegger describing the former Nazis he saw growing up as “broken men” who never recovered when they realized what they had fallen for. I’m assuming most of these people will follow the typical Know-Nothing course and go back to hiding their horrid beliefs, but the ones with a conscience will need help. Would they join a service to help them back to reality? I’m assuming in the end it’s up to us to help our neighbors. Can we make a hip game show that encourages critical thinking and media literacy? I’m half kidding on that last one. And contrition is right. If I were a charity service, I’d be making an ad describing the value of redemption through good work for those people who want to change.*
*edited for last two lines.
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For most of history, failed coup participants would be looking forward to a visit to the basement of the Lubyanka, or its equivalent in time and place. I think it should be a testament to the falseness of the insurrectionists arguments about this country that they have a very cushioned fall ahead of them.
If he felt he’d rather die than spend time in prison, that’s his right, and I support his decision. His prison would have been better than the concentration camps Trump already set up here. If they win, people will have worse fates just for doing things we cherish as rights now, or being what they are.
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I think it’s just as likely that he felt bad about the fact that the insurrection failed.
Or perhaps he felt despair that the evil deep state or whatever had won.
In any case, suicide was an escape. It was not justice.
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You’re absolutely right. I apologize for the omission and will add the info as soon as possible.
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And here’s the BBS list
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I disagree. His suicide prevented justice, which the community has a right to. He didn’t have the right to avoid investigation, or to deny investigators the opportunity to gather information from him that could shed light on the crimes of his compatriots. I don’t think he had the right to subvert justice.
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I don’t believe there is ever a time that the state, or “community”, has complete control over a person’s body, regardless of their will to carry out punishment on them.
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I understand.
Edited to add: Asking that a person pay for their crimes =/= “complete control over a person’s body”.
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I would like the Capitol Police force to know that people don’t blame them.
They were deliberately hobbled. They were given a task with inadequate resources, and denied help when they needed it. That’s a betrayal, and not their fault in any way. For the most part they did magnificently well under the circumstances.
The only question in my mind is the one or two that appeared to be helping the assault, and the selfie incident. And even the selfie incident might be excusable if the police officer feared the threat of violence if they went against the crowd in a situation where they were isolated.
The world has the Capitol Police to thank for saving the USA from a coup.
I really would like people to amplify this message. Forward this to them if you know someone in the department. They should know that they are the heroes.
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The last of a long string of poor decisions, apparently.
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My guess is he felt that his life was over, and overwhelming despair clouded his judgement momentarily, leading to an impulsive action to end his life. Whether he felt that his actions were justified or not, I’m sure he realized he was going to lose his lucrative employment, thus losing his home, possessions, and probably family, and loss of freedom for whatever duration of imprisonment he faced. He would likely never hold an equivalent job in pay or prestige, never again live a life of comfort, and so, life as he knew it was over.
I base this guess on the rampant farmer suicides we’ve been seeing the past few years, as farmers face falling commodity prices and limited market opportunities, which is leading to bankruptcies and loss of farms that have often been in the family for generations. This loss of family homestead is also a source of overwhelming shame. As the population of farmers heavily skews older, the opportunity for post-farm-loss employment and life are limited and grim.
Obviously, these are foreseeable consequences this gentleman faced when he stormed the capital, and so I have little sympathy for him regarding whatever consequences he faced, but suicide is complex, and often an act of despair. @anon73430903 posted suicide hotline information for anyone who may need it.
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This is the problem with unequally applied standards in the “justice” system. Many people arrested for lesser crimes aren’t able to easily make bail and be released to do all of the things you listed above. That system routinely gives a “get out of jail easily” card to certain people based on class and race. When these cases make the news, they generate outrage, but little to no change.
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He can always say he was just producing incrontrivertible evidence that the guy was there.
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