Meghan McCain tries to help suicidal man, gets mocked for it
Meghan McCain, daughter of former presidential candidate John McCain, got involved in a Twitter controversy today, when a man sent her a note that suggested he was suicidal. McCain then tried to find help for the man. The whole situation was then mocked on Wonkette.com, a blog dedicated to political gossip…
…Perhaps the most upsetting thing about the story is how Wonkette chose to cover it. Instead of noting that she was trying to help someone who was depressed and in danger, they made fun of her. “Behold her nervous illiterate twitters,” wrote Ken Layne, a Wonkette writer, “about somebody she doesn’t know who may or may not exist, on the Internet, and perhaps at minimum exists on the other side of the country, typing some sadsack stuff about wanting to die. Teen-agers are hyper-emotional, Meghan, sort of like you…” Certainly, McCain had no idea if the person on the other end of the tweet was really depressed or just seeking attention, but she was legitimately trying to help someone. That deserves respect, not taunting. Yet Layne continued to make fun of her, accusing her of being a second-rate “Bat Man” and of going “progressively more nuts while reading the random twitters of other people.”…
…Suicide is the third leading cause of death among people 15-24, behind only accidents and homicides. It is the second leading cause of death among college students. On average, a suicide occurs every 17 minutes. When someone is asking for help, it should be taken seriously, not called out for mockery. Making fun of people who try sincerely to help a suicidal person only encourages other people not to help. It also tells people who are asking for help that no one will believe so they should just not bother.
