I wonder if columnist Kathleen Parker ever lived in that black hole that drives people to take their own lives. Her June 22 column “Teen’s shameful texts didn’t kill her suicidal boyfriend,” regarding Michelle Carter’s conviction for her part in Conrad Roy III’s suicide makes me think not.
Some pull back, as Roy did several times, and experience profound relief to live, after all. These people live in a place of no hope and black despair, beckoning them. Taking one’s own life isn’t easy; our bodies and minds are programmed to live. The act generally takes place in a split-second decision.
Having a close friend demand that you do this, while living in this dark place, is a lethal use of words. Just as a trained rescuer can talk you down from the ledge, a friend can talk you over it.
Parker doesn’t condone the role Carter played, but does not see a legal precedent as necessary for her behavior. Rather she views this as drama queen behavior, an excess of teenage hormones and an undeveloped mind.
