Suicide by cop?

by Eric Jackson

To be assaulted by someone whose main intention is to die, someone so tormented as to get to that point, but caring just enough to want to go out in a certain way?

Been there, done that. Usually the subsidiary intent is not to have a witness to the final act. Sometimes it’s to go out with a big public splash, with ripples through headlines around the world over the next few days. Was Shamsud-Din Jabbar that latter sort of guy? Most probably.

The dude didn’t come from a family or a religious congregation that embraced the Islamic State’s twisted notion of jihad. It certainly wasn’t part of his US Army boot camp indoctrination.

Suicide, however, is a big problem among veterans of the US Armed Forces. The MAGAs can’t be too concerned – addressing the problem might entail costs. Good money after bad, blown on insatiable suckers and losers and all that.

The point of it all is not especially the need for this or that program or institution. Yeah, Americans do need to defend the VA against the likes of Elon Musk, and mental health services need to be treated as fundamental social necessities, just like ambulanced and pediatrics.

The point isn’t to emphasize some Democratic talking point, nor to condemn the soul of Mr. Jabbar to some special Republican Hell.

We need a stronger sense of solidarity, a community that looks out to prevent the next potential suicide by cop. We need to be aware, and ready to do what can be done to prevent any sort of suicide. The lives of innocent bystanders – maybe YOUR life, may be at stake.

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