Reader: In William Maxwell Jr. Case, Only Cowards Commit Suicide

Cowards commit suicide? Who knew? I will bear that in mind when I contemplate the fact that my husband put a bullet in his head two years ago. Not only is he dead and gone...he was a coward as well. Wow. Thanks!

PS, Jadensmokes; ever hear of depression? Thought not.

I'm sorry you took my comment so personally, but then you had this happen to you personally. I'm sorry that your husband committed suicide. Yes, I absolutely know depression. Yes, I have contemplated the act of suicide since I was in my teens. Yes, I have a family member that committed suicide. Now, maybe since you know that I have first hand experience with all of the above, you can understand where I am coming from. My OPINION is that suicide is a cheap way out of temporary circumstances, and leaves a wake of pain for all those you leave behind. I am on antidepressants, and this is why I am able to cope with the ups and downs. I wish your husband and my family member had chosen this same path, but it remains they did not. If you had children with your husband, I hope that you will pay considerable attention to their moods and seek help for them should you detect signs of depression. It can be inherited, and it can be controlled with drugs. I would much rather take my pill every day than to be in the dark place I was before the antidepressants. I too wish this deacon had done the same for his sake and the sake of his family...but he took the cheap and easy way out of a troubled dark place. Nothing good comes unless you work at it and for it.

Sorry I hit a nerve with you. It was not my intent, only my opinion.

Very profound. Congrats on mentioning mental illness while displaying a clear lack of understanding of what that might entail. This site has taken a nosedive since Huff abandoned it, it's fully of idiotic posts and even more idiotic comments of the day.

was he mentally ill or was he a coward? Which is it? Unless you think the two go hand in hand, which is not the case.

If you've been suicidal before then you must have some idea that no one can say what another person's motives are behind such an act. Perhaps you were being a coward when you contemplated it but that doesn't mean that's the case here.

When a mentally ill person, which you clearly state that you feel is the case here, loses control of their actions, cowardice is not the issue; is it?

It's not so simple.

For whatever his reason for taking his family's lives away from them before taking his own, he is still a selfish person. He took their lives away without their consent. It is disgusting that he wiped out his whole existence. This has become more commonplace in today's happenings. More people are committing vicious and seemingly senseless acts! An 80 yr old man shoots his 80 yr old wife, a father kills his mother in law, two young children, and now this guy. What is going on in this world?

Good Questions Blaire. Maybe you should ask the other three posting here, they seem to have all the answers.

Depression (clinically) is a mental illness! Depression is usually attributed to a chemical imbalance in the BRAIN. Maybe you should all try and use yours instead of getting your panties all up in a wad! And, you say, I'm mistaken? I've lived it! I have a sibling that was committed for depression, and he was delusional and psychotic because of depression. Why don't you all quit being so goddammed nasty in your comments and educate your self? Better yet, live it like I have had to do.

And, yes, when I contemplated it, and came out on the other side, cowardice is what I recognized in the thoughts. It seemed so much easier than to face another day. So, in fact, I see both mental illness and cowardice in this man's final deeds.

Suckhole, your name suits you.

jadensmoke, you seem to be very mixed up. What is so nasty about my suggesting that we may not have a real understanding of the inner workings of a suicidal/homicidal person's mind? to say that just because YOUr motive was selfish it may not always be the case.

If you have any experience with psychosis then you should also know how deeply misunderstood it often is. That statements equating mental illness with selfishness are part of the perpetuation of that misunderstanding and not part of the solution.

Trust me, I've been there as well, almost successfully, too, and I can tell you one hundred percent it was not out of selfishness. It was for a very different reason. it was years ago and I'm not about to explore it here with you to make any kind of point. I just don't understand how you can claim to be so familiar with it and show such a lack of understanding at the same time. On top of that, telling others that THEY need to educate themselves on it.

My father was a severe paranoid schizophrenic and it took me years to accept that he was sick, that he was not in control. He behaved on many occassions in ways that I am now certain a person who was in control of themselves would not have.

If you've ever experienced severe psychosis first hand (in your head, not by dealing with a friend) then you would have a better understanding of it then you exhibit here. When a serious episode has it's grips on you, "selfish" behavior is not even part of the picture.

You're making your comments on an article written on one of the most blatantly biased web sites I have every seen. I'm certain you don't know everything.

If anyone here seems to have all the answers it's the ones who believe they know for a fact that there is only one motivation, selfishness, behind an action like the one in question. If you didn't think you knew all the answers you wouldn't even be the comment of the day today.

rhenry, i never said it was a selfish act. i said it was a cowardly act. i never said i know everything, but merely have stated what i know first hand. it is my opinion. like everyone, i too have one just as you do. no reason to get into a pissing match over how we see the subject at hand. by the way, i am not the one that chose this as comment of the day, and am sorry it was chosen as such.

my brother had severs psychosis. i was the one that had to have him committed. no, i have not had psychosis, merely clinical depression, of which i have under control.

my statements come from my experience with depression, and afterwards from taking meds that help me to control that aspect of my life. it also comes from dealing with a family member that committed suicide and a brother that had to be institutionalized from psychosis related to severe clinical depression. i don't know why you feel it necessary to negate what it is i have taken from these experiences.

my reference to nasty comments is because i know what i have experienced in life, and you and suckhole want to tell me i don't sound like i know what i'm talking about. maybe i'm not as far along as you in finding a mentally healthy balance with understanding everything quite as expertly as you do. this will be my last comment in this thread. i have bared too much of my personal life and my soul here, and i don't think it is healthy for me to continue in this vein. i wanted to defend the comments i made because this hits close to home with me, down to the marrow so to speak.

Pete, you're missing a "p" at the end of the link to the original story.

Pete Kotz said:

Thanks for the catch, Big Ed. I appreciate it.

A coward would wright something like this.

I see no need for the ugly language.spare us.Now to the point. I do not think Billy Maxwell intended to committ himself as he agreed to do that afternoon.He agreed to satisfy the folks there talking him into it. Satisfied with his agreement they leave, then the wife and kids wouldn't give in so Bang I'm not saying there was no mental illness but I believe a lot of anger was in the mix