Army suicide rate "terrifying"

[Arrian]

1. Sad. I have no idea why. Increased stress? Drugs? Like DanS, I'd be inclined to suspect the drugs. I lost a brother due (in part) to prozac. I don't trust those drugs at all.

edit: and Felch brings up another distinct possibility: random fluctuation.

2. Ben being Ben. Much like Manny being Manny, it's simply to be expected.

-Arrian

[Kontiki]

Finally, a decent point.

Doesn't change the fact that the numbers were higher in 1980 then they are now.

Except they weren't higher in 1980.

[Dry]

You saw a similar spike under Carter.

The cause isn't that difficult, a Commander in Chief that doesn't respect the military.

For a short time after reading this, I felt an urge to kill myself...

Or maybe, for a few seconds, I really was dead... from the [mind]blast

[rah]

Ben doesn't bother with facts. He just laps up whatever is posted on other right wing sites or sources and repeats it as god given truth.
In the thread where he was defending GAP his Falun Gong example was from article in

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09020201.html

that he posted at a another site. He believes all the biased crap that he reads. It just shows that he lacks any ability to objectively look at any subject. He just finds biased sources that reinforces his beliefs and used them for proof without putting any thought into it. So he usually starts by reguritating crap from those biased sites, then when he gets called on it, he goes back to those sites and can't find any supporting information. But heck that doesn't stop him, he just makes up more crap. Usually stuff that can't be verified. (like "but that is what I have heard from the servicemen that I know.") So arguing with him is futile becuase he'll just keep dodging then ignoring.

Ben why don't you just say what you believe instead of dancing around it.
Suicides in the military are up because we elected a black/dem president.
What a moron.

[Velociryx]

To those who scoff at the thread because it's "only" 24 people, I would ask this question:

How many people have to die before it becomes important?

A hundred?

A thousand?

TEN thousand?

We live in a society that teaches life is sacred, and I would argue that even if it's "only" 24 people who killed themselves, that's still worth talking about.

Their lives, cut short by their own hand, still represents a tragic loss, even if you think the number unworthy of attention.

Of course, as ever, you are free to disagree.

-=Vel=-

[MrFun]

You saw a similar spike under Carter.

The cause isn't that difficult, a Commander in Chief that doesn't respect the military.

You're pathetic; please do us a favor, and leave.

[MrFun]

Finally, a decent point.

As for the commander in chief comment, I was positive I would get flamed here, but that is what I have heard from the servicemen that I know.

In my opinion they are far more reliable sources as to the mood and the morale of the troops then the folks here on Poly.

So something like 0.005 percent of American soldiers think like you?

Since you're known as a compulsive liar on here, give us some details about these servicemen if you're not making this **** up. What branches do they serve? What are their ranks? Where are they serving? How did you meet and come to personally know them? What cities do their families live in?

Of course, a compulsive liar will be able to make up these details as well, no doubt.

[Asher]

All that fuss is about 24 soldiers? Noth hundreds or thousands?

I see the Russian mentality of "1 gun, 2 men" still thrives.

[Dinner]

Are you of the opinion that the military is thrilled about Obama?

I have lots of friends still in the military and, yes, many of them are thrilled Bush is gone and happily voted for Obama.

[onodera]

To those who scoff at the thread because it's "only" 24 people, I would ask this question:

How many people have to die before it becomes important?

A hundred?

A thousand?

TEN thousand?

We live in a society that teaches life is sacred, and I would argue that even if it's "only" 24 people who killed themselves, that's still worth talking about.

Their lives, cut short by their own hand, still represents a tragic loss, even if you think the number unworthy of attention.

Of course, as ever, you are free to disagree.

-=Vel=-

My rule of thumb is to compare the amount against the amount of people who died in car accidents during the same period of time. Weighted. 24 per 500000 per month versus 42000 per 300000000 per year, which equals 3.5 per 300000 per month. Okay, that is a significant amount of deaths. Do something about it.

[MOBIUS]

"Sorry, DanSed. I might add that I've seen an AP story, since reposted in tons of other places, that says that the Army only started keeping stats in 1980. Not coincidentally, exactly 26 years from 2006."

Finally, a decent point.

Doesn't change the fact that the numbers were higher in 1980 then they are now.

HOLY ****!!! I WOULD BE ROTFLMAO AT YOUR UTTER PIGHEADED STUPIDITY IF THIS WASN'T SUCH A SERIOUS SUBJECT!!!

[Kuciwalker]

To those who scoff at the thread because it's "only" 24 people, I would ask this question:

How many people have to die before it becomes important?

More than 24?

The fact that we can't draw a hard line after which deaths become important doesn't mean that any death actually matters. That's a basic fallacy.

Their lives, cut short by their own hand, still represents a tragic loss, even if you think the number unworthy of attention.

Blah blah blah thousands of people die in car accidents all the time. Tragedy is overrated.

[MrFun]

Don't hold back, MOBIUS. Tell us how you really feel.

[Arrian]

As if Moby gives a flying **** about deaths in the US military. Actually, check that, enjoying them counts as caring...

-Arrian

[chequita guevara]

There's not enough data in the story to determine why those soldiers are killing themselves. So Good guesses like medicine, and truly obscene ones like Ben's, are all just farts in the wind (except Ben's, which was like a fart in an elevator). I could guess, but why contribute to global warming.