Daily Kos

an insensitive asshole that cares about no one and nothing besides the rich and their money.

It's amazing these monsters still get votes.

is priceless.

same thing and... see how that goes.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/...

I think we all know what makes republicans:  self hatred driven by cruel parenting when these poor souls were children.

They then turn that rage outward at the windmills, seeing whatever they want to see (lazy people, freeloaders, weak cowards, etc.)

They are people in desperate need of therapy and introspection.  But with neither, they end up screaming at shadows and phantoms.

... the typical loony-tunes conservative caveat of:

"I'm not a scientist doctor psychiatrist, but..."

amazed at whatever he is saying.

Of course, I am remembering my parents back in the 1950s.

Since then, Republicans seem to be competing to be Scrooge and to be the party of dickheads.  

This can't be apologized for.  he was awake and he was not drunk.  He was an idiot.

Ho. Lee. Shit.

Fire up the douchecopterr!   douchedouchedouchedouche...

citizens of Alaska keep reelecting this piece of shit...21 times.....

making future Democrat voters one room full of kids at a time.

It was a"well intentioned" blaming of the grieving students and faculty, everybody. So, obviously that explains everything.

Except maybe why it's always some Republican douche-nozzle coming out with this kind of evil nonsense.

and feelings of others in a prerequisite for being a Republican. Oh and by the way, dishonesty and deceit are more prerequisites for being a Republican. Next!  

"And if you do, apologize—don't defend it."

You do realize we're talking about Republicans, right?  I swear they are missing a gene that allows them to admit ever being wrong about something.

scared to death, pissed off, and hostile

The anger is just a masking emotion for the underlying, pervasive fear and paranoia.  Which explains the way they idolize their "strong daddies," no matter how corrupt, incompetent, or stupid they are.

This is a good reason to not speak about a subject authoritatively if one is not actually very educated about the specific field.

I had a whole snarky post typed out linking Rep Young (Dumbass - Alaska)'s repulsive, malicious comment and Sen McConnell's need to buy support(ers)...

and I can't do it, because you just don't JOKE about suicide. I've lost people dear to me from suicide, and if anyone EVER had tried to suggest a lack of support 'led to it' they'd have had me in their face demanding an apology.

My sympathies go out to all those traumatized by yet another Republican jackass speaking about topics they know nothing about.

Please vote him in again. Because Young's nastiness tells me everything I need to know about the people who vote for him. There he is! Enjoy.

I mean suicide is linked to depression a lot.

Depression can be exacerbated by lack of sunlight.

Alaska is cold and has very little sunlight at times.

I had a friend horribly depressed lived in Alaska. It all cleared up when he moved to Calif.

But it it barely rates half a Teapublican. Gohmert or Bachmann can score three just by snoring.

"Young said suicide shows a lack of support from friends and family."

How could any of you possibly disagree with that?

Oh yeah, Dumbfcuk Republican said it so it must be wrong . . . .

Why is what he said incorrect?   People don't very often kill themselves in a vacuum.    There are cases of mental illness of course, but how we are treated by our friends and family, especially as children learning how to find our place in the world, is a HUGE factor in our emotional well being.  

You think the high suicide rate among gay teenagers is just because they have a natural predisposition for that sort of thing?   Or is it more likely some external influences played a part?  

It is RARE you will find me defending a Republican.   This is one of those times. And it should also be noted that there is no formal record, so we might all be getting worked up over bad information.  

and scary, is the fact that he truly believes what he said...
And didn't see, (or care) that his words could be perceived as  insensitive and hurtful.

I remember seeing the staffer's reaction to his comments in a hearing covered awhile back, and it's funny, and probably what most people in the room looked like, but it's not from the school assembly.

I don't have the right words to condemn this Neanderthal

If there was ever a model for the typical arrogant, callous, entitled asshole Republican, it's Young.

...the standard fallback was that the statement was taken out of context.  

and not afraid to show it.

was also "well-intentioned".

"Sorry 'bout the $24 Billion. It was the best deal we could swing."

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Asshole.

Medical reasons aside, teenagers - and adults - commit suicide exactly for this reason, because they don't feel they have the support and approval of the people they love.  Could be a girl/boy friend or spouse, could be parents, could be bullies at school or work.

Why else would an otherwise healthy person end their life?

I'm aware of one suicide and two attempted suicides, all of which were due to despair over relationships with other people.  I think the Congressman has a point.

Suicide rates are exceptionally high among gay and lesbian youths.  Such children are often bullied and harassed by their schoolmates. Many get little or no support from disapproving families and pastors.  So it's little wonder that such children are often depressed and suicidal.  For once, Rep. Young was right.

Youtube uploads?

Honestly, all "Republicans" are responsible for what one does?

But let's get to what Stevens reportedly said. (No one having a record.)

The fact is that adolescent suicide is often related to school bullying and in mentioning that possibility, Stevens in right on point.

The fact is that a school teacher asked Young what his office was doing about Alaska's suicide and domestic violence, as if those problems are amenable solely to federal solutions (sorry, I forgot--everything can be solved by federal money).

Young very appropriately began by talking about alcoholism and depression, then moved to the need for support from families and classmates.  

Taking this as blame is an interesting response.  If you look at the media record over the past decade, you see suicide after suicide among young people related to bullying.  And the highest category is LGBT youth, bullied at school but often also challenged by family response.

So I find myself defending Stevens's reported response to a reported dumb question pretty much spot on.

Any chance the school classes have any discussions about what the government can and cannot do to solve such problems?  Where responsibility lies?  

Nah.  Let's just scream "Republican" and label people with big red Rs.

I am so TIRED of party politics in this country.  Don't pretend that "your side" (because there always must be two sides, them and us, right?) is any better or more useful to the cause of solving our society's problems.

the Obama latte salute "issue"

just as stupid

he had some idea based on no first-hand experience and then ran his mouth. He may be a terrible person, but first it has to be explained to him, depression, and the helplessness of family and friends when someone is suffering, and not knowing what to do, or they hide it and no one even knows.  

I have heard that the high suicide rate in Alaska is often in the indiginous peoples there.  They feel lost because many of their traditions have been lost, and they are not able to live the lives they want there. Poverty, as in all native tribes leads to depression, which of course can lead to suicide.  Plus the whole country has just dumped on mental health issues, there is no place for people to get help.  He sounded insensitive at the very least.  It is very possible for people who are profoundly depressed to have lots of help, lots of supportive people and still desire and even follow through with death.  Add the fact that some people become depressed from lack of light, and being cooped up most of the winter, and it is not surprising Alaska has such a problem with suicide.   He came across as an insensitive lout.  Not everyone who is thinking of ending life lets people know about it.  I don't imagine Robin Williams did. His wife and children and friends were shocked at what he did.  Sometimes people hide their depression behind a smile, a laugh.  Often the clown is the saddest person in the room.

Comments like this is EXACTLY why we need to vote these aging asswipes out of office!  WHY would anyone want a Senator in office that displays such a completely out of touch, and callous attitude!  FIRE HIM!

I agree with him.

Young hasn't got a clue about anything...in this case, that a person who commits suicide is suffering.  Oftentimes those around him or her don't have a clue about this and if they do know that someone is hurting, they often don't know how to handle it, if anything.  So, to whitewash a suicide with his "definition of why...who's responsible and to blame fellow students is not all an adult way to handle it.

However, it would be best if he kept his mouth shut and let the principal, teachers, guidance counselor or other qualified person handle the situation.  He obviously knows nothing about anything.

looks like a sexual predator.

Lack of support doesn't cause the suicidal thoughts, but if anything else comes along to cause them, that support could stop the descent. And people kill themselves because they can't see any other solution. It takes outside intervention to stop suicide.

I suffer from lack of support from friends and family, and I'm going to kill myself when I turn forty, unless a miracle occurs. Neglect is not a sudden event (although it can be suddenly reversed--it takes only one act). It took a slow, life-long drip of neglect of that sort to bring me to suicide, but it is the main factor in the end. Even the confidence-destroying effect of bullying could have been overcome if I'd had any really good friends.

One of my elementary-school friends killed himself in high school. Unfortunately, he had alienated me long before, so I wasn't even in a position to help him. But I believe that alienating behavior was a symptom of the mental disturbance that led to his suicide, meaning it was years in the making. He may have alienated many people, inadvertently setting himself up not to have supportive people around him. We must hold the principle of caring about people whether they seem to deserve it or not.

the nameplates are there but is that Mr. Young, Harris? Then again the intern in the background has that deer in the headlights cliche' look. PRICELESS. I would say maybe that isn't him, maybe he's as hideous as.....? Jabba the Hut? He can take the OXY out of the room.

I have stated fo a very long time that the GOP have a discredited ideology. This is a perfect example! Being unbelievably crass in such a situation is very typical of Republican ideals. They are truly beyond normal interactions with human beings. You often wonder if they are from another planet, one that doesent believe in compassion or sympathy.

... being an adult who had a very very very horrible time of it in high school, I contemplated suicide several times. And it was not only because of the vicious bullying I endured, but also because my family and friends didn't understand/believe/support me during all that vicious bullying. I felt alone, deserted, and with no one who gave a good goddamn about me. Why not kill myself? No one would miss me.

So while this guy may not have expressed his thoughts as well as he might have, there's a grain of truth there, like it or not.

The comment may be exaggerated, but there's a lot of truth to it. Isolation has long been recognized as a significant risk factor predicting suicides.  Interpreted this way, "lack of support" is right on the money.  Perhaps he could have phrased it so that it didn't sound like he was blaming anyone, but I don't think assigning blame was necessarily his intention.  Move on.  There are Republican attitudes and pronouncements a lot worse than this one.  

Like George Carlin once said....  "YOU  Can't fix  STUPID!!!!

What the unholy bleeding HELL!?

He may be the at-large Rep. for my state but I sure as hell have never voted for him.