Just an aside, but what is "He Called Out Sick..." about? Is that like "calling IN sick" when you aren't going to show up for work? Or is it a reference to "calling out" his mental sickness? I've not heard those words like this before.
11
Everyone does not necessarily use the same language all over the country. Yes, he called 'in' sick. He called 'in' to say he would be 'out' sick. Make sense?
10
Yes, thank you. Never heard it phrased like that before, either out west or out east and wondered. Thanks for the clarification.
3
I knew nothing of Mr. Buckel or his work. I am nonetheless saddened by his death. My thoughts are that he was exhausted either physically, mentally, spiritually or in some combination. He may have felt that it was time to die and what better purpose could his death serve but as a protest to the evil that surrounds us? When we have people in high places who are deliberately and indifferently taking actions which further environmental degradation it’s astonishing, their arrogant willfulness. Perhaps Mr. Buckel’s death will keep us mindful of what is going on and spur us to stand against this immense evil.
19
it is very possible that his suicide could have a substantial positive result.
there are at least hundreds of people discussing issues concerning the environment - who knows what ripple effect there will be. having lost several friends to suicide, i know the pain and confusion that trails afterwards. in any case, mr. buckel's achievements are well documented and we should celebrate them all. R.I.P.
15
I'm completely baffled by the comments here suggesting this was a heroic act, much less attacking those who see this as a senseless, if tragic act. What will Mr. Buckel have accomplished by taking his own life? Does anyone seriously think this will prevent one bit of environmental pollution? If that was his goal, why do this in Prospect Park and not on the doorstep of the EPA, or Exxon, or Dow Chemical? I don't mean to be callous and I'm very sorry for this family's loss but something is off here. It just doesn't make sense.
21
and the living will envy the dead. have we come to this?
12
The way we are destroying the world, I think we will envy the already dead very soon.
10
Go in peace, Mr. Buckel.
19
Commenters have some wild and dramatic interpretations of this suicide. It was a “publicity stunt,” a “hostile act,” “depraved,” “senseless waste,” “delusional.” Others called him “heroic,” “tragic,” “amazing,” “totally understandable.” I have to attribute this radical split to readers’ hair-trigger preconceptions. We react and find meanings off the tops of our heads. As a former teacher. I often tried to get students to read closely and self critically and so I went back into article to see what It says. The writers I think did a careful job. They reported people close to the event who spoke from their limited perspectives. Mr. Martig his coworker at the compost site went to mr. buckels YouTube on composting to remember him as a calm and methodical worker, ‘this is the David Buckel I knew. I struggle to believe this is a protest suicide . . . Underneath he got to be in a very dark place; it’s not characteristic of David.” Readers who want to read their melodramatic ideologies into this event will of course do so, but they do so at the risk of sounding blustery and know it all.
16
Maybe you missed the NYT article from the previous day, which included Mr. Buckel's note to the times: "“Pollution ravages our planet, oozing inhabitability via air, soil, water and weather,” he wrote in the email sent to The Times. “Most humans on the planet now breathe air made unhealthy by fossil fuels, and many die early deaths as a result — my early death by fossil fuel reflects what we are doing to ourselves." and that he wanted his death to lead to increased action.
14
Dude must have used high-carbon fossil fuel on the way out, too... Irony?
1
@Hardened Democrat: Yes. He mentioned that in his note. But it takes so much less gasoline to burn a man than a planet.
8
Hardened Democrat - I don't know you and you don't know me and you certainly don't know Mr. Buckel. Using the word "dude" to describe a deceased individual is rather dismissive, I think. Especially somebody who died in this manner. And, he mentioned fossil fuel in his suicide note. I imagine you thought you were being funny or clever, but people who loved and cherished this man may be reading these comments. Your words made me wince. Imagine how your carelessness with language might affect somebody who really knew him.
28
Heartbreaking that Mr Buckel couldn’t continue the fight, who knew better to do so, than those of us who can only take baby steps in comparison. Such sadness and despair does abound with the state of the now Environmental Pollution Agency under Mr Pruitt and POTUS. My heart and prayers go out to his family, coworkers, friends. Peace on your journey Mr Buckel.
18
Nothing worries me more than the state of our environment, which we totally depend on for all our needs: air, water, food and shelter.
As temperatures rise, and land degrades, it's getting harder and harder to feed the world's population. Please read this article by environmentalist George Monbiot:
http://www.monbiot.com/2017/12/13/we-cant-keep-eating-like-this/
23
He lost hope in humanity. The earth is dying because of human greed and selfishness. He saw that humans are truly a scourge on the earth. I understand his feelings. It’s really too late. He was very brave actually. I’m too cowardly to do it but I understand.
34
You and me both. I hope when Nature reboots, she carefully considers what type of being evolves to sit at the top of the pyramid. Humanity has been a disappointment and failure.
15
Without judging it, I have never considered myself of such importance to contemplate this man's decision to end life's often long and challenging journey.
"Do not go gentle into that good night," Dylan Thomas observed, "Old age should burn and rave at close of day. Rage, rage against the dying of the light."
We should honor this man's life upon his death but those who might consider similarly making a martyr of oneself, "Do not go gentle," but "Rage, rage against the dying of the light," including ignorance and injustice wherever it exists.
25
The man spoke the with his own life. We have turned a corner none of us ever wanted to encounter. I fear Global warming is not merely inevitable, but already a reality.
It may be too late to turn back the clock.
16
I most certainly cannot understand why he chose to do what he did, but I do share his underlying despair. I personally find it harder by the day to live in this world that is full speed ahead to destroy this our wonderful planet. A quote by Aldo Leopold says it all:
“One of the penalties of an ecological education is that one lives alone in a world of wounds. Much of the damage inflicted on land is quite invisible to laymen. An ecologist must either harden his shell and make believe that the consequences of science are none of his business, or he must be the doctor who sees the marks of death in a community that believes itself well and does not want to be told otherwise.”
27
I hope the NYTIMES prints Mr Bucknel's emailed message, as well as an obit, so we can learn more about this man
32
I cannot speak for those who have commited suicide , other than some people are too fragile for the pain that life inflicts on all of us . I don't agree that it is a selfish act but rather one of pain and desperation . The song Vincent by Don Mclean expresses this beautifully . It saddens me when someone leaves in such a manner , because the depth of pain is unbearable for them that no one can alleviate .
25
I was also reminded of the Buddhist monks who lit themselves on fire to protest the Vietnam War. I am sorry that Mr. Buckel left the world this way, it is a terrible way to go. I hope that people who are feeling similarly hopeless, or like they can no longer contribute to the living world, will remember that many of us are discouraged, but all we can do is keep drawing attention to issues through positive work and change.
17
Look at this! People not even acknowledging what this man claimed his act was in service of but instead airing their own personal grievances (because everything IS about *you*) and, better yet, "moralizing" about what a bad man he was for doing this. Calling him "sadly delusional" and "selfish". "Insanity!" Oh, well, thanks Mr. and Mrs. Freud! Maybe he just wanted to get away from people like yourselves -- you know the morally superior know-it-alls who are so narrow minded their entire consciousness can slip through the eye of a needle.
What sort of morally superior person doesn't know that the occasion of someone's death is not actually the appropriate time to trash them?
33
Suicide is often met with sadness and sympathy. I tend to see it as a hostile act, calculated to make others feel guilty. This is the most hostile suicide I have ever heard about- in a park where people will see you? The grandiosity and ego of this sad man, that others should see this, is stunning.
6
@William Schmidt: Before you go judging Mr. Buckel, please do tell us: Have you accomplished even HALF of what he did in his life?
14
People end their lives because of deep and prolonged psychic pain they cannot free themselves from. It's not done to spite others or make them feel guilty or an act of hostility. Not at all.
18
I agree with the comments posted insofar as suicide being an ultimate statement, and that in many cases there is an underlying mental illness involved. I do not agree that it is a selfish act. While I am sure his family and friends mourn his death, they know why he did what he did with his life as well as in death.
9
Like a lot of things in this world, especially since November 8, 2016, I just don't understand...
17
This is so sad. By living, Mr. Buckel could have accomplished so much more.
15
Ultimately, suicide is an incredibly selfish act, even though he proclaimed it as a protest against environmental degradation. In killing himself, he left all of his friends and family in pain and sorrow, to wonder why, did they do something to provoke his death, could they have done something to have prevented it, etc. All of this just to satisfy his own desires.
I say all of this as someone whose wife took her own life with the same consequences for her children, family and friends.
14
@Rob-Chemist: I am so sorry for your loss! But you didn't know Mr. Buckel and his family, did you? To be the amazing success as a lawyer that he was, he had to be very thoughtful and strategic. Perhaps he talked with his family before he did it. Perhaps he left them detailed, individual notes. Please don't make assumptions about other peoples' lives when you have no basis to do so.
12
Sometimes survivors of suicide do know why they did it.
9
Mr. Buckel had to have been extremely distraught to take his own life in such a painful way. I hope that his spirit can find some rest.
31
Though he wanted a purposeful death, I believe he was sadly delusional in thinking this would make an actual difference. He must have felt a desperate kind of agony to do something so awful to himself and to the family he left behind.
16
@CH: If you Google his name now, you will find that there are almost 300,000 English language articles about his self-immolation. I don't know what expertise you call upon in saying that it would NOT "make an actual difference," but perhaps you should wait and see.
8
Trump put Pruitt in charge of destroying the environment, and Wall Street cheered. Pruitt left his last job with Oklahoma reeling from daily earthquakes that he helped cause by abetting fracking companies. Deregulated chemicals are now dumped into our waterways, cars and trucks will pump more pollution into the atmosphere, newly deregulated toxic chemicals are seeping into our soil, coal company smokestacks no longer need to be retrofitted with scrubbers that were cleaning out ozone-destroying particles by the ton.
The Times does report on these atrocities - but the environment needs a human face like the sex scandals have to capture more attention. Perhaps that's the real message behind this tragedy.
Rest in peace, sir. We'll do our best to get Trump and his helpers out of office before too much more is destroyed.
#VOTE like our lives depend on it - because they do.
41
This is so deeply sad. But, I know many people who feel distraught over what this Trump presidency is doing to the health of its people and environment. We march and we protest and we write and we donate... but some days it feels like it's not enough to make a change.
26
It is rare that a person commits this most selfless act of self-sacrifice in order to save us and our planet. Mr. Buckel must be honored through each of our actions to save this planet. Everybody who has done nothing or very little to improve the environment of our planet is collectively responsible for its destruction and the death of Mr. Buckel.
17
Despair can drive us to do things but remember the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. "I believe in unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant."
RIP.
12
Sad. There are a lot of people who believe the US is on a dangerous path. There are also a lot of people that believed that the US followed a dangerous path during the eight years Obama was president. America is a country of different viewpoints and it is through dialogue that we get better. Life is precious (especially when it is someone as committed to his cause as this person seemed to be) and taking one's life should never be seen as noble or a way to solve problems. To say it is sets a very dangerous precedent.
6
Did you have to do this on 78th precints opening day?
poor kids had to hear about this...shame!
5
Let us all show compassion for Mr. Buckel; most of us will never understand the degree of his suffering, and be grateful we can enjoy pleasantries like our kids opening day.
10
My kids and I were bicycling in the park when we passed his not-yet-covered remains; details aren't fit for this paper. That will be his legacy, regardless of his achievements, to me.
9
I'm tempted to self-immolate at the William F. Ryan Community Health Center, but even then I know I still wouldn't get a doctor's attention.
10
This is tragic, sad and I can't begin to imagine the pain and hurt his family and friends are going through. I also can't imagine the pain and horror experienced by the people who may have witnessed this or discovered it. But this death had nothing to do with climate change or making a statement. It was not the action of rational person, and that's the only way it should be remembered. This was insanity.
The best way to fight climate change, or to fight for any cause, is to not give up. It is to participate, show-up, and take action. Climate change, or any cause, is not advanced by personal acts of self-destruction.
17
@Patrick: And you know this - how? And what have you done to prevent climate change? Or advance other causes? Please forgive me if you are in fact a dedicated activist, but I'm seeing a lot of bloviating here from those who are not.
6
This reminds me of Mitch Snyder, an advocate for the homeless, who committed suicide in 1990. This made such an impression on me that I remember it all these years later.
http://www.nationalhomeless.org/news/RememberingMitchSnyder.html
I have always wondered if people deny the problem of global warming because they can't handle it emotionally. Some of us are willing to be low-level depressed about the world and some people are not. Figuring out how to live with the knowledge of what is going on without being depressed about it - that's what we need to talk about. And it's not just global warming. There is so much unnecessary suffering - racism, lack of access to healthcare, I could go on and on - and it seems to be getting worse rather than better.
To move the needle on these difficult issues we should address this question of denial vs despair. A wise Quaker friend once said, "Living in reality is safer than not living in reality." It's scarier to clearly look at the dangers in the world, but it's ultimately safer. There are strong forces arrayed on the side of "don't look". It's more profitable to keep people in the dark, needing to escape, or taking refuge in religious organizations that have been coopted and corrupted.
When some of the most caring and giving people feel the need to commit suicide to get our attention or because of discouragement, it's time to look more deeply.
Mitch Snyder was not forgotten and David Buckel will not be either.
28
who?
"They did not know him but they felt a kinship with him and his despair..." Yes. So painfully, poignantly true. Rest in peace Mr. Buckel. May you find ease.
14
Thank you Mr. Buckel for using your death to make a statement. Your prominence provides the gift of press coverage that someone else would not have. I am so sorry you felt so hopeless. Nothing is that hopeless that you must sacrifice yourself. While your death has meaning, I believe there were other ways that would have allowed you to make an impact. You had already made a difference in the lives of so many people, surely there something else you could have done. My thoughts are with his family and friends who I am sure are in deep pain at his loss.
16
Just think, he might still be with us if Hillary had won. I too am very despondent about the shape the earth is in. Where I live in Florida there is no more wet land protection, no more resident council to oversee what gets built in our town, and no more petitions, we can still do them, but they have no legal power anymore like they used to. I have personally given up because if I didn't I would go crazy. Every piece of forest in my town is being bulldozed for developement and we are becoming one big ugly strip mall.
21
Same thing is happening to Daytona Beach. The town recently allowed a commercial parking on residential land in a residential neighborhood and not happy with this is now going to allow new 6 story parking lot bordering the other end of something called the "Seabreeze historic district". Neighbors speaking out against commercialization of a historic residential neighborhood are helpless.
7
People kill themselves during Democratic administrations too. Suicides do not stop.
6
Move to California.
1
I live close to Prospect Park and my wife and 3 year old son happened to walk by the crime scene not long after the corpse was removed. Rather selfish to go out in such graphic manner in a busy park on the weekend.
15
If you know anything about suicide, you know it is not the thinking of someone who is rational at that moment, despite what the rest of their life looks like.
16
Yes, it's hard on all of us when some of us feel the suffering of this world beyond their next latte and a chirpy day in the park.
23
So sorry the death of this despondent man got in the way of your weekend fun.
16
My sympathy goes to his family. It is a pity his permanent action will have not even a transient effect on policy. It would have been better for him to find other ways to protest than self-immolation.
17
@Linda: How do you know it won't? How do you know that someone, having read one of the thousands of articles about Mr. Buckel's death that I can already find online, won't become an incredible activist, taking up where he was too tired to go on?
8
It is not a good idea to position this kind of madness as heroic or admirable in any way.
31
Yes totally agree. Buckel's attempts to make the world a better place are laudable. However this type of act speaks of rigidity of spirit and mental illness. I myself support many causes, but as a sane person, I know I will only make a small dent. Instead of disaster, I see value in Trump and friends. The value is the call to arms to all those who sat back thinking their vote did not count. It teaches us to pay attention. Anyone who veers too far one way or another in politics, sprituality, animal rights, beliefs is usually slightly nuts. Life is not perfect.
8
Insanity is knowingly driving your own species into extinction, not to mention all other species that reside off our only host & home, the biosphere. Mr. Buckel was likely more sane than 99% of Americans. Many in the earth defense movement I've known over the last 30 years have reached the same conclusion as Mr. Buckel. Most have checked out mentally, spiritually, and some have checked out literally. I have not.
21
Pointing to a perceived "mental illness" lets us all off the hook much too easily. I'd contend that we instead should honor Mr. Buckel's memory and idealism by heeding his call to be more selfless - which he delivered as a result of his acute mental clarity as to the state of the world.
17
He couldn't bear to stop fighting, so this was his last fight. Most suicides are tragic affairs, where someone who is depressed and broken dies in obscurity, but this man knew he'd given all he could give to the world, and wanted his one last act to draw attention to that cause. His prior work gave him credibility in death that some random person killing themselves for a cause would lack, and he knew the difference. For most of us, suicide is a futile gesture that only brings pain to our loved ones and makes no positive impact, but for this man, it was perhaps less tragic.
The problem is most people who are depressed can't tell the difference between being in a situation like Mr. Buckel's and a tragic death that means nothing to anyone besides their family and friends, so my fear is that others will copy him and die meaninglessly.
8
I don't understand why he thought this would help his cause. He was already helping through his daily work—maybe not dramatic, but certainly meaningful— which is now over. Like most suicides, this was just a senseless waste of a good person.
22
Wait, he left a child behind, a daughter, did I read that right? He deprived her of his love and guidance, in the name of environmental activism, when so many other actions he could have championed would have been more powerful and lasting? It is tragic enough when a mentally ill parent takes his or her own life due to suffering that they feel is unescapable, but to do so for a cause is, I'm sorry, selfish, not self-less. The sadness, loss, profound grief and attendant life-long healing he leaves behind for his daughter to face is as unconscionable as the environmental damage he decried. There had to be some other factor in his taking his own life for this not to be considered thoughtless.
27
@Rob: It's funny how so many people are eager to rush to judgment of someone they do not know. By the way, did you know that his daughter has three other parents? (Not that it makes him replaceable, but I think you know very little about this situation.)
7
Suicide is a selfish act, regardless of how many parents you have. Ask any children of a parent that took their own life. Its very sad that he wasn't able to get help and I feel sorry for all the people, he left, who loved and needed him. Sad.
10
And I would imagine you might know very little about losing a parent at a young age. He was a father, he left a child (and in a particularly violent way). By all accounts, he was impactful presence. This equals lifelong grief and a hole in the child's core no matter what this child's particular family unit was comprised of or their number. Not a rush to judgment, but an inexorable principle of child psychology.
8
This is so so sad. David Buckel sounds like he was an amazing man. I respect his choice to end his life, but we need him and people like him now more than ever! We can only hope that others will carry on his excellent work. What a tragedy. Rest in Peace.
13
Allowing anyone to think that such an act will have a positive effect on any cause sets up society for tragedy. We have to say “ Sorry you were so mentally ill, that was a terrible thing to do. It will not help your cause.”
26
You're wrong and cynical. His act will bring attention where it is needed. His sacrifice will deepen the commitment of others.
4
Oh please no! While I hope we can all deepen our commitment to betterment of our fragile earth, please, please do not suggest that suicide is a way to make the complacent take notice. I do not want to live in a world where good people think that their self-immolation is noble, let alone a successful way to make people wake up. His act should be seen as a tragedy. It is not cynical to say suicide is not the answer.
11
Godspeed Mr. Buckel. You are missed and we will carry on.
15
I hope this man is remembered, and that his actions help motivate a sustained positive change. I think a lot of us are so tired of all of the willful ignorance, lies and horrible actions associated with this administration.
32
When I read of Mr. Buckel's end of life in this paper there was a particular comment that stood out.
Privilege, he said, was derived from the suffering of others.
Most of those who are privileged made this possible through the blood, sweat and tears of others. This is why we should not worship great wealth as we do.
It is inherently evil. I think he may have known this all too well.
45
When I was an undergraduate student at Temple University, Kathy Change burned to death as part of a peace protest on the UPenn campus. Her death and memories of her activism returned to me as I read about David. Many of us, who care abotu the environment, feel lost in this administration. I share David's fears about our air and water quality. I hope that his legacy will live on.
25
Yes, another tragic self-immolation - perhaps even more so in Ms. Change's case, as she was largely ignored or mocked during her lifetime. Her causes and activism were just - but for the most part, unlike Mr. Buckel, ineffective.
Apparently, few remember her life or horrible death. So sad and such a terrible waste. Her views and predictions about the American economy and economic injustice were amazingly accurate.
If only she had lived long enough to mature and develop strategies for effective activism. Maybe today she would be a fierce activist in Congress or the Senate, working on behalf of economic justice and fighting against those corrupt politicians who are bought and paid for by Wall Street and Big Oil.
Or a fearless investigative journalist and author bringing the truth to light and inspiring millions. Perhaps hers was the voice that Occupy Wall Street needed to succeed. Perhaps she would have led the Women's March - a year earlier, when it could have kept Trump and his henchmen out of the White House.
So much that could have been - that she might have achieved - if she only had lived instead of dying horribly, her memory too soon faded and forgotten.
3
There is a reason why progressive liberals like me show up faithfully in our therapists' offices every week. Without support, fighting this administration and this Congress would feel like being a piece of straw in a hurricane. Many of us have an idea of what Mr. Buckel must have been going through. Every day, the news brings another gut punch to those of us who care about our fellow human beings and who want to leave the world a better place.
When I was a child, the stories and photographs of the Buddhist monks who immolated themselves in protest against the Vietnam War strongly impressed me with the seriousness of the situation. It showed me that there were people who were willing to give up their own lives for the sake of the greater good. May Mr. Buckel's sacrifice inspire people to take up his work.
38
May a memorial be raised on the spot where David made his statement.
May his words be written there, with a summary of his efforts to honor the earth, the promise of the Declaration of Independence and all of us.
May his message be remembered.
47
Very sad.
I understand being upset at what is going on, Pruitt, all the rollbacks to save the planet. The bullying, the insults.
All I can say is, everyone,
COMPOST. WALK. DON't WASTE THE PLANET. DON'T BE A JERK.
And remember the good work David did.
47
And a sperm whale dies from ingesting plastic garbage. We all have a lot of work to do.
Thank you Mr. Buckel for your life's work. I want to tell you that I understand why you killed yourself. Depression can be an inexplicable foe.
Then, after you devote your life to protecting the Earth and mentoring those in need, you face the inanity of an EPA appointment who rejects, wholesale, the scientific community. How does a sentient being make sense of that? You can't.
Rest in peace.
65
If this act was uncharacteristic of Mr. Buckel as his friend believes, then perhaps this is what mental clarity looks like, not mental illness. How many of us feel utterly helpless as we watch democracy and all checks on human greed slide into the annals of history? Who among us, willing to look with mental clarity, does not completely understand this man's actions? Who will be next?
48
I offer my condolences to his family and friends. But I don't understand why he did it and I never will. I also feel pain at what's happening in the world, daily. Our country is headed down the wrong path, that I know for sure, and if I can ameliorate my feelings by even doing daily acts of kindness, then that's my road. I feel pain for all the disenfranchised, for all the people in war torn countries like Syria and Yemen. I don't know how offering my life for them would make it any better. Somehow I think I just have to go on, that whatever meaning I am to glean from my life and my sensitivity to the pain of others teaches me something about myself.
Good-bye, sweet soul. I wish I had known you in this life. Perhaps we will meet in the next.
35
And now we have a good and noble man like this burning himself to death to draw attention to the destruction of the environment and every form of life on this planet. How unbelievably sad. What in the name of God have we come to. What is it going to take for us as a species to stop the ugliest among us - those who care about nothing other than lining their own pockets - from doing further damage?
51
@Pete: It's going to take a lot of us -- all avoiding fossil fuels as much as we can (including not eating animal products), avoiding wastefulness, and lobbying, lobbying, lobbying at all levels. Will you join me in doing those things?
13
Heliotropic: I agree. It is going to take a lot of us and yes - I have already joined you and all among us who are awake.
5
Unfortunately, in a world where the population increases by about 100 million per year, individual behavior is meaningful, but not significant. Sorry he committed suicide, and unfortunate that he did not get mental health treatment earlier.
13
Sad. Obviously a man committed to good works, but it appears he became obsessive. The drive to live is the strongest drive in the human body and mind. Unfortunately, only the person who commits suicide truly knows why they did, but an underlying factor is almost always. We all need to remember that nothing is ever as bad as it seems and noting in this world is worth taking your own life.
10
The single biggest thing I've learned — and tried to convey to people — since my suicide attempt five years ago is that the pain, whatever its source, is temporary. Even as I swallowed all those pills, washed down with a bottle of Meursault (that I wish I still had, but whatever), I understood the illogic of my act. There would, after all, be no "me" anymore to feel better. But the pull was strong.
4
Suicide is not an easy thing. and self-immolation versus pills seems horrific. It was some kind of mental disease.... and ununderstandable to the rest of us and possibly to himself ... obviously many miss him terribly and he did "make a statement" but in a way, those of you out there contemplating making a statement, it is futile to do it in this manner. Yes, protect the planet. Yes, write op-eds (couldn't be much more outrageous than many being published-- and on second thought meaning when someone thinks about the essay a second time one might conclude that it's sane as well as outrageous.
Terribly sad, and not to be emulated. (Tremendous anger her manifeted as horrible depression and agoraphobia; sometimes, expressed in mass murder.... Horrific.
3
How many people are depressed about the current state of affairs?
Hundred's of thousands? Millions? a lot is my guess.
How can you not be depressed when whales wash up with 50lbs of plastic in their stomachs? when environmental laws are rolled back against all reasoning? When the most important and powerful country in the world exits the Paris climate agreement? Your own people have lead poisoning in their drinking water and it is still an ongoing matter after 6 years!
You lot need to get out there and get this crazy out of administration and get someone in there who understands the environment and empathizes with your people, gets your young people a decent education, and maybe even some proper healthcare.
I am sorry about Mr Buckel. He sounds like a great person. What a waste.
26
I am not depressed about current affairs in America.
I lived through the JFK assassination, the RFK assassination, and the Dr. King assassination. I survived Nixon and his cronies. I grew up ducking and covering because of the imminent threat of Russians. I spent all of high-school thinking I would be drafted the day after graduating but the Vietnam war ended months before.
I grew up looking at the smog of L.A. and rode in the back of my grandmas Zephyr with no seat-belts and with the back window down sucking in the exhaust...and we loved it. Everyone smoked cigarettes in front of us and tobacco commercials ruled the air-waves.
As I look out my window and see half the neighboring roof tops covered in solar panels and people driving electric cars, I do not get depressed but encouraged. When I was a kid, people threw their bottles and cans on the ground. Now, most people recycle. Plastic bag have been banned at our grocery stores, take-out containers are biodegradable, and now there is a new law passed requiring the same of the plastic cutlery to go with it. Remember the old pictures of animals caught in plastic bags? Well, this major city did something and the feds have nothing to do with it.
It is not as dark as some people like to portray.
7
My sincerest condolences to Mr. Buckel's partner and other loved ones. His shocking and very sad suicide should serve as an immediate wake-up call to people everywhere that our precious planet is in extreme peril because of our insatiable avarice.
"The earth has everything for all human needs, but nothing for his greed." -- Mahatma Gandhi
27
So tragic - and what a horrible, agonizing way to commit suicide. It doesn't even make much sense as a dramatic statement, since it seems no one actually witnessed Mr. Buckel's self-immolation - unlike, for example, the Buddhist monks in Vietnam whose self-immolations were public and filmed.
I doubt that this horrific act will have any impact on those currently leading our nation and world into environmental destruction for short-term financial and political gain.
Far better that those of us who care about this planet we live on continue to live and fight and resist any way we can.
Sorry, I don't see this as a brave act of protest but as a desperate act of someone overwhelmed by mental illness. He leaves behind a lifetime of nightmares and anguish for his loved ones.
And it's sadder still that he chose the same means of death that was often used to kill gay people in medieval times - burning to death.
15
“.... He was successful, whereas we can only do little things,” Ms. Cucinotta said. “It feels like he has given up. What does that mean for the rest of us?” What that means, I think, is that it's time for well-intentioned people like the Cucinottas to start giving some serious attention to the Earth -- not eating or using animal products, using mass transit, and lobbying their representatives to take bold steps. Don't use the despair of a great man to try to justify your own inaction! (Yes, I am already doing these things myself -- join me.)
12
"With a back injury that limited his work, Mr. Buckel was struggling over what he could do next. Mr. Kaelber said he interpreted this 'dramatic act' as 'what can a person at age 60 do that people would pay attention to.'"
The publicity stunt to end all publicity stunts.
6
@Noodles: Wow. I can only hope you show more kindness and empathy for those you meet daily than you do for a complete stranger who devoted his life to helping others.
5
How terribly tragic. The Ken Burns film "Vietnam" showed Buddhist monks self-immolating to protest the Vietnam War, and it is truly horrendous to witness. Self-sacrifice to draw attention to our way of life (which is destroying our way of life).
Despair, frustration, rage. I get it. "And when no hope was left inside on that starry starry night, you took your life...this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you." Rest in Peace, David Buckel.
20
I respect every person's right to leave the misery of existence when and how that person wants to. But self-immolation as an act to change the innate brutishness of existence is just a gesture in futility. The choice is a simply between existence and nonexistence.
9
This is a depraved manner in which to make a statement. I can't help thinking about the guilt felt by tens of thousands of survivors of a family member or lover, or friend who killed themselves. It's difficult enough to convince survivors that no one can "make" a person commit suicide. In discussing the reasons he did this, people point to outside causes of despair that "drove" him to commit suicide. Some people's reactions to this poor man's final act come close to describing it as heroic. We need to be careful and not attach any glamour or mournful respect to such a public act of horrific violence. He deserves neither condemnation nor honor for his suicide. I do truly sympathize for him and his desperate pain. But what if even one other suffering soul came to the conclusion that repeating this behavior might bring about a change for the good? I can't bear to think of living in a world that includes sacrificial suicide as an option.
14
I fail to see how his death, at the tail end of an incredibly vibrant and productive life, is more tragic than the natural death of somone who has not truly lived for others, which we accept as somehow better. He'd been a lion for decades, someone who couldn't help but fight for the rights of the oppressed and then the planet, and he wanted to make his last act something that would carry on that fight even when his injury prevented him from doing so. His death by suicide, while sad and premature, had more meaning than the natural death of someone who has not really made an impact on the world, that's the fate we should fear most.
We should be remembered for how we lived, not how we died.
7
I feel a deep sadness reading this story. This beautiful, sensitive man is gone, as the psychopathic horror, Michael Cohen, goes arrogantly to court to have the evidence of his crimes handed over, to him! How have we come to value money and fancy objects over life and beauty? The beauty of this planet, of our fellow creatures, of the natural world, whose intricacies we can't begin yet to understand. We now know that trees communicate through their root systems, the interconnectedness of all life, barely understood or appreciated as we blithely destroy if for profit. The worst of humanity has risen into positions of great power at the cost of destruction of all that is of real value. Carl Sagan said it well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO5FwsblpT8 We desperately needed David Buckel as we desperately need to remove Donald Trump and Scott Pruitt from power.
15
I think this man was courageous, not mentally ill or some coward who couldn't handle the world. Why do we insist that anyone who commits suicide is mentally ill? Perhaps they are saner than the rest of us - they face the great unknown that most others strive with all their might to avoid (is it any less mentally ill to spend untold thousands on treatments to postpone death or to provide the illusion of perpetual youth?).
This one act may not change anything, but it certainly has a whole lot of people talking and thinking. He could have died tomorrow of some other cause and have been mourned by a small group of acquaintances. Instead he took his own life and created a momentary spectacle (which shows he understood how our media system works) that resonates far beyond his circle. I refuse to see suicide solely as a selfish/cowardly act perpetrated by someone with mental illness - sometimes it may just be the most courageous act we'll ever experience (and yes, I have lost people in my life to suicide). Were the monks in Tibet mentally ill? What about soldiers who march into battle knowing they have a high likelihood of dying? There are some causes that are much bigger than our individual human lives; I think Mr. Buckel felt the same and acted on his belief. He authentically lived his life, he controlled his death, and now we can all reflect on what that means both culturally and individually.
28
Thank you
2
He died for what he believed in, even if those ideas are not real. Climate is changing all the time and only a zealot would think we can control it. Less pollution is a great goal, but when you look at the promoters of cut backs they are the ones on the private jets flying off to useless conferences, being driven in packs of large SUVs and living in mansions. Why not call out those people, instead of relying on them to "save" the planet, that's where they lose me.
2
Climate change used to occur over tens of thousands of years. Because of fossil fuel emissions and degradation of the natural landscape it now occurs over decades. Mr. Buckel walked to work. Composted. His ideals and the science behind them are real. Until you can express an opinion based on data, don't.
30
It is up to all of us to save the planet, @sob, and to pretend that the warming that is occurring now is the same as changes that occurred over millenia is just patent hogwash. Even Exxon diagnosed the problem of global warming in their sixties research. So get with the program. We stopped acid rain, we stopped measles, chicken pox, we have rescued species from the brink of destruction..If you don't think science works, then don't make phone calls or send e-mails, don't drive your car and don't shop at a supermarket. Your abuse of scientific findings is WAY more hypocritical than a few dozen notable people taking planes to try to fight climate change in our huge governmental organizations. I dare you to stand by your ridiculous claim, that we can't work with the scientific method to change how we impact the earth, and stopj using science in your daily life. Don't flush your toilet, don't drink your tap water. It is all based on scientific advancements, you self-destructive fool.
14
You can brush off the evidence of human caused climate change by echoing the mantras of Fox and Friends that climate activists are pawns of wealthy hypocrites. Or you can believe the evidence of science. I for one, am saddened by the death of a man who lived his ideals and acted in despair over the current Administration's willful, gleeful disregard of this massive threat to the human race.
9
"But I have to at least try to make this planet a better place for having lived on it.”
It’s so sad when people dedicated to good decide they can’t go on, even if David Buckel’s gesture appears intended to spur others to action. As a motivational act, his suicide makes me think of the regenerative mythological tale of the phoenix bird, who dies in a fire of its own making only to rise again from the ashes. The best way to cope with the despair of thinking about his death is to respect his wishes and fight to make our planet healthy again.
25
Until this sorrowful news broke, I had never heard of David Buckel. Now I have learned of his courageous life and heart-rending death, and I am brought up very short.
He was in despair, but he was also one of the most sane amongst us.
Please, even though it would be posthumously, Mr. Buckel should receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
23
I do not understand the reasoning for a Nobel Peace Prize. That is given to people who broker peace not wash birds after an oil spill.
There is nothing sane about setting yourself on fire to make a point. His name will be forgotten in a matter of weeks, he will not be taught in history class, nor will he be able to vote in the next election where he could have made a small difference.
All he did was bring a lot of sorrow to his friends and family.
2
Mr. Harrison,
You are quite right, and, upon further reflection, I realize that I wrote my post without precisely that: reflection. I focused instead on the good Mr. Buckel tried to achieve in life but without deeper thought to the anguish his death has left to those who loved him. That is not prize-worthy. But I do feel nonetheless that he should receive some recognition for attempting to bring more attention to how this planet is subjected to the various onslaughts he fought against. I don't know at this writing what form that can take, but some attention must be paid.
Thank you.
2
The most powerful idealist is often the most sensitive to the slings and arrows of this sometimes outrageous life. As a clinical therapist who has worked with many suicidal people (and who has felt similarly, many times in his life), I am sorry that such a good man is no longer with us. His death, however, should not make him any less an inspiration to those of us who still remain.
34
This is absolutely heartbreaking.
17
This was an act of madness, not one of noble sacrifice.
There was no "sacrifice" here. Just a brave, talented leader losing his way, without finding a sympathetic ear to dissuade him from a disastrous, pointless tragedy.
There is so much in all things we do not understand. To have so much confidence in our so limited intellectual capabilities, as to conclude that self-immolation is a logical response to a problem, shows a tragic inner desire for self destruction, looking for an intellectual fig-leaf to justify its expression.
Let's please not glorify nor aggrandize mental illness.
Condolences to family and friends.
60
Don’t think too hard or try to ascribe political motivation- psychotic depression is my diagnosis. With a flair for the gruesome and dramatic.
13
Don't think too hard could be the US mantra these days. Rest in peace.
32
I'm saddened and angered that so many see this act as mental illness.
The real mental illness is societal, where the party in control of the US government is deliberately destroying the earth in its never-ending quest for short-term profits.
If we don't stop global warming, the future of life itself -- at least higher life -- is in grave jeopardy. Never before have so many done so little in such a time of great need.
Mr. Buckel's tragic suicide was an act of heroism. We should honor his sacrifice by renewing our efforts to save the earth from utter destruction.
98
There is nothing even remotely heroic about this act. Did he stop to think about the utter devastation his friends and family would feel? This is talent wasted. It's easy to exit this world by one's own hand. It's difficult to stay and fight to make the world a better place. It's just a waste, and nothing more.
18
setting oneself on fire screams mental illness to me. furthermore, he did it in semi-private. It wasn't a protest. When Quang Duc set himself on fire to protest the Vietnam War, he did it in public and on film. This seems more like suicide disguised as protest.
When someone completes or even attempts suicide, it is a way to rid themselves of the psychic pain they are in. It is not a rational act.
Very very sad and too understandable action by this poor man - humans have truly destroyed the earth, and the Trumpists are making it so much worse.
But I wish he hadn't chosen part of Prospect Park to off himself. Prospect Park is a place where everything is good. I wish he had gone to a lobby in Trump Tower, or someplace that might be consecrated by his death, rather than going to a good place that might be permanently stained with an evil blight.
12
I imagine he chose a place where he would be at peace while he was taking this hard, hard action. I think the spot where he burned himself to death is holy ground, not "permanently stained with an evil blight." Each of us is in control of our bodies and he chose to take his body and use it to highlight the selfish destruction of our home, our planet. May his soul rest in peace and may the rest of us use the arms, legs and brains of our bodies to create a social political movement that rejects selfish capitalist exploitation and embraces a partnership with this our earth home.
10
@Stew, I don't think I could look at the burned grass without thinking of his burned, gelatinized body in the middle of prospect park - no I can't accept that this was a good use of a beautiful landscape in Brooklyn.
3
It's interesting that many comments here, once again, seek to place blame with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Believe it or not, he isn't to blame for everything. If he is a trigger, it is because he is a reflection of the self-centered culture we are immersed in. We loathe him because we catch glimpses of our own dark hypocrisies.
The frustration over fossil fuel issues should be directed at ourselves, not the ubiquitous "they", as in "they should do something"...."they should pass laws"...."they should stop this". Exterior parties are much easier to blame.
Until each of us makes a sincere effort to cut our consumption, fossil fuels will continue to contribute to climate woes. Because we demand more, always more, in our consumption-driven lives WE are the culprits. Not the government, not the political parties, not silly feel-good legislation, but us. Why do we need LAWS to ban plastic bags? Why can't individuals see the problem with them and voluntarily change to reusables?
Mr. Buckel refused to use petro-chemical technology in his compost operation, a very concrete effort. While it may seem small, it is these small individual efforts that add up most.
Eshewing plastic bags is one way to cut your petrol consumption. Here's another: stop sitting in your parked cars, engine running, while talking on your darn cellphones!
49
Referencing BDawson’s letter about individual responsibility, yes, we should all take responsibility for living lightly on the planet, but unfortunately humanity will never achieve that goal. Except for the most saintly of us, we are going to behave selfishly and do need regulations that, for the good of all, make us behave better. I am an example of this, for although I walk and bicycle to get around my community, recycle correctly, did not bear children to add to an overcrowded planet, fight fossil fuel plants and coal trains....and more....I still fly many miles a year even though I know how air travel contributes to climate change. Individual responsibility will not save us.
7
Those certainly look like plastic, i.e.petro-chemical, bins that he is standing next to. Purity is really an overrated operational virtue.
3
@Sally Vogel. Actually taking individual responsibility will save us if only we all try harder. May be all of us think that what we do individually is just a drop in the ocean of crises we face today and tomorrow -- global warming, overpopulation, desertification, pollution of oceans and air, depletion of natural resources, etc. -- but each and every little act of doing good for our planet will count towards improving the current situation into a better world of tomorrow for our children and their children. Selfishness, greed and pessimism are the ones that will kill us and the future.
5
This is as sad a statement on Mental Health as any I've read. i feel for Mr. Buckle and his family and friends and the demons that drove him to this. The word ineffable used in describing suicide is chillingly succinct. I wish he had found a way to deal with his sadness because folks like him are few and are very much needed at this time.
34
The late American philosopher Michael Novack asks "Granted that I must die, how shall I live?" Most cultures, modern Western in particular, violently distract us from pondering our inevitable death. In fact the" post-humanists" propose that technology will overcome death and the consequences of post-industrial civilization. Some cultures might honor Mr. Buckel rather than pathologize him. How does one punch a hole in the dense denial of this civilization we are a part of? How do we choose to "live" today without killing something? Does burning fossil fuels for electricity so I can push electrons onto your screen and put my thoughts in this time and space really do anything? Why am I here? How long do "I" have once the Arctic Sea is ice free and famine confronts us?
"At the edge of extinction, only Love remains"--G.M.
37
Mr. Buckel chose fire as the medium/message with deliberate intent...fire in the environment is the great cleanser and draws attention from all living things. I believe strongly that there are the aspects of this case that must be examined further by the NY Times: (1) the prevalence of depression among lawyers, especially prominent left wing lawyers who do battle every day and then in retirement must find meaning; and (2) the prevalence of depression abound environmental activists, whose sensitivity and passion can become embittered by what they see at the highest levels of government.
71
There is a similar situation amongst physicians as well, Everyday in the US, 1-2 physicians commit suicide. The burdens put upon us are - at times - unbearable.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/american-doctors-are-killing-themselves-an...
6
Thank you for writing a responsible piece about a suicide that ends with a statement saying it's impact is not all good. And describing this man's heroic life at the same time.
29
Distressing and tragic for someone to feel so defeated that he saw this as a solution to his pain. The events since November 2016 have left many shell shocked. I know people - even close family members - profoundly immobilized and hopeless about where our country is. They cried that election night and have still not recovered, waking up in a country they don't recognize. Some just can't put one foot in front of the other.
92
Sad beyond words. And now, this sensitive, noble, thoughtful, caring man will be savaged by the right wing.
33
Not that the right wing deserves to speak on this, but this man deserves to be savaged by someone for what he did. Now there is a charred spot in beautiful Prospect Park where a man decided to set himself ablaze. As someone else has said, why not hallow the ground in front of Trump Tower or somewhere more appropriately deserving such a footnote?
3
Return to nature in his final act of composting needs to be done where living things thrive- the tower would be the antithesis.
5
Your lack of empathy shows more savagery than this man who spent his entire life in public service, to the benefit of the earth and those of us who populate it. I, for one, live near that charred shot, and will bring flowers there this evening. Perhaps as a memorial to this man's sacrifice, it will become a place that reminds us to be kind and take care of ourselves and our earth.
5
I totally understand why he may have done this and I don't think it was mental illness...the person who is truly mentally ill is the so called impostor president. I have another gay friend who committed suicide. The fact that he cared so deeply about the environment and LGBT rights so much that he lived his life protecting the environment and our community of LGBT people is understandable. This man was a great one and I am sad that he's no longer with us!
73
A tragedy that all should consider, especially Scott Pruitt.
72
With blind eyes and moral bankruptcy, what to you expect Mr. Pruitt so see?
5
We already have a shortage of thoughtful, kind, progressive people in the world today. If David Buckel's death is pushing you towards losing hope too, then please: don't. The world needs you now more than ever. Please reach out to a trusted person and honestly share your thoughts. Speak to your doctor or other qualified health professional. Practice those things that affirm your commitment to life: spend a moment each day thinking of one thing you're grateful for, and one thing you're proud of. Connect with people. Go for walks. Start up an old hobby.
Please stay around on this planet for as long as you can. You're important.
169
I did not know Mr. Buckel, but when I first heard of this, I thought of Tibetan monks lighting themselves on fire to protest China’s ruthless policies to destroy their culture.
Of all the insanity we currently face in the Trump Administration, nothing is more horrible than—in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence and real time observable data and events—the abandonment of efforts to improve water, soil and air quality and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
It is a triumph of greed over the common good unparalleled in human history. Blinded by a lust for wealth and comforted by a misplaced faith that technology can solve all problems, we are essentially practicing infanticide.
Already millions of people around the world are suffering terribly from the impacts of climate change. In many cases in the developing world, their lifestyles had little to do with their fate which has been determined by a handful of countries. The United States has been responsible for 27% of the world’s emissions since it began to industrialize. But instead of comitting to a cleaner economy and collective international efforts to address this problem, this administration is doubling down on technologies driving climate change—and by scapegoating migrants, immigrants and refugees—turning its back on the human toll.
I for one will not seek to find a psychological pathology in Mr. Buckel’s actions. I see it, like the Tibetan monk’s self-immolations, as a last act of despair and selflessness meant to inspire others to act.
168
I agree 100%
2
If the jounalism world wants to be more wgfective, them please talk up the fact that though this poor man may have suffered depression for any number of reasons, he was pushed over the edge by the actions of our president!
Mr trump, are you listening???
3
The morning papers in India had an cheerful photo of David S Buckel & write up about his self immolation.It was sad news.
In New York,USA.
What's been burning & tormenting his Soul,we do not know.The deep sadness is evident from this extreme act of Suicide.
Suicide is anger directed inwardly & is unpredictable,something triggers inside to give up life.
David was a idealistic human being in an world that's realist.His untimely demise is truly sorrowful & heartbreaking to all those touched through the intimate obituary by Liz Robbins & Jan Ransom in the NYT.
To all those who knew him,his relatives,colleagues i send them my heartfelt condolences on the untimely demise of David S Buckel.
May his soul R. I. P.
19
To bring up mental illness and "experts” is simply to parody this man's total commitment to his fellow humans. Clearly he was an amazing man who gave his life for the planet, which was the most he could do.
84
Carol, you are wrong, and it is unfortunate so many other people share your sentiments. If he was totally committed, as you say, there is far more ‘creative’ destruction he could have wrought following that line of reasoning. The people who blithely ignore the environmental consciousness that was all too apparent in this man won’t even blink at this. Many will laugh. He’s accomplished nothing in this act, and he’s put a blight on the legacy of good work he’s left behind. He was mentally ill for crying out loud!
@Commen Tator: Are you a therapist who saw and spoke with Mr. Buckel? If not, you have no business diagnosing him. If so, you should have your license taken away for breaking confidentiality. Why should one make assumptions about the lives of other people about whom one knows next to nothing?
2
I am no therapist, but the man was CLEARLY ill. I don’t need a degree in psychology to determine that someone who lights themselves on fire in a heavily trafficked public park where children play is not in their right mind.
I note that towards the end of this report is the fact he referenced the 150 Tibetans who have burned themselves alive in protest against Chinese colonial policies.
17
The article refers to his recent back problems. Is it unreasonable to suspect that he was in constant pain? And most likely on heavy medication? Clearly he was not in his right mind.
16
@Cloudy: I think it's unreasonable. Just because someone does something you would not conceive of doing doesn't mean he's "not in his right mind." We have no information about this and we need none. Why is it any of our business?
7
This man's story is so important. This article needs a much stronger headline. I almost missed it. Please don't limit it to your NY/Region dept.
His dedication to a critical cause, his willingness to take action, to mentor others, to act locally, to walk the talk and sadly, to see so much being undone by Trump and his Trump wannabe Pruitt.
56
RIP Mr. Buckel.
14
The saddest element of the story is that all the good work he did will always be overshadowed by his ending. Sylvia Plath, Virginia Wolfe and countless others were brilliant souls who ended their lives in dramatic fashion. Now you can't read about them without the grim reminder about how they chose to exit this life. Rather than remembering her work first, most people remember Plath for sticking her head in an oven. Buckel's story will always start and end with self-immolation. Probably not the legacy he really wished.
My heart goes out to his family and friends and all he touched.
23
@Dlbroox: I doubt it. He wasn't just a "brilliant soul." He secured important rights for many people in our country that changed the way we live. It will only overshadow his legacy to those who undervalue the incredible importance of that legacy.
5
As many of the comments note, the Republican assault on the environment must stop. However, we must not be complacent and allow the Democrats to continue the anti-environment components of their energy policies.
Obama presided - and bragged about - the largest expansin of oi and natural gas extraction in the country's history. Here's Obama referring to what he sees as a big problem in US energy policy:
"In fact, the problem . . . is that we're actually producing so much oil and gas . . . that we don't have enough pipeline capacity to transport all of it where it needs to go."
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/obama-and-climate-change-the-...
We can no longer settle for Democratic policies just because they're better than the horrible Republican policies. The "energy independence" rationale of the Democrats is an anachronism.
And we need to stop talking of the Paris Accords as a panacea. Many climate scientists now suspect that the increase in climate change has made the accords outdated.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-world-may-have-less-time-...
26
Some saw "dedication" in this man's steadfast refusal to use any fossil fuel-driven machines: others would see obsessive behavior, compulsive fixations and the hallmarks of someone who may be desperately ill and losing hope quickly. As is sadly common with suicides, the ones who were in a position to see the signs are left asking questions that have no answers.
25
Heart breaking story about a sensitive, committed man. Someone said that to be aware of the miracle of nature today is to be in deep mourning. Mr. Buckel obviously felt that.
93
I watched " First Reformed" movie this weekend at the Ashland Independent Film Festival and was left shaken by the impact of this movie. A climate change activist, driven by statistics, kept awake at night by nightmarish pictures of our besieged planet, takes his own life leaving behind a pregnant wife. A pregnancy that he wanted aborted because of climate change and fears of the future for his unborn child. Hearing and learning more about the life of David Buckel leaves me shaken to the core again.
The parallels are significant.
Like a pebble dropped into still waters, the effects from this tragedy will be felt worldwide, but the loss of this man, who stood for so much, who knew so much and had so much to teach others, died too young leaving behind family and friends whose lives are forever changed.
May we all remember him and do our parts to maintain and uphold the world we live in.
There is much to bring us down, but much to hold us together. Not sure how to stop the maddening voices in ones head when things get too tough, but as Earth Day approaches, I think we need to include the troubled activists in our actions and prayers who see no other way out.
32
I will never forget you, Mr. Buckel, even though I didn't know you. My heart aches for those you touched. I wish you didn't have to suffer and die, but I understand the desperation. Since the time I came to understand the full extent and urgency of the climate crisis, I've spent countless hours of my life, just trying to spread the word somehow, some way. It's so frustrating, because we humans still could stop the worst effects, but the massive disinformation campaigns have created a mighty thick layer of ignorance and given people permission to ignore the problem. But I see cracks - I notice more people talking about climate - the taboo is being lifted. Will we be able to live less selfishly soon enough, as Mr. Buckel wished? How can it be that people are still jetting several times a year, eating beef all the time, and driving around in gas-guzzlers? They must not know! We must break the climate silence, educate, and make climate protection, not just adaptation, a major issue for the midterm elections.
46
People know - but they're in denial or they feel their individual actions won't have much impact or they feel their reasons for what they eat or how they travel take priority over environmental concerns.
Not everyone lives within even an hour's walk of where they live or is capable of long walks. Some need to jet several times a year for work or family. Those of us who live in apartments don't have the option to install solar panels on the roof. And not everyone - especially those who were not raised in affluence or even comfort - wishes to live the kind of self-denying lifestyle that many environmental activists promote (and often don't follow themselves).
9
So what is your point? That those who wish "to live the kind of self-denying lifestyle that many environmental activists promote" shouldn't do so? That because self-denialism for the sake of environmentalism is not doable on an equal or fair basis, therefore it shouldn't be practiced at all? If that's your point, it's a morally shabby one.To continue any harmful practice because not everyone can contribute equally to ending it seems to me to be a prescription for a disastrous denouement.
7
Jamie, my point is no more or less than what I wrote in my comment. I did not write or even imply that self-denial "shouldn't be practiced that all."
I attempted to answer the questions Floho raised in his comments about why people continue to live in ways that contribute to climate destruction.
The reality is that many people either cannot practically or do not wish to live a life of self-denial - I just pointed out that fact.
In fact, I hate the "all or nothing" approach - it's destructive because it makes people give up trying to do better if they can't do everything "perfectly."
I DO have an issue, though, with those environmental activists who preach the reduce-carbon-footprint message but don't practice it, i.e., live in large, energy-wasteful houses, jet around the world, drive SUVs, etc.
2
Recent studies have shown that lawyers can suffer the same secondary post-traumatic stress disorders that medical personnel do. Mr. Buckel was someone who had been in these legal trenches for years, fighting to relieve the suffering of others.
It's not surprising that his last client was the earth itself, with all its diversity of life hanging in the balance. I'm deeply saddened that he felt that this act was all that he had left to give. But his sacrifice should be a wake-up call to all of us.
None of us can do this work alone. None of us can bear the suffering of those we serve alone and none of us will prevail until and unless we all do.
129
Thanks drspock for your very insightful comment. This secondary ptsd also affects cops, social workers, nurses aides......people who care about others and have intimate knowledge of sentient suffering.
14
I understand. Millions of us understand. We move through each day in utter disbelief at what is being done to our country and the planet. In some very sad way it makes more sense to me what this man has done that what I am having to witness being done by trump and allowed by the Republicans that could stop him.
259
Maybe if journalists had spent one tenth of the time they do spend talking about Pruitt's security detail talking about the war being waged on the environment by the Trump administration than Mr. Buckel would have felt that he was in the middle of a struggle he could and would fight. Instead there is total silence from broadcast media and the near total silence from print media as we watch scores of regulations being rolled back, regulations that not only protect wildlife and biodiversity but even those that protect the health of workers and residents. And beyond journalists, in the presidential debates there was not a word said about the environment. It is as if a concern that grew from the inception of the National Park system has just been shrugged off and no one even cares. Well Mr. Buckel did, the word is a poorer place without him.
332
Speaking of journalists, why hasn't the New York Times published his full statement--which he emailed exclusively to them? Why didn't the NYT headlines mention that he was protesting the use of fossil fuels that are the primary cause of Global Climate Disruption? His work as a civil rights lawyer was very important, but that was not the heart of this story. He died so that we WOULD talk about how "the American way of life" is making life more dangerous for people and other living things all around the planet.
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Ms. McCasland, I take your point but if I were running the NYT I would be leary of printing such a statement from a suicide for fear of planting the idea in other troubled people's heads that suicide was the way to get an article written by them printed in a newspaper of record.
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Exactly! Why are we so afraid to acknowledge the tremendous despair many, many of us feel living in these dark days of Trump?
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This dear man. The heart aches. Clearly he was at a very low moment in his life, but I can believe that somebody who devoted their life to causes such as he did, would feel like all their life's work was being undone by the Trump regime. And, I can understand what must have been a feeling of helplessness to affect change, hoping something "dramatic" would attract notice and shake people to their core. Please, God, may his family eventually come to peace with this and may those that knew and loved him carry his work forward. Some people are too sensitive for the world in which we now live. May his sould be at rest.
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