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Snuff It #1 |
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The Stupid Club
by Sister Catherine
A few days after Kurt Cobain's suicide, his mother, Wendy O'Connor, was
quoted as saying "now he's gone and joined that stupid club,"
apparently referring to other stars who died in their prime. Rockers Janis
Joplin, Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix, like Cobain, died at the age of
twenty-seven, however their deaths are not considered suicides. Other stars
whose deaths are considered accidental include James Dean, Judy Garland,
Abbie Hoffman, Marilyn Monroe, and Elvis Presley. Are we to believe that
these creative, intelligent individuals were so "stupid" as to
ignore that their actions might result in death? Let's give credit where
credit is due. Let's respect life-style choices. Their deaths were not
accidental.
The news media, biographers and other powerful individuals have led us to
believe that drug overdoses, car accidents, and other misadventures that
result in death are accidental, just because there is no suicide note.
There is much to be learned from Cobain's obvious suicide and his note.
"I haven't felt the excitement of listening to as well as creating music
along with really writing something for too many years now... I've tried
everything within my power to appreciate it, and I do. But it's not enough.
I appreciate the fact that I and we have affected and entertained a lot of
people... I'm too sensitive... I love and feel for people too much... I'm too
much of an erratic, moody person, and I don't have the passion anymore, so
remember, it's better to burn out than to fade away... Oops! There goes my
head."
As Cobain's music spoke for a generation, his note speaks for the
not-so-accidental deaths of many, stars in particular. To attain one's
dreams, especially at an early age, would most definitely cause most
intelligent people to question the quality of life on this planet. One
need not be a star to obtain membership in O'Connor's stupid club. It
seems that the main requirement is an awareness of the diminished
quality of life. There presently exists a group that has attained this
requirement: the so-called X generation. We are the first generation
this century to know without a doubt that we will never achieve what
our predecessors have, and who is to say that we want to? The American
dream that seemed so attractive to other generations has become a
nightmare.
Kurt Cobain's only sin was bringing a child into this world. His gift
to our world is his music, and our gift to him is to respect his decision
to take his life. We hope that Frances Bean will be as sensitive and
responsible as her father.
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