Campus tragedy can be lesson for students

I felt Bryan Harris' article documenting the suicide of Jason Schwab ("On-campus suicide a surprise to friends, family," Nov. 27) to be absolutely infuriating, incredibly insensitive and most likely in violation of the wishes of those close to him.\nBut I am not one of those people. I did not know him. Nevertheless, the word "tragic" would not do remote justice to what has happened -- to his family, to his friends, to his girlfriend and to all others whose path he crossed. The depiction of this event was a perfect representation of the media milking any tragedy they can get their hands on. We, the students, staff and faculty of IU, do not need to know the jokes exchanged between father and son about a new girlfriend, nor do we need to know any other of the details glorified in this article.\nLeave his family in peace, keep them in your hearts and thoughts, and give them the privacy they deserve in what will most likely be one of the most difficult periods of their collective life, for the loss of a child has no equal. Instead of delving into Jason's private life and speculating and hypothesizing, use this otherwise horrific event to turn your attention to the issue of suicide, a virtual plague throughout the world. A college campus is a breeding ground for it, a place filled to the brim with students leaving home for the first time, bombarded with new people, new struggles and a new life, living off of coffee and a sheer exhaustive buzz while cranking out paper after paper and going through the most volatile and confusing periods of their lives.\nUse what happened to Jason to look around you. Think of your friends and yourselves. Don't take suicide-related comments lightly and, above all, don't care about how angry a person might be for you forcing them to get the help they need. They'll forgive you in the long run, believe me.