By Michael Meuers: March 26, 2012
The thought of suicide has crossed most people's minds while they were growing up, whether it was in high school, adulthood, or because of life problems. There have been several cases in the news lately about young people in middle school or high school that have committed or attempted suicide. The actions of bullying or family issues that appear to have no end could possibly drive a younger individual to suicide, but this is why Arnold Thomas has decided to help out, to get involved in the Sixth Annual Red Lake Youth Leadership Conference, at Red Lake Humanities Center in Red Lake, Minnesota.
Thomas states what happened to him here...
"From Thomas’ biography: “One warm summer night soon after I turned 18, I stuck a hunting rifle under my chin and pulled the trigger. The gun shot wound severely damaged my face and left me completely blind. I was unable to speak for several years. With the steadfast support of my hometown community, my family and my friends along with my own renewed will to live, I survived this challenging period of my life and slowly began to put the shattered pieces back together.'"
Because of Thomas' great efforts to help the young of the nation and tribal members to understand that suicide is not the only option. That things do in fact, "get better" (as the youtube campaigne is trying to teach the younger generation and protect them from suicide). He has been at this service for 15 years. He has served as a member of the National Institute of Health’s C-SAT (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment) work group, and he has assisted in creating cultural sensitive materials for the Indian Health services’ Emergency Medical Services for Children in Washington D.C. Thomas also served as a spiritual advisor for Native American inmates incarcerated in the Utah State Correctional system. He has also recently started working with homeless Native Americans.
Thomas is truly an inspiration to everyone who has ever thought about or tried to commit suicide. There are other options that can help: talk to someone (anyone). His actions speak a hundred more times than his words ever could. He is a strong individual that is standing up against something that he once had to face. I understand that sometimes we think there is no way out and we think the best thing we can do...is check out. I don't understand this logic, no matter how horrible things are. No matter how terrible everything appears to be...there is always a tomorrow. There is always someone who wants to help, who wants to change your life. "Suicide is a way of telling God...you can't fire me, I quit." I don't think that it is time to quit. I think it is time to stand up.
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