Letter to the Editor: Headline the living
BY Bill Hanks, Tulsa
Sunday, March 03, 2013
3/03/13 at 8:14 AM
Recently there was yet another well-publicized death involving drugs, alcohol and suicide. Country singer Mindy McCready (who I must admit I'd never heard of until now) chose to end her pain and suffering via her own hand. For every Mindy McCready there are countless numbers who do not make the headlines. Some will call her weak, some will say "celebrity" status is the culprit, and some will even blame Dr. Drew ("Celebrity Rehab") for not restoring her when he had the chance. FYI, I'm not a big fan of Dr. Drew, but blaming him is like the police officer blaming me for the car wreck because my driver's license had expired. Dr. Drew simply led her to water; it was up to her to drink it.
The sad truth is that another mom, daughter, friend too many ultimately succumb to the ravages of drug addiction and alcoholism ... period. And until we, as a people, can properly address this life-robbing plight, we will continue to have headline after headline.
If only I was smart enough to have all the answers, but I don't. My expertise is helping others to help themselves via the path I took 17 years ago. Perhaps the answer, dear Brutis, lies not in headlining just the dead, but the living as well.
Editor’s note: Bill Hanks is the author
of “Serenity: It’s a God Deal.”
Letters to the editor are encouraged. Send letters to letters@tulsaworld.com.
