To the Editor:

Having previously worked in journalism myself, I am familiar with the disgusting adage: "When it bleeds it leads!"

But the headlining story today ("21-year-old SUNY Canton student dead of self-inflicted stab wounds; found naked on Dies Street driveway," online, April 18) is just absurd and sickening. Sickening because there is nothing in this story that qualifies it as newsworthy.

Perhaps marginally significant to residents who live on Dies Street who knew this young man and his family and were wondering what in the world was going on at 11:40 last night, though by no means was it necessary to print this story in this detail. Otherwise, it is nothing but a complete disregard for the loss of this young man, and whatever suffering he may have been going through. Additionally the story is completely disrespectful, and I would guess causes more pain to the family that he leaves behind.

Again, what you have provided us* (your readers) in the way of details is NOT the least bit newsworthy.

They are intimate and tragic details of the end of of someone life. I list them here: 

• the male was allegedly lying naked in a driveway

• the male had allegedly fled a fire at 28 1/2 Dies Street

• the male had allegedly slit both of his wrists

• the male had allegedly stabbed himself in the chest

• the male was 21 years old and a Canton SUNY Canton student

• someone called reporting a suicidal man with a knife at this address.

*us =  anyone who picks up a newspaper and there seems to be no age limit on reading the front page of a newspaper, correct?

This is irresponsible. Particularly considering the amount of suicide prevention information that you could have included in this story.

And,  good thing that you decided to not name the boy (yes, sarcasm). Living in a town as small as Canton, NY, and knowing where he lives (assuming he lived at the home where he set the fire) and that he goes to SUNY Canton, etc., that leaves him with very little anonymity, doesn't it?

Well, maybe not all is lost... maybe many will see through this writing as an example of the more and more typical tactic of ramping up violence and propaganda within all media outlets that seem to do nearly anything to get an audience. 

I hope that some will take a moment and consider what seriously anxious times these are then pause to honor the life of this young man, who, for whatever reasons, was tormented enough to take his own life.

Amy Hauber

Canton