Current Events > LGBT rights lawyer dies after setting himself on fire to protest global warming

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https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/14/nyregion/david-buckel-dead-fire.html

A lawyer nationally known for being a champion of gay rights died after setting himself on fire in Prospect Park in Brooklyn early Saturday morning and leaving a note exhorting people to lead less selfish lives as a way to protect the planet, the police said.

The remains of the lawyer, David S. Buckel, 60, were found near Prospect Park West in a field near baseball diamonds and the main loop used by joggers and bikers.

Mr. Buckel left a note in a shopping cart not far from his body and also emailed it to several news media outlets, including The New York Times.

Mr. Buckel was the lead attorney in Brandon v. County of Richardson, in which a Nebraska county sheriff was found liable for failing to protect Brandon Teena, a transgender man who was murdered in Falls City, Neb. Hilary Swank won an Academy Award for her portrayal of Mr. Teena in the 1999 movie Boys Dont Cry.

While serving as marriage project director and senior counsel at Lambda Legal, a national organization that fights for the civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, Mr. Buckel was the strategist behind important same-sex marriage cases in New Jersey and Iowa.

Friends said that after he left the organization, Mr. Buckel became involved in environmental causes, which he alluded to in his note as the reason he decided to end his life by self-immolation with fossil fuels.

Pollution ravages our planet, oozing inhabitability via air, soil, water and weather, he wrote in the email sent to The Times. Most humans on the planet now breathe air made unhealthy by fossil fuels, and many die early deaths as a result my early death by fossil fuel reflects what we are doing to ourselves.

In his note, which was received by The Times at 5:55 a.m., Mr. Buckel discussed the difficulty of improving the world even for those who make vigorous efforts to do so.

Privilege, he said, was derived from the suffering of others.

Many who drive their own lives to help others often realize that they do not change what causes the need for their help, Mr. Buckel wrote, adding that donating to organizations was not enough.

Noting that he was privileged with good health to the final moment, Mr. Buckel said he wanted his death to lead to increased action. Honorable purpose in life invites honorable purpose in death, he wrote.

The police said Mr. Buckel was pronounced dead at 6:30 a.m. in what they said was a suicide.

I can't imagine actually going out like that. Sounds like one of the most painful ways to possibly die. But if he really did care so much about climate change and environmental protection that he thought this was the only way to get attention on the issue, I respect what he did here.
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That's hot.
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No. This makes him to be a cray person. No respect
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVOa3xhl0bg" data-time="
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Why respect that course of action? He actually probably harmed the environment by setting himself on fire, and only thought enough of his passions to not continue fighting for them.

On the one hand, hardcore on the follow through.

On the other, to think of this being the only thing left you can do to get your message out speaks to your mental state.
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He was kind enough to commit suicide at a time and place where he wouldnt be a nuisance to others.
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Self-immolation has a lengthy history as a form of political protest:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-immolation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_self-immolations
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That's not a way to send a message. Really killing yourself for your message is dumb as then you can't continue to sprees it. Martyrs are overrated.
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I'd agree that it's not ideal, but you can't deny someone's passion for their cause if they're willing to do this.
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Surprised at Addys reaction given his thoughts on lgbt people and climate change
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that'll show 'em
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Honestly impressed and grateful he didn't instead try to kill people first.
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Despite the crazy thing he did you cant dismiss his important message he had he didnt hurt no body else but he did his best to influence the world the better
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twitterfriends posted...

Despite the crazy thing he did you cant dismiss his important message he had he didnt hurt no body else but he did his best to influence the world the better

Yeah, that's kind of my thoughts. He chose to kill himself using fossil fuels as a symbolic gesture.
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Man he has to know the news cycle moves too fast for this to create a large impact

I hope he didn't leave behind any family. My neighbors daughter committed suicide 2 days ago and I just can't imagine the pain

What a selfish prick. Imagine the poor person - possibly a kid, that ended up finding this morons body.

The only worse way to see a corpse is bloated, and that smell will always be with them.
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Sad

Sounds like a great man with some dark inner demons
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ASithLord7 posted...

Surprised at Addys reaction given his thoughts on lgbt people and climate change

Shut the fuck up
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Cool Ill definitely listen to a guy who is crazy enough to set himself on fire in a public park
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something something set a man warm for the rest of his life.
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damn what a badass
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Dumb af
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Protest global warming by promoting human warming?
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Coffeebeanz posted...

Protest global warming by promoting human warming?

How much CO2 does a burning person release into the atmosphere?
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thronedfire2 posted...

Coffeebeanz posted...

Protest global warming by promoting human warming?

How much CO2 does a burning person release into the atmosphere?

Obviously depends on his mass
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The Admiral posted...

Pollution ravages our planet, oozing inhabitability via air, soil, water and weather,

Brb setting myself on fire to release more carcinogens into the air
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iron jojo posted...

The Admiral posted...

Pollution ravages our planet, oozing inhabitability via air, soil, water and weather,

Brb setting myself on fire to release more carcinogens into the air

Are you that dense that you can't understand the point he was making, by doing this he hopes to have a net positive effect on carcinogenics in the air.
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EpicMickeyDrew posted...

faaart

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iron jojo posted...

The Admiral posted...

Pollution ravages our planet, oozing inhabitability via air, soil, water and weather,

Brb setting myself on fire to release more carcinogens into the air

He said in his letter that using fossil fuels to kill himself was part of his message.
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What a dumbass and such a waste too. His suicide changes nothing and I'm going to put gas in my car today because I need to get to work this week.
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LastTomorrow posted...

No. This makes him to be a cray person. No respect

This. It actually will end up having the opposite of the intended effect - 'proving' environmentalists are just liberal whackjobs.
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Gives a whole new twist to "flaming" homosexual.
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What an idiot.
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In case you needed more proof that liberalism is a mental disorder
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darkjedilink posted...

LastTomorrow posted...

No. This makes him to be a cray person. No respect

This. It actually will end up having the opposite of the intended effect - 'proving' environmentalists are just liberal whackjobs.

There's already a crap ton of proof that they're whackjobs, it's called the west coast.
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Not putting our full attention on climate change and working to reduce it will be looked on by future generations as a crime
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That's crazy. With all the progress he was making in court he was on fire.

Seriously though, he's dead so we shouldn't flame him.
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-Bungle- posted...

That's crazy. With all the progress he was making in court he was on fire.

Seriously though, he's dead so we shouldn't flame him.

These are some hot takes
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What is this, Tunisia?
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I find that pretentious.
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