Young Now Blames Fed Largesse for Suicide
Alaska’s lone congressman sure dug himself into a hole yesterday, didn’t he? And you know what they say. Since you’re in there anyway, you may as well just keep digging.
At first it appeared as though Young may have been repentant about telling grieving high school students who had just lost a friend and classmate to suicide that the problem was the lack of support from family and friends. Matt Shuckerow responded to a request from the Alaska Dispatch News in an email stating:
“Congressman Young was very serious and forthright when discussing the issue of suicide, in part because of the high number of tragedies that affect Alaskan youth. He discussed what he believes are leading causes of youth suicide in our state and shared some suggestions for helping family members and friends who are dealing with suicidal thoughts… In no way did Congressman Young mean to upset anyone with his well-intentioned message. In light of the tragic events affecting the Wasilla High School community, he should have taken a much more sensitive approach.”
Looks like the above statement came from the campaign, but not the candidate.
A press release sent out Wednesday evening from the campaign of Young’s opponent, Forrest Dunbar, details the continued gaffing of the most senior member of the United States House of Representatives. Now he’s talking nonsense to senior citizens instead of high school kids.
Today at the Mat-Su Senior Center Don Young remained unapologetic when asked about the ignorant comments he made to Wasilla students yesterday, claiming that suicide is a result of a lack of support from friends and family. He defended his comments and did not offer an apology or rescind any of his remarks. He did, however, add that the federal government is to blame for suicide.
“This suicide problem did not exist until we got largesse from the federal government,” said Young. Young continued, “It comes from the largesse that says you are not worth anything but says you’re gonna get something for nothing.”
Young then went on to say he was disappointed with Wasilla High School for being interrupted, “and I am very upset with the school system that would take the side of individuals that are being disrespectful to their fellow students.”
Young commented that the Wasilla students should not be indulged, “Now you know me. You’re going to hear me. And I’m not going to coddle anybody. We have a society today that coddles people. It’s an ‘oh we’re sorry.’ We don’t want to hurt your feelings. You screwed up. Alright thank you. That’s what I’m saying.”
Young’s comments continue to astound his opponent. “This has gone past the point of bizarre. In the last two days I have gone from shocked, to saddened, to angered. If Don Young honestly believes that the suicide crisis in Alaska is because of public assistance programs, and he also believes that Wasilla High administrators were ‘coddling’ students dealing with the death of a classmate, then he is completely out of touch,” stated Dunbar, Young’s opponent for U.S. Congress. “Yesterday I said I hoped Don regretted his statements to WHS, and would learn from them. After his remarks today it is clear Don Young will not change. The Don Young that lashed out at those students, and who is so painfully ignorant on the issue of suicide, is the Don Young we have representing us in Congress. Unless Alaskans make a change.”
Please keep talking, Don Young.
I don’t dislike Young. Despite his bluster, he can be amiable and good natured. I don’t think he’s a bad person, just a bad representative for Alaskans. Perhaps that’s how a lot of Alaskans feel, despite his often prickly behavior, they like him and just can’t vote against him. It’s okay to like Don and not vote for him. It’s not a betrayal. It’s called being a grownup. We don’t owe him anything. Should he not be re-elected, he’ll still be the same old Don.
Don Young quote “butt fucking… You think that’s art?” Remember this one in a 1995 talk with high schoolers? http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2013/03/29/1796041/the-wit-and-wisdom-of-congressman-don-young/
As I was wondering just how senile and afflicted with frontal lobe disinhiibition our aging road apple of a Representative would have to get before he wouldn’t get re-elected or be forced to retire, I remembered that Republicans would vote for the mummified corpse of Ronald Reagan if it was propped up on a stick and run for office.
You know it’s true.
We have coddled Don Young for way to long. He demands respect he hasn’t earned, and expects the Federal Government to fly him to Paris just so he can get drunk.
I wonder though. We didn’t have a suicide problem in 1974. Then Don Young got himself elected. Coincidence?
Funny, I clicked on the photo of the little goats who “talk back” and up popped Don Young’s latest!
The king of pork barrel has spoken
His words are irrefutably true
If gubmint largesse causes suicides
We should be short a koch bro or two
Since no koch bros appear to be missing
Young’s truthiness is called into play
Without koch bros ass to be kissing
What’s the point of Young working today?
This story could have a happy ending
Without suicides or a gun
Start November off right by sending
Don Young packing so run,Forrest,run. 🙂
Thank you Mudflats. Thank you Alaska. I’m in Florida, and whenever I get depressed about our elected officials, like Governor Scott, who pled the fifth 75 times in a deposition, or Attorney General Pam Bondi, who tried to postpone an execution so she could attend a fundraiser, I reflect on Alaska, the fighty Palins and Don “Get off my lawn!” Young. For a happy moment I forget our plight, and for that, thank you.
JP- hilarious.
Time to relieve Yon Dung from his “:Federal Largesse”.
I do not understand Don Youngs’ point. Would someone please explain it to me in real simple terms?
OK, I get it now. Although, I still do not understand it.
Not to mention that Mr. Young has benefitted from “federal largesse” for his entire sorry life.
Not true. The largess he has gotten from the Feds is a pittance compared to the corporate largess he has received.
Judy C-????
Don Young has been overpaid,over-vacationed,over-medicated by taxpayers his entire political life and it all continues until he becomes petrified. Every word Mag the Mick says is 100% true and accurate. Mag wasn’t comparing anything.
I think something’s very wrong with him…