Punk rocker Henry Rollins has come out to criticize Robin Williams’ decision to commit suicide.
On Thursday, August 21, Rollins took to his weekly column in LA Weekly to voice his disapproval and frustration at Williams for taking his own life. It seems that what has Rollins most riled up is the fact that Williams left behind three children.
He states:
“How in the hell could you possibly do that to your children? I don’t care how well adjusted your kid might be — choosing to kill yourself, rather than to be there for that child, is every shade of awful, traumatic and confusing. I think as soon as you have children, you waive your right to take your own life. No matter what mistakes you make in life, it should be your utmost goal not to traumatize your kids. So, you don’t kill yourself.”
Robin Williams left behind three adult children when he hung himself on August 11 in his California home. The actor reportedly suffered from depression and addiction for years.
Rollins admits that he admired Williams’ acting, and viewed him as a “good man.” But he chastises the media and the public for the outpouring of sympathy for an individual who chose to end his own life.
“I no longer take this person seriously. I may be able to appreciate what he or she did artistically but it’s impossible to feel bad for them,” Rollins comments about those who commit suicide. He continues, “Their life wasn’t cut short — it was purposely abandoned. It’s hard to feel bad when the person did what they wanted to. It sucks they are gone, of course, but it’s the decision they made. I have to respect it and move on.”
He cites a statistic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that asserts nearly 40,000 people a year commit suicide in America. Then he opines, “That is 40,000 people who blew it.”
The former frontman of hardcore punk band Black Flag is known for his in-your-face opinions. He currently hosts a radio show on KCRW in Los Angeles, and he is the host of "10 Things You Don't Know About" on H2.
Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images Entertainment
