[DanielBMarkham]

Great link. This is the interactive graphic that should have appeared with the article. Instead of a single narrative, users can explore various scenarios as they read along. Looking at this strictly from a geographic standpoint, for instance, there's something weird going on in North Dakota between Carson County and Sioux County. It really stands out on the map. Alaska also looks quite odd.

[boomboomsubban]

One of the causes in the ND patch is that there is a ton of space with nothing there. The amount of time for any medical care to arrive and then reach a hospital would be extremely high.

[fireattack]

How do you show suicide rate in that interactive graphic? By choosing "self-harm" as cause I assume?

[leesec]

"something weird" being the native american population, who have been getting trampled on by Americans for hundreds of years now.

[_-david-_]

It wouldn't explain why places that haven't been trampled on by Americans would have high suicide rates. South Korea and Japan both have pretty high suicide rates for example.

Also, a large chunk of the suicides are young people who didn't leave through the eras where oppression occurred. I am not sure why somebody would commit suicide because something happened to their ancestors.

[leesec]

>It wouldn't explain why places that haven't been trampled on by Americans would have high suicide rates. South Korea and Japan both have pretty high suicide rates for example.

I wasn't trying to say anything about anywhere else.

>Also, a large chunk of the suicides are young people who didn't leave through the eras where oppression occurred. I am not sure why somebody would commit suicide because something happened to their ancestors.

Oppression still occurring, thanks.

[_-david-_]

How is oppression still occurring?

[chrshawkes]

Not sure why this is being downvoted? Clearly these people have no idea about the Plains Wars, Custer's Last Stand and Wounded Knee. They have absolutely been trampled on and worse (murdered).

[whatshisface]

Wounded Knee happened 130 years ago, so in order to explain today's problems with it you would have to know the rate at which historical impacts decayed through time.

[mitchty]

Its being downvoted because its childish simplistic view of things. I grew up in Grant county, literally west of Sioux county. There are a lot of reasons for the high suicide rate in Sioux county, historical facts like Custer aside, unless you've lived in this part of the country, you really have no idea what its like there. Did westerners do a number on the Nakota/Dakota/Lakota/Sioux/Mandan/etc..? Duh, but thats not really why kids are killing themselves today. Hell even in the surrounding counties suicide is pretty common for the same reasons as in the reservation. There is no opportunity, and depression is pretty common.

Side note, I have family in Sioux county as well. I'll be blunt and say, if you've only grew up on the coasts, kindly butt the fuck out of why the suicide is high. I could name 10 people in and out of Sioux county I know that ate a bullet, if all you're going to do is use this for internet points piss off.

[dang]

I know it's difficult to stay even about something so personal and intense, but please don't break the site guidelines like that, even when feelings are high. It only makes things worse, as other people then feel entitled to lash back more strongly.

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

[chrshawkes]

I'm going to hold my tongue but I'd love to hear you say that to my face. You are not the only one affected by suicide, I don't care if you live in bumfuck or the East Coast. You know nothing about how suicide has impacted me personally. I'm making an observation about historical events which have led to the lack of opportunity.

[dang]

I'm sure you also have good reason to feel personally intense about this topic. But please follow the site guidelines when posting here, especially on topics where feelings are understandably strong. Note the first one listed under "Comments": Be kind.

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

[whenchamenia]

This is not the right way to go about it. His point is sound, no matter your personal experinces. The midwest is a distinct culture alien to the majority of americans. I routinely see the issues we face minimized, and suicide is where i draw the fucking line.