Suicide Of Kurt Cobain -- Death Wasn't Romanticized

After the death of Kurt Cobain, and the plethora of patronizing, dismissive editorials and columns appearing in The Times, I find I can keep silent no longer.

The true undercurrent of these journalistic diatribes, and several others in other local media, reads, "How can you fans feel bad about this guy's death? He was a selfish, crude, drug addict who killed himself. He's not a role model! He's not a hero!"

Well, pardon me. But no one, except those of you in the media, are saying that he was. If you think differently, then you simply aren't listening.

In the last few days I have had countless conversations with family, friends and fellow fans about Kurt's suicide. Without fail, the same conclusion was reached each time: We are sad that a troubled individual saw no other solution to his problems. It was an extremely stupid thing to do. What we really mourn is the loss of his voice - his music. This is the real tragedy.

Only Jim Althoff, radio talk show host on KING-AM, made the distinction, "Separate the man from his music. Separate the man from his art."

If we as a society cannot do that, if we cannot put the moralizing and proselytizing aside and objectively view the value of Kurt's creations, then toss another of Papa Hemingway's books on the fire. It's getting mighty cold around here. David P. Moore

Enumclaw