On Nov. 6, the body of Andrew Veal, 25, was found inside the off-limits area of Ground Zero…. On Nov. 6, the body of Andrew Veal, 25, was found inside the off-limits area of Ground Zero. Veal had killed himself. His friends and supervisor believe his suicide was an act of protest over the recent presidential election results. That idea about his motive is only speculation, and there is still doubt as to whether there was a suicide note left behind.

Yesterday, a man set himself on fire just outside a White House gate. The man repeatedly yelled, “Allah, Allah” after Secret Service officers put out the flames. He suffered burns to his head, back, arms and face, and was taken to Washington Hospital Center.

Many people are unsatisfied with the Nov. 2 election, and some people have been deeply affected by the election’s aftermath. But the way to deal with post-election trauma is not to attempt suicide. And self-sacrifice, though a bold statement, is not the most effective form of protest against an election’s results.

There are examples of this type of political protest, such as the scores of Vietnamese monks who set themselves on fire during the Vietnam War in defense of their religious liberties. Perhaps the most famous incident was in 1963 when Thich Quang Duc, a Buddhist monk, drove 500 miles to Saigon where he sat cross-legged in a street and burnt himself to death in protest at the Dinh Diem government’s repressive policies.

These recent incidents are not examples of the same thing.

Suicide is serious — a serious sign of despair and a cry for help. And these people needed help. They didn’t need to harm themselves because they disagreed with the election of George W. Bush as president. There was something else going on with these people, and perhaps the election was a trigger that finally set them off.

These deaths are not going to bring about any political change. Yes, it indicates the divide among the American people that the current administration should not ignore. But it’s not going to change what has happened.

If the election has seriously affected you or someone you know to the point of contemplating suicide, please seek help. Don’t run away to a foreign country and have your absence speak for your disapproval of the current administration. Don’t attempt to end your life for similar reasons. Don’t try to harm the president or his supporters either.

Seek help. Don’t despair. There is a counseling center on the third floor of the William Pitt Union. Visit it. And in 2008, make a more positive statement and bring about political change.