Taking responsibility

The suicide of the U.S. navy's top admiral, Jeremy Boorda, (The Jakarta Post, May 18, 1996, page 12) was a real tragedy. It was too sad a story to blame anyone for. It is true that Newsweek was after the news, but they were just doing their job. Newsweek has always been a reliable magazine to me. Their reports are accurate and fair. I admire their professionalism.

There was no doubt that Admiral Boorda was a great naval officer who dedicated his life to the navy. He joined up at 16 and made it to chief of naval operations. He was determined, responsible and affectionate, and made a good leader. I was touched by the story of his life and his great personality.

Why would such a great man want to wear the V commendation he was not eligible for? That was a question that Newsweek was trying to answer. Why he then chose to kill himself, rather than face the issue remains a mystery to me. As President Clinton said, it was not worth killing yourself for.

Studying the human mind is like exploring the bottom of a deep sea. The deepest reaches are still unreachable. One thing is certain, Boorda paid for his mistakes with a death of honor. I was terribly sorry for him and gave him my salute.

Hara-kiri is a Japanese tradition. Japanese men committed suicide when they believed they had failed in their duty. I respect their tradition. They have pride and courage. But modern societies do not practice such things anymore. I think it is heroic when men realize their mistakes, wrongdoings or failures, and willing take responsibility for them. Japanese and American histories are similar in such cases.

Prominent figures often step down to defend their honor. Culture is one factor, the other is the system. Most developed countries encourage or force people to take responsibility for their own actions. How about Indonesia? Are we still a long way from this stage?

In my opinion, the suicide of Admiral Boorda shows us something that America should be proud of. It is a system that works -- freedom, responsibility and professionalism -- although Admiral Boorda had to pay too much.

JENNY LAURITZ KHOENG

Jakarta