Waging a "War on the Weak"

This is quite horrifying.

We’re in the midst of a crisis. The New York Times reports that Angus Deaton and Ann Case, two Princeton economists, have identified increases in suicide and drug and alcohol related deaths among high school educated white Americas as the cause for a remarkable spike in the overall death rate for middle-aged white Americans. Various experts express surprise, shock, and sadness. I can understand the sadness, but not the surprise....
It’s the sort of rise that only occurs during periods of social crisis or collapse. Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union is one instance. Europe during and in the immediate aftermath of World War II is another....
don’t find myself baffled. For the last few decades, cultural leaders have been waging a war on the weak. Their goal is to dismantle traditional norms and rules for family life. They push to dismantle gender roles and other foundational categories that ordinary people use to orient themselves and make sense out of their lives.

(Not sure why the author didn't bring up to glorification of the private murder of the unwanted, unhealthy or untimely unborn. Perhaps a matter of not wanting to drive away readers who weren't entirely pro-life right off the bat? Anyway, they know their audience and what they will bear better than I.)

But I thought the current trend was to encourage those who wanted "dignity" and "control" over their lives and deaths to go ahead and commit suicide - isn't it?

"Many of the people...you know, were underprivileged anyway..."

"...so this is working out rather well for them."

(Maybe that's unfair to associate this with that, but the intent was to show that callousness is a bi-partisan initiative.)