There are definitely cases where suicide for a cause has been an effective strategy. It's still tragic. I don't think it's a justifiable strategy (particularly in Aaron's case -- he could have WON his court case. Even if he lost, and spent a year or a few years in jail (potentially out on appeal), he wouldn't have been dead, and could have continued the fight.

However:

Mohammed Bouazizi in Tunisia potentially kicked off the entire Arab Spring.

There are ~500 self immolations by Buddhist monks in Asia who were part of getting the US to withdraw from the Vietnam war, etc.

Maybe a hundred Tibetans in protesting China.