To the Editor:
Kurt Myers' letter which appeared
in The Press on Sept. 5
was interesting, but sad. and
also quite naive.
To understand the Vietnam
War, one needs to understand
the evolution and hisotifcal
roots of Indochina,. the Chinese,
Japanese and French influence
in Indochina, Ho Chi
Minh and the Vietminh, American
foreign policy, the Geneva
agreements, nationalism,.
American politics, Ngo Dinh
Diem, the National Liberation
Front, the Tonkin Gulf encounter
and the Vietnamese people
themselves.
As one can "see," the Vietnam
War is indeed a highly
complex mess in which simple
literature from the State Department
will not suffice toward
understanding and enlightenment.
I doubt seriously that State.
Department literature includes
complete information
concerning the fact that over
38,000 Americans have been
slain (not including the thousands
that have fallen prey to
disease and accidents), that
another 200,000 plus have been
wounded — many, gravely,
that hundreds of thousands of
Vietnamese have been slain,
that two sovereign countries
have been devastated, that the
United States has evolved into
a hate-filled and bitterly divided
country — all because of
an undeclared war, that the
South Vietitamese government
and military is riddled with
corruption and incompetence.
Also that not one inch of
land in South Vietnam is secure
from VC-NVA attack
and-or penetration, that in
general the only South Viet-
namese people who really
want Americans on their soil
are the politicians and the
wealthy, that the majority of
a r r e s t s among American
troops in South Vietnam is for
the possession and-or smoking
of marijuana, that the American
M-16 automatic rifle is a
poorly made and " inferior
weapon as compared to the
Communist AK-47 rifle, that
due to poor American military
tactics, leadership and a jammed
M-16, many American
soldiers have been killed and
wounded. .
Also that most Americans in
combat in South Vietnam are
fighting for self-preservation
and no ideology or to "save"
South Vietnam, that the bombing
of North Vietnam did not
stop infiltra"tion into the South,
as intended, but rather solidified
and increased the morale
of the North Vietnamese
people and etc., etc.,"etc.
The sad facts concerning the
war in Vietnam are near endless.
You see, for one year I
personally experienced, physically,
mentally and emotionally,
the Vietnam War and as an
American, and based upon
first hand knowledge and experience,
I have thought it
over and the cold reality is
that the negative aspects of
the Vietnam War far, far outweigh
the positive. The sooner
this country can responsibly
disengage militarily from
South Vietnam the better are
the chances for the South Vietnamese
to take the responsibility
in caring for and protecting
themselves and for
peace in South Vietnam.
D. W.

Off topic:
Much of what is posted on this board about the military is either dead wrong, or from a slanted
perspective that doesn't match the real facts.

The anti military/anti govt posters portray the military (as was done today) "to be VIOLENT AND KILL
AT WILL"  is a gross distortion of what it takes to be successful in the military.
If "violence and killing" were a valued attribute, the military would recruit from prisons where
those skills abound... instead those people are specifically eliminated from serving.

Quoted from joebxr

And now L4L: takes a differnet fork in the road....WOW!
Amazing how things always get redirected for the benefit
of the agendas of a few.

That's why I gave up responding to L4Life... It's a waste of time.

Quoted from joebxr

And now L4L: takes a differnet fork in the road....WOW!
Amazing how things always get redirected for the benefit
of the agendas of a few.

Everyone is trying to understand why this man went berserk.

I'm just posting his words.

I drew no conclusions.

Just for the record, this was not the first fire started by Kurt Myers either.

I never suggested the victims ever spit on Myers.

I never suggested that he was just another unstable Viet Nam participant/victim.

I never suggested that he fits the profile of the over 50, veteran, homicidal, suicide killer.

Quoted from Libertarian4life

Everyone is trying to understand why this man went berserk.
I'm just posting his words.
I drew no conclusions.
Just for the record, this was not the first fire started by Kurt Myers either.

No you're not...
YOUR POST #53: My name is Kurt Myers. I
live in Vestal....not same guy unless you have way to prove it!
YOUR POST #54: Lance R Myers...really, who is this one???
YOUR POST #56: This letter is in answer to
the letter by Kurt Myerswhich was printed in The Evening
Press on Sept. 6...and which Myers is this one and what year???
YOUR POST #60: To the Editor:
Kurt Myers' letter which appeared in The Press on Sept. 5...
Again WHICH MYERS and WHEN

So how did all you posts help anyone understand about the KURT MYERS that killed people in Herkimer?
Maybe you should call the Herkimer police and State Police and offer your obvious expertise,
since you seem to have insight on what made this man tick...or Lance Myers tick...or Kurt in Vestal tick....or, or, or, or  !!!!

Quoted from joebxr

No you're not...
YOUR POST #53: My name is Kurt Myers. I
live in Vestal....not same guy unless you have way to prove it!
YOUR POST #54: Lance R Myers...really, who is this one???
YOUR POST #56: This letter is in answer to
the letter by Kurt Myers which was printed in The Evening
Press on Sept. 6...and which Myers is this one and what year???
YOUR POST #60: To the Editor:
Kurt Myers' letter which appeared in The Press on Sept. 5...
Again WHICH MYERS and WHEN

So how did all you posts help anyone understand about the KURT MYERS that killed people in Herkimer?
Maybe you should call the Herkimer police and State Police and offer your obvious expertise,
since you seem to have insight on what made this man tick...or Lance Myers tick...or Kurt in Vestal tick....or, or, or, or  !!!!

Lance was his brother who died in prison in 1982.

You don't bother to read much before blasting away.

He lived in Vestal before he went into the military. That's just south of Utica.

The lame stream will find the details soon enough.

I posted the year and the exact date of his letter to the editor as well as his expected report to duty date.

Do your own research.

You just want to attack me without any proof on your part.

Perhaps you know Kurt's family history?

You just hate me as Kurt hated his victims.

He is you.

It's called research.

It begins with gathering data.

Yours begins with hotheaded ranting.

Quoted from joebxr

You conveniently skipped around my post and the content....why, becuase
it doesn't fit for you? You took "violent and kill at will" and spun it to deadly force.  REALLY???????
I was not trained to be VIOLENT AND KILL AT WILL...even you should be able to tell the difference between that and deadly force.

I never said soldiers were trained to be VIOLENT.  I just said they were trained to become skilled killers.  I assume you agree that killing requires some aspect of violence.  We don't need to play semantics games trying to split hairs between the meaning of violence and deadly force.

BTW...I don't know what is worse, a soldier that kills on command or a soldier that kills voluntarily.  Killing on command at least provides the soldier legal protection in the eyes of society today, it exonerates them from their act of murder.  On the other hand, if a soldier kills because of his own desires to kill, then he would then be considered a murderer, killing for personal pleasure and not at the leisure of a commanding officer.

So which is it, do soldiers kill on command or is the killing self motivated?  I'll check in with my father to get the correct answer.  

Quoted from Libertarian4life

Lance was his brother who died in prison in 1982.
You don't bother to read much before blasting away.
He lived in Vestal before he went into the military. That's just south of Utica.
The lame stream will find the details soon enough.
I posted the year and the exact date of his letter to the editor as well as his expected report to duty date.
Do your own research.
You just want to attack me without any proof on your part.
Perhaps you know Kurt's family history?
You just hate me as Kurt hated his victims.
He is you.

1 - VESTAL is south west just outside of Binghampton...quite a ways from Herkimer!
2 - Don't find anything (YAH I DID RESEARCH), showing it's same Kurt Myers
3 - His brother did time, I saw that but not sure why it has anything to do with anything since interviews with
friends and family state

Quoted Text

His brother, Lance Myers, died in prison after an embezzlement conviction. Myers didn't appear to be close to his remaining family and police interviews with relatives and neighbors have produced little.
About the only clue is his cryptic query before he opened fire on customers in a barbershop where he used to get his hair cut: "Do you remember me?"

My rantings aren't hot headed...they are point on to discredit the venomous BS that you like to spew and try to make relevant...
For someone that accuses others of attacks and thin skinned...you seem to be the poster child.
Hate it when you are not KING POSTER, don't you.  

Quoted from Box A Rox

If "violence and killing" were a valued attribute, the military would recruit from prisons where
those skills abound... instead those people are specifically eliminated from serving. [/size]

No silly, the recruiters were at the court houses not the jail houses.  They were convincing judges to drop charges in exchange for enlistment.  Ya gotta catch'em before they get into the corrections facility.

Deadly force, as defined by the United States Armed Forces, is the force which a person uses, causing—
or that a person knows, or should know, would create a substantial risk of causing—death or serious bodily
harm. In most jurisdictions, the use of deadly force is justified only under conditions of extreme necessity
as a last resort, when all lesser means have failed or cannot reasonably be employed.

Quoted from joebxr

1 - VESTAL is south west just outside of Binghampton...quite a ways from Herkimer!
2 - Don't find anything (YAH I DID RESEARCH), showing it's same Kurt Myers
3 - His brother did time, I saw that but not sure why it has anything to do with anything since interviews with
friends and family state

My rantings aren't hot headed...they are point on to discredit the venomous BS that you like to spew and try to make relevant...
For someone that accuses others of attacks and thin skinned...you seem to be the poster child.
Hate it when you are not KING POSTER, don't you.  

Of course, why would his brother dying in jail be relevant to the murder of 2 guards by his brother.

I don't wish to be the "king poster."

I speak out against killers.

You hate me for it.

At least box doesn't display hatred.

You make it clear, that you hate me.

It doesn't matter the topic, you just want something to attack me for.

The most stupid trivial fact or obscure reference.

You pounce on it.

I only seek to make people aware of the patterns of death and violence being promoted by
your side. I seek an end to these actions.

You seek to label all challenges as mentally ill, terroristic or treason.

Typical response from supporters of the use of death as a tool.

Quoted from CICERO

I never said soldiers were trained to be VIOLENT.  I just said they were trained to become skilled killers.  I assume you agree that killing requires some aspect of violence.  We don't need to play semantics games trying to split hairs between the meaning of violence and deadly force.

BTW...I don't know what is worse, a soldier that kills on command or a soldier that kills voluntarily.  Killing on command at least provides the soldier legal protection in the eyes of society today, it exonerates them from their act of murder.  On the other hand, if a soldier kills because of his own desires to kill, then he would then be considered a murderer, killing for personal pleasure and not at the leisure of a commanding officer.

So which is it, do soldiers kill on command or is the killing self motivated?  I'll check in with my father to get the correct answer.  

You jumped into my reply about VIOLENT, etc., and changed the term to deadly force...they are didfferent, but you stil don't see it...
not semantics, fact!!!

To address your last comment, let me explain orders my team and myself were under.  Sit down
because this goes against your image of Veitnam:
(a) do not initiate a firefight
(b) do not initiate an attack on civilians or others considered to be enemy
(c) do not return fire if fired upon unless approval recieved from command
(d) if approval not recieved retreat to safest position until help arrives
(e) unauthorized fire is not allowed
Now, realize this is not typical of others, becuase it really depended on what your repsonsibilites were,
where you were in country, and the political activities taking place at the same time that might dictate how
the US government wanted actions to be undertaken.

Surprised????  

Quoted from Libertarian4life

Of course, why would his brother dying in jail be relevant to the murder of 2 guards by his brother.

I don't wish to be the "king poster."

I speak out against killers.

You hate me for it.

At least box doesn't display hatred.

You make it clear, that you hate me.

It doesn't matter the topic, you just want something to attack me for.

The most stupid trivial fact or obscure reference.

You pounce on it.

I only seek to make people aware of the patterns of death and violence being promoted by
your side. I seek an end to these actions.

You seek to label all challenges as mentally ill, terroristic or treason.

Typical response from supporters of the use of death as a tool.

AWWW L4L, I don't hate you...not in the least.
I just don't like the venomous hate mongering vomit that you like to spew.
You claimed very early on you would spit on me today becuase I was in Vietnam...
and you didn't have a clue who I was....and yet today I stil don't hate you for your ignorance...
I feel sorry for you and those around you that must live in your pathetic controlling world.
You do like to be King Poster, as you have displayed many times with your special BOLD double spacing
and HUGE font styles that are intended as attention getters....maybe you think everyone is stupid and doesn't
see right through you and your actions...BUT WE AREN'T and we see it.
Your whole being is based on WIIFM, and nothing else.
HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY !!!  HOPE YOUR WEEKEND IS GREAT TOO !!!!