[Walter Tyler]

Veteran Burned Himself Alive Outside VA Clinic
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articl...alive-outside-va-clinic.html?via=twitter_page

The 51-year-old walked nine miles from his home in Egg Harbor, past an American Legion park and a memorial dedicated to military veterans, before finally stopping a few yards short of the clinic parking lot curb. Once there, he doused himself in gasoline and set himself on fire.

I have no words.

 

[ppine]

This is a sad day in America.
We can train people to fight, but we know little about how to untrain them.
8,000 Veterans a year commit suicide. Some think the number is actually higher.

 

[Walter Tyler]

This is a sad day in America.
We can train people to fight, but we know little about how to untrain them.
8,000 Veterans a year commit suicide. Some think the number is actually higher.

Suicide is always sad.

Burning yourself alive is a STATEMENT. Are we hearing him?

 

[juskom95]

We can train people to fight, but we know little about how to untrain them.

That is simply insulting and based in ignorance. Little more.

It is the propaganda usually pushed by those who dislike the military because they are the military.

This WAS NOT about someone not having the ability to 'turn off' the fighting portion. It might have escaped you, but 'lighting yourself' on fire is not a common tactical move.

 

[InfScout]

Why did he do it? Harsh end, but it'd be interesting to know the why.

Failure of the VA?

Failure of the family to see the event?

What makes a man do that?

Regardless, it was a sad ending.

 

[MattB4]

Suicide is always sad.

Burning yourself alive is a STATEMENT. Are we hearing him?

It is a statement of utter idiocy. No matter his problems suicide by being burned to death is a terribly horrendous way to check out of this world.

I hear this and any sympathy I might have had if he had simply held up a picket sign outside the VA clinic is lost. Or if he had gone to the media, congress critters or even one of the charities. There are right ways and darn stupid ways to try and make a point. Dousing yourself with gasoline and striking a match is stupid.

 

[juskom95]

I hear this and any sympathy I might have had if he had simply held up a picket sign outside the VA clinic is lost. Or if he had gone to the media, congress critters or even one of the charities. There are right ways and darn stupid way to try and make a point. Dousing yourself with gasoline and striking a match is stupid.

Would you have even heard about it if that is all he had done? The answer is no, you would not have.

I would like to know the Why before saying it was stupid. Do we know anything about this individual?

 

[Critterman]

He clearly has strong motivation to bring attention to the issue. Not enough is being done. Where are the president's sad speeches and executive orders on this? This guy probably felt their voices are ignored and drowned out by media and politics. Perhaps he felt the pain of veteran problems outweighed his own pain of burning himself. Im sure he was hoping some good would come from his act.

Regardless, this is extremely sad.

 

[ppine]

Many soldiers are very good at their jobs. They kill a lot of people. Then they try to fit back in a regular civilian population where their values are not understood or taken for granted. It must be the hardest thing that a lot of people have to experience.

I can see some Veterans have a lot fear, some have guilt, and some just never fit in. I respect soldiers, but not so much the people that so freely send them into combat.

 

[Blank102]

It is a statement of utter idiocy. No matter his problems suicide by being burned to death is a terribly horrendous way to check out of this world.

I hear this and any sympathy I might have had if he had simply held up a picket sign outside the VA clinic is lost. Or if he had gone to the media, congress critters or even one of the charities. There are right ways and darn stupid ways to try and make a point. Dousing yourself with gasoline and striking a match is stupid.

Hooray for you and your lack of sympathy. Perhaps someday we can all be as short sighted and judgmental as you are.
Now go read other threads and proclaim other people idiots.:taped:

 

[Blank102]

Would you have even heard about it if that is all he had done? The answer is no, you would not have.

I would like to know the Why before saying it was stupid. Do we know anything about this individual?

Don't bother. This guy/gal/(moslem?) sounds like a sociopath. Waste of air.

 

[Tucanchew]

What a terrible way to check out. hopefully some details why will turn up. ouch

 

[old doc]

The article states he "retired from the service" but served only seven years. Also, making Chief in seven years is impossible, especially serving on a command ship which is pretty much a non combatant. Even bubbleheads and SEALs don't make CPO in seven years.

Sad situation though. RIP

 

[Andrew Jackson]

The article states he "retired from the service" but served only seven years. Also, making Chief in seven years is impossible, especially serving on a command ship which is pretty much a non combatant. Even bubbleheads and SEALs don't make CPO in seven years.

Sad situation though. RIP

My guess is it was a type and they meant 17 years.

 

[240Geezer]

Sad. Sad. Sad.
A statement for sure.
I hear that statement.
RIP and thank you for your service.

 

[dude]

This guy, Thich Quang Duc, was protesting the persecution of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese government led by Ngô Đình Diệm. That was in 1963 and other monks did self-immolation after that as well. They were making a statement to the world.

John F. Kennedy said in reference to a photograph of Duc on fire, "No news picture in history has generated so much emotion around the world as that one."

Link

Hope his, (the vet), self-immolation brings about what ever change is needed.

 

[old doc]

My guess is it was a type and they meant 17 years.

It said from 1985 to 1992.

 

[Fonz]

Very sorry that he felt there was no other way than this, condolences to his loved ones and friends. Hopefully people will withhold judgement or insensitivity until more info comes out.

 

[usmountains]

That's messed up.

There is an old saying that has some truth to it. It says if you can't live with taking a life, then spend the rest of your life saving lives.

Or if its just an illness that isn't cureable and you need a last act of honor, go to the Ukraine and fight russians or to the middle east and hunt ISIS, or take out a drug cartel in mexico.

Or if you are broke, need someone to fight, put a team together and go after the bounty on drug cartels heads, which some are worth $25 million.

Or go after the sex slave gangs and free those kidnapped women and children.

If someone needs a purpose, there are plenty who need help.

 

[Harmless Drudge]

This is a sad day in America.
We can train people to fight, but we know little about how to untrain them.
8,000 Veterans a year commit suicide. Some think the number is actually higher.

Typically, it has **** all to do with "untraining" them, and everything to do with not dumping them into war zones with Rules of Engagement that are little more than a suicide pact.