Honoring Army Nurse Lynda Van Devanter

The prominent Nov. 25 obituary on U.S. Army nurse Lynda Van Devanter is not only a tribute to a brave lady but also a reminder of the terrible mental and spiritual wounds suffered by the war combatants that prevent them from ever living a normal life again. She was especially honored by the Vietnam Veterans of America for telling that story. Now, America is rushing into another ruinous foreign war with no mention of the inevitable human consequences to ourselves and those we have demonized as the “enemy.”

We can honor Van Devanter’s memory by doing all we can to stop America’s warlords from sending young men and women to Iraq to be similarly destroyed in mind, if not body, to establish empire and U.S. world domination. That is how President Bush can truly support our troops and promote the security of our country and our neighbors as well. It’s the patriotic thing to do.

Patrick F. Flynn

Yorba Linda