George,

Will Lyster's is a vile piece of writing, from someone whose idea of Vietnam is that antiwar traitors caused the U.S. to waste the valiant sacrifices of patriots who fought against tyranny.

His view of the antiwar protestors of the Vietnam era is that they (we) were simply drugged-up traitors. Actual historical fact has no place in his vision of the past or present.

What basis is there to compare Vietnam and the present conflict? Apparently, it is the dangerous presence "behind the lines" of traitors!

His advice to those who aren't wholehog hawks today is to shut up or ship out. "America: love it or leave it!"--- the eternal cry of mindless American chauvinism.

Lyster seems blissfully unaware of the role of attitudes like his in bringing us all to the brink of true catastrophe. I doubt that there is an antidote to the poison that infects him.

Now that I know his name, I'm vaccinated against ever having to read anything else he may write!

Jim Shea (electronic mail, November 2, 2001).