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Vietnam Veteran Vernon Hunter Murdered in Texas IRS Crash
Vernon Hunter, a 2 Toured Vietnam Veteran, killed in Tax War by Patriot Freedom Fighter or by Crazed Domestic Terrorist Gone Bonkers?
Daughter: Joe Stack, Pilot in Texas IRS crash, was a hero
She says building attack ‘inappropriate,’ but hails his anti-tax views
AUSTIN, Texas – The daughter of a man who crashed his small plane into an Internal Revenue Service building called her father a hero for his anti-government views but said his actions, which killed a tax service employee, were “inappropriate.”
Joe Stack’s adult daughter, Samantha Bell, spoke to ABC’s “Good Morning America” from her home in Norway. Asked during a phone interview broadcast Monday if she considered her father a hero, she said: “Yes. Because now maybe people will listen.”
Authorities say Stack, 53, targeted the IRS office building in Austin last week, killing employee Vernon Hunter and himself, after posting a ranting manifesto against the agency and the government. He apparently set fire to his home before flying his plane into the office building.
Bell said she offered her deepest condolences to Hunter’s family. She said her father’s last actions were wrong.
“But if nobody comes out and speaks up on behalf of injustice, then nothing will ever be accomplished,” she told ABC. “But I do not agree with his last action with what he did. But I do agree about the government.”
Victim’s son is alarmed
Hunter’s son, Ken Hunter, said he was alarmed by comments that called the pilot a hero. He said that if Stack had come in and talked to his father, he would have done his best to help.
“My dad didn’t write the tax law,” he said. “Nobody in that building wrote the tax law.”
Ken Hunter said his dad would likely have tried to save his co-workers from the burning building before escaping himself.
“He was full of life. Probably the best teacher I had in my life,” Ken Hunter said. The elder Hunter had been missing and presumed dead since Thursday, when Stack slammed his plane into the Austin building where Hunter worked as a manager for the IRS.
The crash caused a large fireball that destroyed much of the hulking glass building where Hunter’s wife, Valerie, also worked as an IRS employee. She was not wounded.
Stack apparently targeted the lower floors of the building that houses IRS offices after lashing out at the agency in a ranting manifesto posted on a Web site shortly before Thursday’s attack. In the note, Stack claimed the government and the its tax code robbed him of his savings and ruined his career.
Standing outside Hunter’s house in the Austin suburb of Cedar Park, Ken Hunter said he wanted to tell people about his father after hearing about Stack’s life and his anti-tax crusade. He was alarmed by comments from Stack’s friends who said he was a good person and Internet postings calling the pilot a hero.
“People say (Stack) is a patriot. What’s he a patriot for? He hasn’t served the country. My dad did two tours of Vietnam and this guy is going to be a patriot and no one is going to say that about my dad? That’s what got me started talking. I couldn’t stand it anymore,” Ken Hunter said.
‘The only answer’
In the note, Stack wrote that he realized “violence not only is the answer, it is the only answer.” He apparently set fire to his home before taking off Thursday from an airport 30 miles north of the Texas capital. His current wife and her daughter were not at home at the time.
Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said his wife, Sheryl Stack, and her daughter had left the couple’s home Wednesday night and stayed at a hotel but would not elaborate. Acevedo said police had no reports of domestic violence at the home.
Stack’s daughter from his first marriage, Samantha Dawn Bell, said the Web manifesto didn’t sound like the father she knew.
“It’s not him. The letter itself sounds like it’s coming from a different person,” she said in an interview from her home in Norway.
Short URL: http://www.veteranstoday.com/?p=17401
Posted by Veterans Today on Feb 22 2010, With 0 Reads, Filed under Vet News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
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Joe Stack was a coward and a murderer and he offered conclusive evidence of both with his last worldly act.
What he did was no different than firing an automatic weapon into a crowd of innocent unarmed people.
There are legitimate ways to protest, this was not one of them.
He did not act “inappropriately,” he committed an act of wanton murder against innocent people.
Screw Joe Stack and all the Joe Stacks in Texas and elsewhere.
My sincere condolences to Vernon Hunter’s family and friends and to the hundreds of others who were harmed by this despicable criminal act.
Agree with Mr. Higgins’ comments wholeheartedly. The man was no hero.
Vietnam veteran? Stack was only 53 years old. In 1973, when our involvement in RVN had wound way down to just a few thousand military personnel, he would have been about 16 or so. Highly unlikely he would have been sent there by then, unless he lied about his age and enlisted under false pretenses. Vietnam-ERA veteran, maybe. Sorry to split hairs.
Also my sincerest condolences to Mr Hunter’s family, from both a retired federal employee and Army reserve officer.
Stack wasn’t a Viet vet, I don’t think anyone made that claim.
The man he murdered was.
RETRACTION – My mistake. I know Mr Hunter was a veteran, but somehow misconstrued the dead pilot Stack as one as well. Misunderstood or misread the article. I sincerely apologize for my error.
This is not a simple issue. Many of us are vets but where and what you choose to do in your life is important. Should one person kill another to make a point? We’re sent to countries all over the world to do just that. No one says a word.
Who first gets the taxes? Who decides what to do with them? Who gets us into fights that are none of our business? Who, my friends, produces absolutely nothing but is arrogant enough to believe they lead our lives better then we can? That’s right: government…and the only way to stop this monster gone mad with power is to cut off it’s lifeblood..money. Taxes is one way and the other is to END THE FED so they can’t tax us through inflation. I’m sorry for Vernon Hunter and his family and for Joe Stack and for all the soldiers who will die for this dream we have of freedom. I expect this is not the end of it….
I would like for you to have to explain your twisted logic to the Hunter family.
Its not twisted logic dopey. Its called collateral damage. Do you really think words would change anything in this world anymore?
This is twisted logic indeed. Its propaganda set forth by people who want to pretend they are helping this country but instead are just full of it. END THE FED i hear this all the time, STOP THE TAXES. END THE GOVERNMENT.. BLA BLA BLA..
I agree that we have alot of problems, I also agree that we should not be warring against other countries for influence or oil or whatever.. but blatent acts of violence against random people is OBVIOUSLY NOT THE ANSWER TO THESE PROBLEMS. Think things through, ANYONE CAN SAY THEY HAVE THE SOLUTION, you certainly do not. Put away your propaganda and think about it. There is no person on this earth that can control inflation unless you go out in the woods and dont participate in society. But lets see, your sitting on a computer using the internet and probably wearing name brand clothing… so it looks like your a participant in the exact system you are condemning… dare I say hypocrit? Hypocrisy is the main reason we are in this mess, saying we want peace but sending more troops to Afghanistan, etc. THINK before you type a bunch of BS.
From what I have read about this ‘Stack’ he had enough tangible assets to pay taxes, he just did NOT want to pay them. That airplane and his house that he destroyed was his assets and they were worth far more than his tax bill. Therefore he did NOT want to pay taxes, so maybe like since he doesn’t want to pay taxes, he should have moved to Afghanistan? They don’t have taxes there. Could have been a good fit too. He ain’t no hero.
Hey Bobby Higgins, Did you serve in the armed forces anytime in your previous life? I did and retired. There are times when innocent civilians die because of one reason. Did you initially support the Iraq invasion after the Twin Towers came crashing down 9 years ago? If you did, just so you know- there were thousands of civilians and militarey personnel that got killed there too, just like in Vietnam or any other war before and after. So Joe Stack showed he’s pissed at the IRS that is why he burned his house so no one gets one red cent because in his mind, they are communist and too powerful. I don’t agree with the death of Mr. Hunter but he just was at the right place at the wrong time. If he called-in sick leave or was on vacation at that time or simply had a dental appt and left before this happened, he’d still be alive today. No matter who did it and how it happened, it was his time to meet his Maker. I am grieving for his death, don’t get me wrong. In other words, it was the end of the line for this poor man. His kid said, he completed 2 tours in ‘Nam and returned home in one piece so it was not his time to go at that time yet. Just so happened the circumstances surrounding his untimely demise were completely unexpected and unwarranted. Everybody goes when its their time, in sickness or in health and no one is excused, no one wins that argument, including you and you surely can’t haggle for more time. The Lord said, got to go, that means you’re going like it or not. That is why it is also time for America to vote for Mike Huckabee to win so the IRS will be eliminated completely. How come Gaither got confirmed for Sec. of Treasury although he owed $40+ thousands of dollars in back taxes just before his nomination? That is how currupt this stinking system is. If you could vote, would you have confirmed Timmy for the job in-charge of the agency he did not want to pay money to? Joe Stack is a hero. SO sorry for the damage done, but he made a very strong statement and it is time for the IRS to slow the heck down. The other problem is the DOJ falls under the Dept of Treasury so all the justices in the SC and all the judges in the USA are well within the deep pockets of the DOT which controls the IRS just the same. As boneless chickens as these politicians and justices are, who would want to bite the hands the feed them? Did you know all that? Now you do. I do sympthatize with the family of the deceased. But we also don’t send sympathy cards to all those who civilians and military personnel who died in Hiroshima, Vietnam, how about Libya, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and many many more…, do we? I didn’t think so either. Have a nice day.
The name’s Bob, Jakie
I did four years and four months in the Marine Corps and over a year in Vietnam.
This was not a man in a war zone, but a civilian minding his own business and doing his daily job.
You are a knucklehead.
Absolutely Bob,….as a Vietnam vet and Desert Storm vet, I salute Hunter and in no way is this pilot a hero!
Jake… if you lost a loved one minding their own business… and someone said the things you said… I don’t believe it would be comforting to you at all.
I don’t agree with a lot of things our government is doing… however, I hope my humanity never escapes me so much that I can nonchalantly treat an innocent American killed as a causality in a domestic terrorist act in what you seem to view as an ongoing ‘war’ against the government…
You seem to be treating Vernon Hunter as an ‘unfortunate causality of war’ in a potentially violent war against the government that you approve of and it’s methods.
Sad and oh… UNPATRIOTIC.
Not cool.
Yeah… I hate taxes too…. you are not going to see me ‘defending’ Vernon Hunter’s death as ‘it was his time’ or the actions of the person who took his life… no matter how much I could bring myself to imaging the frustration of anyone battling with the government.
‘Knucklehead’ is way too kind.
Jake , honestly you are really stupid. If he’d called in sick or had a dentist appointment he would be alive today. He was at the right place at the wrong time. If that stupid f would have left America and moved to Norway with his stupid F-ing daughter they both would be alive. Now Joe Stack is a dead stack of sh!t. Are you retired or retarded?
Jake, Youre an idiot.
your a sick gutless man,i suppose you think your a patriot? a patriot would want to help us all do the right thing by the democratic process not by some act of domestic terrorism. and if you don’t think what that asswipe did wasn’t terrorism than take your stupid ignorant greedy ass to some third world republic and choke on your own bile.you morons that are pissed off at the irs or the government,are doing the very rich a very big favor.i wish you would all just go to hell.and oh yeah tough guy i’m a viet nam vet too.my condolances to mr. hunter and his family.i wish i could have thanked the man for his service.good article mr.higgins thanks
My heart goes out to the berieved.
I am a vet. That said , if your job is to steal middle class americans money so it can be given to rich folks, given to other countries, in fact sent everywhere except to help americans, you are not a hero. That does not take away from his service in V.N., however he was making a living out of other peoples misery.
You have absolutely no idea what his job was and it makes no difference.
You are also a knucklehead.
On my ACT “, thats college entrance testing” I was in the top 97% of the USA of my year. That was top 97% in social studies. That’s things like government, history. I have added 33 years of study onto that. I understand the IRS. I also understand the concept of morally right and wrong. Morally right and wrong have nothing to do with legal or illegal. I do not care what he did for the IRS. I also do not care what a persons position is with the mafia. Those are not the type persons who would be welcome in my home. I am sure there are pimps out there who served in some of our wars in the military. While I would not take away from their service, I understand that making your living off of other peoples misery morally reprehensible, and they are not welcome in our home. You sound as if you learned something in the government schools. Was it 1st grade when they told you it was not wrong when your government did it and you said sounds good to me? I did not call you names. But when you started as a freashmen, did they give you cradits in government and history classes that you did not have to sit threw as they knew you knew more about the subject than those who would be teaching those classes. They gave them to me.
You’re an idiot. And it doesn’t take MY top 99% ACT and SAT scores to realize that.
I am, unfortunately, surrounded by ‘brilliant, educated’ people
who have no practical sense and wave their degrees around like some
kinds of flags of entitlement. If you took a poll of people who
agree or disagree with the IRS’s methods, or even the legality of
most of the tax laws, the vast majority would vote ‘disagee.’ That
being said, an idiot with a plane is completely in the wrong, legally
and morally to use that plane to murder innocent people, and just
because I was not in the upper percentile in social studies and
government history, I can recognize that fact immediately. Jake
Dinero should thank you John, for relieving him of the dunce cap.
Understand me, I want nothing to do with those advocating revolt, armed reactions to anything the gov might or might not have done. But I do understand right and wrong. Don’t stand there in your ignorance, try to blow sunshine up my behind and tell me wrong is right because you chose to believe so. If you are not helping your fellow man, but are harming him,do not tell me you are a hero.
It would be nice if you could learn to spell. And, use the correct word spelling for the thought you are trying to convey (i.e., you did not ‘sit threw’ a class; you ‘sit through’ a class ~ now, what was that ACT score again????) That aside, I hardly think a college entrance exam covering social studies gave you an in-depth understanding of the American tax system. If you really think that the entire tax system should be abolished, don’t use any of the highways anymore, don’t use the local hospital, don’t send your kids to school, oh, and if you have young children, don’t put them in flame-retardent pajamas… yet another by-product of the government. I do not agree with quite a bit of things the government spends our tax dollars on, but to liken it to the mafia is just, well, being a knuckelhead.
John… Where do all you people come from?
Do you think you are being patriotic?
American?
No…sick….
Study your Bible…
I’m sure you are a ‘fine Christian’
WWJD?
What DID He do?
Think about this.
THINK
Yes, did he take widows last cent? Did he throw people out of their homes? Yes what did he do? As for this Stack, I think he did not have the guts to deal with reality. I am not now, or have I ever been an advocate for taking people with you if you want to check out. Justice is up to God, not man. I just do not like seeing peoples lives ruined needlessly.
So your saying that the guy is bad because he worked for the IRS but the other guy is bad because he crash the plane. Yes, John, you are an idiot. I dont give a shit about your “ACT” or “SAT” or your stupid goddamn fucking military service. I dont care about how u went and killed people. That does not make you a better person. It makes you an asshole actually. Patriotic and Ignorant. Thats what our armed forces are. (I am not talking about Viet Nam of course because it was a draft war)
John, Jesus ate at the tax collectors home… BEFORE the tax-payer repented of his ways and said that he would pay back everyone’s money he stole and even more.
The IRS isn’t the only messed-up government organization.
Why stop at the IRS? Huh?
Why don’t we just take out all the messed-up government organizations…here and there… and everywhere?
Would that be good?
Or maybe we can get smart and see the real problems that exist and do something constructive about them together…. and quickly.
We as Americans on the whole are so ignorant of the system that our fore-fathers put in place to protect our liberties from being actively taken away… and our freedom is being dismantled right now before our very eyes and noses and we don’t say a thing… because for centuries now… we have taken our freedom that our fore-fathers fought and died for and established protections for it… for granted… so we can’t see it…
Our fore-fathers lived with oppression and knew what they were establishing for us and the significances of every detail in our government that they set up for us so well.
Like a huge magic act… We, as a nation are being distracted with what seems to be valid concerns and ‘fears’ These concerns and fears keep us busy… and divided… as our liberties are being eroded…. and we just keep fighting each other. Americans will probably continue to strongly disagree with one another until we are living in a thoroughly dismantled America… and that will probably be too late by then.
America is about FREEDOM!
A real patriot would become as educated on our Constitution and history of it… as much as they can be and know what makes us who we are.
If we truly know what was put into place for us as a nation… and why… we can better recognize a true threat and protect our Freedom from being snatched away from us…. piece by piece…
as every job that can be outsourced is shipped out of America…
… as we bleed overseas for ‘freedom’ and the few get richer from their profits from war…
Correction:
NOT: BEFORE the ‘tax-payer’ repented of his ways and said that he would pay back everyone’s money he stole and even more.
BUT IS: BEFORE the ‘tax-collector’ repented of his ways and said that he would pay back everyone’s money he stole and even more.
(I hate it it when I do that.
John,
You’ve got to stop using the internet! It’s government created and funded! It wouldn’t be possible if IRS employees weren’t collecting taxes. Sign off immediately or you’re proving you’re a hypocrite.
It sounds like a Pharmacuticalized Human being, gone mad….There are a lot of them….More than you will hear on the news….In fact most of the senseless Killings Are Pharma’s….Killings..
Sad situation, all around the board.
This guy was no hero. I don’t know anyone, who really like what the IRS does.
I don’t agree with violence to make a point. This killer’s daughter isn’t very
bright. If she think, her father was a hero. Just keep reading. History won’t
agree with her. His act was disgusting and he was a coward. He even took out
the seats, and added a drum of gasoline. He meant to kill other humans. Not
the act of a hero. Stay in Norway, you are too stupid to live here…
Stack’s daughter is as crazy as he was. He owed a couple of grand in back taxes. Big deal. He had a friggin AIRPLANE, for pity’s sake. Taxes weren’t to blame for ruining his life, HE was. Because he was INSANE.
I wish people would get over using “terrorist” for every friggin nutcase who just goes off, from the Texas Tower to the military psychiatrist. The country is full of just plain wackos, in no small part thanks to the senile b-movie actor closing all the public mental wards.
If we could institute Florida’s Baker act nationwide, and spend a fraction of what we spend of the “war on terror” on psychiatric treatment, we could have a lot fewer stupid crazy people wandering off their leash.
Even IRS agents hate the IRS. But I don’t see anybody refusing to use the roads, or demanding that the Centers for Disease Control be disbanded, to protest paying for them.
Yes, however by the very definition this man was committing a terrorist act, trying to coerce others.
[...] people died. Read about the one who wasn’t a dickhead: Vietnam Veteran Vernon Hunter Murdered in Texas IRS Crash : Veterans Today. [...]
You people are idiots to believe Hunter was responsible for taking people’s
homes, etc. For the guy who thinks he knows about the IRS, he doesn’t really
know crap. I worked as an employee for three years for the IRS. These
people are ordinary people whose job is to do what is expected of them by
this government. That is exactly what Vernon Hunter did. Joe Stack was a
misguided, deranged person who wanted the world to feel sorry for him and
this seemed to be the way he wanted to get it. He was nothing but a MCVAY
copycat and anybody that tries to justify what he done is a damm sicko,
military retiree or not – By the way, I am also a military retiree but thirty
past. STACK WAS A DAMM COWARD.
One thing remains constant to me in this thread, Vernon Hunter was a Vietnam Veteran, ergo?
He was my brother.
An attack upon my brother, is an attack upon me, and an attack upon all my brothers, no matter from which quarter it comes.
A hurt put upon upon Vernon Hunter’s family, is a hurt put upon me and my brothers families, we remain in solidarity because of Vernon Hunter’ murder.
We are one.
Stewart, shutup.
Joe D…how ya gonna see that done?
a hero? he burned down his own house. where will his wife and kid(s) live? There were people in that building. he attacked a building where there were innocent people. there was zero logic in his thinking. did he think about the people who didn’t work there but were there with tax questions or to do their taxes? if he had to attack the IRS, he had to do it at a time with people there? He did this with malice in his heart.
I just wonder what the rest of his family thinks about this TERRORIST.
They should string the daughter up by her thumbs until she repents.
Then again, she did not say he was a hero because of his actions on this day. As we know, many children look up to their parents.
I do not condone what Mr. Stack did but when Vernon Hunter voluntarily decided to work for the IRS he became morally culpable. I am certainly not saying Mr. Hunter deserved death but he was not a hero or completely blameless.
I am so very sorry you feel that way!!! How could any blame be put his way. He was man going to work to provide for his family…just like you do everyday!!! In each of our professions we are going to make someone mad…but we all have rules and regualtions that we have to follow. We do not make the rules at the place of our employment…so yes that does make him completely blameless. It does not matter that he worked for the IRS that was not his fault. I am so very hurt by your statement. Vernon was a fellow church member of mine…I served with him and I am pained by his loss!! How could you feel that way?!?!?
Gotta Question…
How come most Americans don’t even know that the Federal Reserve is a private organization? How come we allow this?
o.k… that was two questions.
[...] out from being an anal sphincter perhaps you might take the time to get to know a real patriot. Vietnam Veteran Vernon Hunter Murdered in Texas IRS Crash : Veterans Today Vietnam Veteran Vernon Hunter Murdered in Texas IRS Crash – All Military IRS worker killed in [...]
I’m sorry i did a thank you to bob higgins for the article.i was just backing bob higgins.thanks should have gone to mr.allen for the good article and thanks for your service.
sorry you lost your dad this way,i was in vietnam around the same time and to live through it and to come home and have this happen ,im sure if this guy could have meet vernon he would have loved him ,vernon was the name of a marine i spent my 1st 2years with cuba,then vitnam and he was killed in vietnam by another marine who took off his belt with granades on it through it on to the truck that was bringing him back to the hill so he could get ready to go on leave to get married,he died that dad in my arms,again imsorry for your loss
you’re all idiocated morons. You missed what jake said: “time is up.” it was time for him to go home to meet his maker, regardless of how that came about. You all have tunnel visions. It’s useless talking to psych patients. They will never understand. Hope you all have a great time replying. I’m checking out too. maniana amigos. adios morones…..
Hey dumb ass you’re the only one who agreed with Jake and his idiotology. It’s evident your head is Straight Up your ass.
My sympathy to the Hunter family. Vernon sounds like a great guy, a patriot and a caring father. Losing him, especially in such a way, is a great loss to America. This brainless government hating, often by people who have benefited greatly from government (public education, public water supply, public roads, military protection, public parks,…) has got to stop. What a terrible price for an upstanding American family to have to pay. God bless Vernon and the Hunter family.
[...] Veterans Today: Vietnam veteran killed in Texas IRS crash [...]
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[...] a Tea bagger flew his plane into an IRS building in Texas killing a veteran and father of three. Vietnam Veteran Vernon Hunter Murdered in Texas IRS Crash : Veterans Today please verify your facts, the plane crasher wrote a suicide note and sided more with the [...]
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