Assembly’s Vote on Tom Hayden

I read with great interest the article on the attempted ouster of Tom Hayden from the State Assembly. It’s too bad the attempt appears to be solely partisan politics. There are many members of Hayden’s generation still wondering why he’s an elected representative of those he showed so little regard for in the past.

The man’s name is enough to bring feelings of disgust to those of us who survived the war, but his comment about having “paid his dues,” just as we paid ours in Vietnam had me angry enough to punch cement.

The war stank, but I am proud to have served and survived. Some day, if my daughters ask about the war, I’ll tell them what it took to stay alive and try to explain why I didn’t get hurt and others did. And then, just to show them the type of person who represents their interests in California government, I’ll tell them about Tom Hayden and how he served his country by going to North Vietnam, patting the N.V.A. on the back and saying, “Right on!”

RICH GARSTANG

Temple City