Dead soldier posts farewell note on MySpace

[soup]

By ABHI RAGHUNATHAN
Published April 26, 2006
Last modified April 26, 2006, 21:45:17

Before signing off his webpage on MySpace.com Monday, Army Pvt. Dylan Meyer typed a farewell note to the world.

"Jesus, I don't know if any of you have heard what has happened to me yet, but I just want to remind you not to be sad. Laugh, that's what lifes about," Meyer wrote. "When it is all said and done, and all the b------t is cleared away, it is the ones you love who you will remember."

The next morning, Meyer was found dead in the Army barracks at Fort Gordon in Georgia. He was 20.<

>But he felt lost after he finished high school in 2004, those who knew him said. Dustin Triplett, 20, a friend of Meyer's since their freshman year at Gibbs, said Meyer joined the Army early last year to get some direction. The decision surprised friends who knew Meyer disliked President Bush and opposed the war in Iraq.<
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/04/26/Southpinellas/Dead_soldier_posts_fa.shtml

[Syrinx]

1. HEARTBREAKING

FUCK YOU BUSH!

[Hissyspit]

2. He wrote: "And F------ Vote! Don't let old people run your lives..."

"you have a choice."

[Hissyspit]

3. K & R, by the way

[Syrinx]

5. me too n/t

[soup]

4. and

>"Have fun you simple minded creatures," Meyer wrote. "The army needs drones like you, you are what they call life long enlisted."<

So sad.

[soup]

6. Web is providing insights into lives, even in death

A posting on MySpace.com appears to be the suicide note of a 20-year-old Gibbs graduate unhappy in the Army.

By ABHI RAGHUNATHAN
Published April 27, 2006

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/04/27/Southpinellas/Web_is_providing_insi.shtml

Same article, different headline. Why? I don't know. They seem to be doing that quite often at the 'new' St Petersburg Times lately.

--

Rest in peace, Dylan.

[Mnemosyne]

7. No words. n/t

[rodeodance]

8. Army not yet release official cause of death.

..... Because the Army is still investigating, officials would not release the cause of Meyer's death or say if he committed suicide. But the note on Meyer's MySpace page seemed to tell many in the tight community at Gibbs High School, which Meyer attended, that he had taken his own life.

......
They talk about love, sex and politics. They list their favorite books and movies.

In Meyer's case, he may have posted his suicide note.

[rodeodance]

9. ""The army needs drones like you," He was not happy with Army life.

..... Meyer soon became miserable in the Army, where he worked in a military intelligence unit. On his MySpace page, Meyer described the military as "a place where your thoughts don't have to span beyond "I got some tight new tactical goggles today."'

"Have fun you simple minded creatures," Meyer wrote. "The army needs drones like you, you are what they call life long enlisted."

Triplett said Meyer would sometimes talk about how the Army gave him a decent salary. But he also described how he felt around people he believed could not relate to his interest in the arts.

"He would tell me how much he hated it," Triplett said. "He wasn't ever comfortable."

[rodeodance]

10. He made one last movie:

... On April 21, Meyer made one last movie that he added to his MySpace Site, a short film about Army life he called "Bored As Hell: A Weekend at Ft. Gordon."

The movie shows soldiers listening to music, drinking Jack Daniels out of the bottle and playing hacky-sack. It ends with two messages of white script on a black screen.

The first reads: "Dedicated to America's Youth. Go to college and lead a normal life. Don't make the same mistake I did."

The second says: "And F------ Vote! Don't let old people run your lives, you have a choice."

[Nickster]

18. Heck, he didn't hang out at the same places I did then. I had an absolute

blast at Fort Gordon. Poor kid.

[shanti]

21. if you think myspace is just

"They talk about love, sex and politics. They list their favorite books and movies."

you need to check it out for yourself :eyes:

sad story tho....:(

[ShortnFiery]

11. Tragic ...

R.I.P. Dylan Meyer. Your words have been listened to and may make a difference in someone's life.

Message: Do NOT sign up for military duty in ANY, way, shape or form.

When the Industrial-Military War Machine loses cannon fodder they are *dead in the water.*

WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN - Help young people NOT join the military?

[al bupp]

12. Operation Refuse War

A Week of Action United Resisters
In Celebration of International Conscientious Objectors Day
May 11-16, 2006
New York, NY and Washington DC

http://www.warresisters.org/

[soldier101]

16. Can't let this slip by

I am proud of my military service, it was difficult and painful at times, but I'm glad I did it, I'm a better person because of it.

Tomorrow night I have a poker party at my house, included will be:

4 Vietnam Vets
1 Gulf War Vet
1 Afghanistan Vet (me)
1 Cold War Vet (sub driver)

6 of the 7 are retired military

Not one of us regrets our service. However is fairness, one looks at the bright side of his son having diabetes is that he's 4F.

I recommended my son join (he hasn't, must be smarter than me).

It isn't the military, it's the leadership. The recruit of today can be the leader of tomorrow and fix what is wrong.

[tabasco]

17. Until we have a rational government that serves the People.

In days past, I encouraged young people to do a hitch in the service. But we now have a traitorous cabal running the country, and I would never encourage someone to join up.

[Name removed]

13. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[NewJeffCT]

14. how tragic

Anybody who dies before their time is a sad story... but, when it's somebody so young, it really is a tragedy.

[xchrom]

15. now this is a tragic, tragic story.

[Stand and Fight]

19. Jesus...

That's heart-breaking. Almost everything that the kid said about Army life is very true. He is especially correct in advising kids to vote and not let old people run their lives. He really touched a nerve in me when he said people should go to college and live a normal life. Right on. Too bad that Bush's fucking war has now robbed us of another life... It's heart-breaking as hell. Poor kid. I hope his parents and friends and family are coping well. Good grief -- someone stop this fucking president and end his war!

[superconnected]

20. Unfortunately, I think our prez is on a murder spree and Iran is next.

I'm glad this kids story made the news.

Hopefully it will influence others before they join.

[Stand and Fight]

22. Let's hope that the youth of this nation began to question this war.

All too often I see them tuned into things that shall have no long term bearing on what happens in their lives. While it is most unfortunate that this young man exited in this manner, let us pray that his decision causes more deep thoughts to stir in the minds of those who are considering the military.

[Harper_is_Bush]

23. My post was deleted before I could respond

I'm not sure what rule I broke, or if it was deleted just due to the name-calling contained therein.


I called this what it was, a suicide. Nobody disputed that.

I also expressed personal disdain for the act of suicide and called it what I believe it needs to be called - cowardly. That generated quite a bit of anger and flame.

I did have a chance to read the responses at work before it was removed. I fully understand all of the points about mental illness and feeling there's no other way out. I too have lost a loved one
through suicide, something others might want to consider before calling me a "jerk" or "heartless" or other worse things.

I will always label suicide as cowardly, because that is the message that needs to make it over to the other side. That is the message I want to take with me if ever I get so depressed and hopeless that I'm considering it, and probably about the only message that would save me.

If someone is comtemplating suicide then yes, they deserve and need help and a sympathy for what is ailing their mind. They should also know that if they decide to follow through with it there will be loved ones left behind...often feeling anger and despair and wishing that their loved one could have reached out and fought on instead of giving in.