Grief-stricken father immolates himself as candidates debate war: "Beneath the thin plastic veneer of American society, rage roils around the irrationality of life in the Empire, and occasionally it boils over. As it did in Hollywood, Florida, the other day, when Carlos Arredondo "snapped," as the news reports put it: "Melida Arredondo said her husband knew what was coming as three uniformed Marines approached their front door. "And when they told him Wednesday afternoon that his Marine son, Lance Cpl. Alexander Arredondo of Randolph, Mass., had been killed in combat in Iraq, police say Carlos Arredondo simply snapped. Arredondo climbed into the Marine Corps van parked outside his home and set it ablaze, suffering severe burns."

"The distraught dad had grabbed a propane torch and a can of gasoline, torched the Marines' van, and then hurled himself into the flames. He was pulled from the burning vehicle, but is now in serious condition, with burns over half of his body. Mrs. Arredondo, in an interview on ABC's Good Morning America, had an explanation: "This is his scream that his child is dead. The war needs to stop."

"ABC News reports that it is "unclear" whether or not Arredondo will face charges. Meanwhile, our two presidential candidates continue to debate the war … the war in Vietnam, that is. You know, the one that ended over thirty years ago. And it isn't even about the war, per se, but one man's experience of it. The race for the White House will apparently be decided on the life-or-death issue of: did John Kerry ever spend Christmas in Cambodia – or was it right across the border in Vietnam?

"No wonder Mr. Arredondo went ballistic."

Grief-stricken father immolates himself as candidates debate war: "Beneath the thin plastic veneer of American society, rage roils around the irrationality of life in the Empire, and occasionally it boils over. As it did in Hollywood, Florida, the other day, when Carlos Arredondo "snapped," as the news reports put it: "Melida Arredondo said her husband knew what was coming as three uniformed Marines approached their front door. "And when they told him Wednesday afternoon that his Marine son, Lance Cpl. Alexander Arredondo of Randolph, Mass., had been killed in combat in Iraq, police say Carlos Arredondo simply snapped. Arredondo climbed into the Marine Corps van parked outside his home and set it ablaze, suffering severe burns."

"The distraught dad had grabbed a propane torch and a can of gasoline, torched the Marines' van, and then hurled himself into the flames. He was pulled from the burning vehicle, but is now in serious condition, with burns over half of his body. Mrs. Arredondo, in an interview on ABC's Good Morning America, had an explanation: "This is his scream that his child is dead. The war needs to stop."

"ABC News reports that it is "unclear" whether or not Arredondo will face charges. Meanwhile, our two presidential candidates continue to debate the war … the war in Vietnam, that is. You know, the one that ended over thirty years ago. And it isn't even about the war, per se, but one man's experience of it. The race for the White House will apparently be decided on the life-or-death issue of: did John Kerry ever spend Christmas in Cambodia – or was it right across the border in Vietnam?

"No wonder Mr. Arredondo went ballistic."