Joseph Stack's Daughter Samantha Bell Considers Her Dad a Hero

(Feb. 22) -- The daughter of Joseph Stack, who flew a small plane into a federal building in Austin to protest the IRS on Thursday, answered "Yes" on "Good Morning America" when asked if her father was a hero, saying "now maybe people will listen."

Samantha Bell, Stack's 38-year-old daughter from his first marriage, told "Good Morning America" that her father's suicide mission was "wrong" but said she agrees with his anti-government message.

"I think too many people lay around and wait for things to happen, but if nobody comes out and speaks up on behalf of injustice then nothing will ever be accomplished," Bell said.

Before he allegedly set his house on fire, loaded his small airplane with an extra gas tank and flew it into a building that housed IRS offices, killing IRS employee Vernon Hunter and himself, Stack posted a ranting anti-government manifesto online.

"I would only hope that by striking a nerve that stimulates the inevitable double standard, knee-jerk government reaction that results in more stupid draconian restrictions people wake up and begin to see the pompous political thugs and their mindless minions for what they are," he wrote. "Well, Mr. Big Brother IRS man, let's try something different; take my pound of flesh and sleep well."

Bell said she thought her father burned his house down because property taxes represented the government for him, and she shares his disillusionment. She moved to Norway after losing her job in the middle of a pregnancy, claiming Medicaid would not take care of her.

Stack's suicide mission has given rise to a number of supporters online, including Facebook groups like "The Philosophy of Joe Stack" which has nearly 2,000 fans; tributes on personal Web sites; and even a video game in which players have to burn down a house and fly a plane into a building. Experts are concerned his act could inspire copycats.

Texas Department of Public Safety, AP

Joseph Stack flew his small airplane into an office building in Texas on Thursday, killing an IRS employee and himself.

Vernon Hunter's son, Ken Hunter, says his dad, a Vietnam veteran, is the one who is a hero.

"How is it that you can call someone a hero, who gets, after he burns his house down, who gets into a plane and takes out seats, puts an extra gas tank in it and deliberately flies it into a building to kill people," he said.

Bell said there were no warning signs that her father was about to snap. She said he was a quiet man who kept his frustration to himself.

"The father I knew was a loving, caring, devoted man who cherished every moment with me and my three children, his grandchildren," she said. "This man who did this was not my father."