United with CJ
December 16th, 2009 Posted in The SandGram v1.0The milblogging community has been very supportive of CJ and all of ASP over the last few weeks as we have dealt our closing, purchase, reopenning, the Army Times article, and all the school/PTA business. I really wish I could express to each and every single one of them personally how appreciative we are, but I would spend the rest of my life saying, “Thank you.”
Starting today, many of the milblogs you have grown to love are going silent to take a stand for CJ. They want everyone to know what it would be like without milblogs for one day. That is one day that the awesome stories of your troops getting the job done won’t get out because we all know the MSM won’t pick up the slack. That is one day that you will have to depend on the crap from other sources and not the awesomeness straight from the people in the know. What will it be like without us?
With that, ASP will also be going silent until at least Friday. CJ, we support you!
Update: Full press release is now below the fold and participating blogs above.
Participating Blogs (in no particular order):
This Ain’t Hell http://thisainthell.us/blog/
Boston Maggie http://bostonmaggie.blogspot.com/
Blackfive http://www.blackfive.net/main/
Miss Ladybug http://miss-ladybug.blogspot.com
Drunken Wisdom http://beerbrains.com/
Grim’s Hall http://grimbeorn.blogspot.com/
Frommyposition http://frommyposition.com/
CDR Salamander http://cdrsalamander.blogspot.com
You Served http://www.youserved.com
Bouhammer http://www.bouhammer.com
Pepple Drops http://pebbledrops.blogspot.com
Chromed Curses http://www.chromedcurses.com
Homefront Six http://homefrontsix.blogspot.com
Delta Bravo Sierra http://www.deltabravosierra.us
Yankee Mom http://www.yankeemom.com
Knee Deep in the Hooah! http://www.kneedeepinthehooah.com
Assoluta Tranquillita http://assolutatranquillita.blogspot.com
Wake up America http://wwwwakeupamericans-spree.blogspot.com
Miss Beth’s Victory Dance http://missbethsvictorydance.blogspot.com
Soldier’s Angels NY http://soldiersangelsny.blogspot.com
Hugh Hewitt http://www.hughhewitt.com
My Own Political Party http://political-party.losito.net
Milblogging.com http://milblogging.com
The Pink Flamingo http://www.thepinkflamingoblog.com
Winds of Change http://www.windsofchange.net
Registered Evil http://www.registeredevil.com
Beer Brains http://beerbrains.com
Right Wing Right Minded http://rightwingrightminded.blogspot.com
Storm’n Norm’n http://normanhooben.blogspot.com
Confederate Yankee http://confederateyankee.mu.nu
The Sniper http://www.thesniper.us
Free Republic http://freerepublic.com
Another Voice http://anothervoice.1776redux.com
United Conservatives http://unitedconservatives.blogspot.com
Support Your Local Gunfighter http://supportyourlocalgunfighter.com/
Knotties Niche http://knottiesniche.com
MILBLOGS GO SILENT FOR FELLOW BLOGGER
Milblogs Go Silent
On Wednesday 16 December 2009, many milblogs — including This Ain’t Hell, From My Position, Blackfive, Miss Ladybug, Boston Maggie, Grim’s Hall, and those participating in the Wednesday Hero program — are going silent for the day. Some are choosing to go silent for a longer period of time.
The reason for this is two-fold. First, milblogs are facing an increasingly hostile environment from within the military. While senior leadership has embraced blogging and social media, many field grade officers and senior NCOs do not embrace the concept. From general apathy in not wanting to deal with the issue to outright hositility to it, many commands are not only failing to support such activities, but are aggressively acting against active duty milbloggers, milspouses, and others. The number of such incidents appears to be growing, with milbloggers receiving reprimands, verbal and written, not only for their activities but those of spouses and supporters.
The catalyst has been the treatment of milblogger C.J. Grisham of A Soldier’s Perspective (http://www.soldiersperspective.us/). C.J. has earned accolades and respect, from the White House on down for his honest, and sometimes blunt, discussion of issues — particularly PTSD. In the last few months, C.J. has seen an issue with a local school taken to his command who failed to back him, and has even seen his effort to deal with PTSD, and lead his men in same by example, used against him as a part of this. Ultimately, C.J. has had to sell his blog to help raise funds for his defense in this matter.
An excellent story on the situation with C.J. can be found at Military Times: http://www.armytimes.com/offduty/technology/offduty_blogger_120809/ While there have been new developments, the core problem remains, and C.J. is having to raise funds to cover legal expenses to protect both his good name and his career.
One need only look at the number of blogs by active duty military in combat zones and compare it to just a few years ago to see the chilling effect that is taking place.
Milblogs have been a vital link in getting accurate news and information about the military, and military operations, to the public. They have provided vital context and analysis on issues critical to operations and to the informed electorate critical to the Republic.
On Wednesday 16 December, readers will have the chance to imagine a world without milblogs, and to do something about it. Those participating are urging their readers to contact their elected representatives in Congress, and to let their opinions be known to them and to other leaders in Washington.
Some milblogs will remain silent for several days; some just for the day. All have agreed to keep the post about the silence and C.J. at the top of their blogs until Friday 18 December. The issues go beyond C.J., and deserve careful consideration and discussion. We hope that you will cover this event, and explore the issues that lie at the heart of the matter. Contact the milbloggers in your area or that you know, and hear the story that lies within.
A Partial List of Participating Blogs:
This Ain’t Hell http://thisainthell.us/blog/
Boston Maggie http://bostonmaggie.blogspot.com/
Blackfive http://www.blackfive.net/main/
Miss Ladybug http://miss-ladybug.blogspot.com
Drunken Wisdom http://beerbrains.com/
Grim’s Hall http://grimbeorn.blogspot.com/
Frommyposition http://frommyposition.com/
CDR Salamander http://cdrsalamander.blogspot.com
Grisham Legal Fund
c/o Redstone Federal Credit Union
220 Wynn Drive
Huntsville, AL 35893
Please write “Grisham Legal Fund” in the memo line if you use this option.
Milblogs have been a vital link in getting accurate news and information about the military, and military operations, to you. Today, many milblogs are gone and others are under attack from within and without. Today, you have the chance to imagine a world without milblogs, and to do something
about it. Make your voice heard by writing your congressional representatives and others, and by making donations as you see fit.
The battle for freedom of speech and the marketplace of ideas is fought on many fronts and in many ways. Without your help, the battle may well be
lost.
Mr Wolf
Blackfive.net
