Carlisle Barracks Blocks Web Site

The Patriot-News ^ | September 06, 2003 | MATT MILLER

[joesnuffy]

Carlisle Barracks blocks Web site

Censored editor vows First Amendment fight

Saturday, September 06, 2003

BY MATT MILLER Of The Patriot-News

CARLISLE - A freedom of speech battle is brewing over a decision by Carlisle Barracks leaders to block access to an Internet site that purports to uncover military corruption.

The move to bar Army post workers from logging onto militarycorruption.com was taken to "preserve morale, good order and discipline," barracks spokeswoman Lt. Col. Merideth Bucher said.

"The command blocked access to the Web site from government work stations because of complaints by Carlisle Barracks employees that this site consists of rumors, unsubstantiated allegations, innuendo and personal name-calling," Bucher said.

A monthly feature on the site is "Carlisle Barracks Capers," a column that lampoons, and sometimes praises, military and civilian workers at the post.

Glenn MacDonald, a retired Army Reserve major and former reporter who is the Web site's editor-in-chief, called the blocking "blatant discrimination."

"It is illegal what they've done and they're going to have to answer for that," said MacDonald, who served at the barracks in the mid-1990s.

"What about the people who go to ESPN.com, who go to the Drudge Report?" he asked. "They just don't like me reporting that the emperor has no clothes."

An expert on freedom of speech issues called the action a "flagrant violation of free expression."

"The government cannot suppress speech just because it is unfavorable to the government. That is exactly what's happening here," said Robert Richards, founding co-director of Penn State University's Pennsylvania Center for the First Amendment.

Complaints about personal attacks cannot be used as excuses to bar free speech, Richards said.

He said if people at the barracks believe MacDonald is slandering them, they can address that through the courts.

Stories about incidents at other U.S. military bases worldwide appear on militarycorruption.com, but Carlisle Barracks, the home of the Army War College, is a regular focus of the Arizona-based site.

The latest installment includes an open letter calling on a top military officer at the barracks to resign.

In his Capers column, MacDonald often refers to his targets by pseudonyms such as "No Combat," "Energizer Bunny," "Elmer Fudd" and "Hot Pants."

"Basically, our fans are the lower-ranking people," MacDonald said. "They don't have the power. We fight for the little guy."

He said the barracks is covered so closely because he has a strong contingent of "confidential informants" there.

Other news organizations, including U.S. News & World Report and ABC News, have cited information from his site, he said.

MacDonald said Carlisle Barracks officials also blocked his site briefly after it was launched in 2000.

Only one other incident of blocking has occurred, he said. MacDonald said that was at a U.S. base in Japan and was lifted after a few days.

He said 80 percent of his readers are people who are in the military, work at military bases or are military dependents.

He vowed to fight the Carlisle Barracks action.

"I'm already in discussion with a prominent First Amendment attorney," MacDonald said. "They did this to hurt us and there will be repercussions."

Bucher said Army policy discourages idle Web surfing.

Employees are supposed to use the Internet for professional advancement and to gain information to help them do their jobs, she said.

No barracks employees have complained about the blocking of militarycorruption.com, Bucher said.

Asked if that bar will be permanent, she replied that "network operations are always under review. Nothing's permanent."

MATT MILLER: 249-2006 or mmiller@patriot-news.com

[joesnuffy]

Military Corruption Dot Com

[Poohbah]

It's people like the proprietor of "militarycorruption.com" that make me wish dueling were still legal.

[metesky]

Dueling bump.

[Poohbah]

I actually read some of the pieces on the site. If I were named in one of his articles, I'd call him out in about a nanosecond.

[Old Sarge]

The truth is buried in the text:

Army policy discourages idle Web surfing. Employees are supposed to use the Internet for professional advancement and to gain information to help them do their jobs...

No barracks employees have complained about the blocking...

The command blocked access to the Web site from government work stations because of complaints by Carlisle Barracks employees that this site consists of rumors, unsubstantiated allegations, innuendo and personal name-calling...

This guy has DU written all over him.

[metesky]

Our local morning talk radio up here has the guy on occasionally and they (the meathead hosts) treat him with a lot more respect than I think he deserves.

[South40]

What are they trying to hide?

[Poohbah]

In one article, he accuses one officer of cowardice (he actually accuses the guy of avoiding combat service), moral turpitude, et cetera, all in his smarmy, superior, "I'm Joe Super-Soldier, and everyone who annoys me is a disloyal traitor to America" tone.

It just illustrates the truth of the saying, "Talk is cheap."

[Poohbah]

What's the political persuasion of the meathead hosts, besides "meathead?" :o)

[Old Sarge]

I would concur, FRiend. Needless to say, I will not give this reprobate the Web hit he so desperately wants.

[wimpycat]

That website, and this article, are full of crap. You do not have the right to view whatever you want on government computers on government time. You don't have full 1st amendment rights in the military. Everybody who has ever been in the military knows that.

For that matter, nobody working at a privately owned company has the right to use company computers on company time for personal use. Most people do, but the company is well within its rights to block whatever it wants.

It is most definitely NOT illegal for a military base to ban certain websites from its own computers. It's perfectly legal, and this reporter who trades on his Army Reserve status is blowing smoke out his ass.

[Poohbah]

Well, I did it for you.

One piece is a lengthy article on how this Marine Corps colonel who committed suicide in 1991 really didn't, and how he REALLY didn't misuse Marine Corps C-12 (Beech Super King Air) aircraft (he did). Misuse of those aircraft was so endemic that there was discussion of getting rid of the entire fleet--there were about six "relief for cause" episodes of air station COs/CGs from 1985-1991, all related to using the C-12s for golfing & shopping trips.

[Poohbah]

Amen to that.

[metesky]

We had two conservatives out of Bangor, one really hardcore and the other rather vacuous, until ClearChannel took over, moved the show to Augusta and brought in two new guys.

When they started, one was a clear lib and the other was just muddled in his political thought, all over the map.

After about 2 1/2 years the muddled one now takes strong conservative positions and the screaming lib is about 50/50.

I personally think that neither conversion is sincere and they're just trying to hold up the ratings.

[Old Sarge]

"relief for cause" episodes of air station COs/CGs from 1985-1991, all related to using the C-12s for golfing & shopping trips.

Ya know, I can well believe that. I saw two relief for cause's during my active time, about the same time frame. Use of military transport for personal things was the "dirty lil' secret". They got what was coming.

[Valin]

"The command blocked access to the Web site from government work stations because of complaints by Carlisle Barracks employees that this site consists of rumors, unsubstantiated allegations, innuendo and personal name-calling," Bucher said.

Ah, did he ever think about logging on to this site from his own computer?

[ACombatVet]

If you are as you say serving nobly somewhere, then you are either chosing to ignore that SOLDIERS can make entire careers of avoiding duty in support of real world operations or perhaps you are in reality one of those who has made a career doing so.....There is absolutely nothing wrong with "calling someone out" for this or identifying to the rest of the world that they have done so........Too many fine men and women have died (and continue to do so) in support of real world operations while "no combat" individuals like those cited at militarycorruption.com hide in the rear with the gear.

[ACombatVet]

IF YOU WEREN'T STATIONED AT MCAS EL TORO WHEN THE INCIDENT HAPPENED THEN YOU (1) KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE CASE AND (2) HAVE NO BUSINESS COMMENTING.

I WAS THERE......WERE YOU?

[Old Sarge]

Kitten Chow!

Member since 30 APR 04. Posts to a thread from last year.

Wanna play?

[ACombatVet]

BERFORE YOU COMMENT ABOUT USE OF A GOVERNMENT COMPUTER AND RIGHTS YOU DO OR DO NOT HAVE....CHECK OUT THE ACLU AND THE ELECTRONIC FRONTIER FOUNDATION....

ALSO SIMPLY BECAUSE ONE SERVES IN THE ARMED FORCES DOES NOT DO AWAY WITH ONES CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS NO MATTER WHAT YOU MIGHT LIKE TO BELIEVE