Milblogs Silent Today

Army Master Sgt. C. J. Grisham has always led from the front, from combat that earned him the Bronze Star with V device, to doing right by the men he led. His honesty won him readership and respect, from the White House on down. Yet, when he stood up for his children in school, his command did not stand by him. You can read more at Military Times to get the full story.
Please donate via PayPal; or you can log into PayPal on your own, go to the send money page, and put in his email: dj_chcknhawk -at- yahoo -dot- com; or, you can send donations directly to:

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.

Commentary

From my personal point of view, as an educator myself, the idea of contacting the employer of a parent over a policy disagreement or because I felt "threatened" is highly unprofessional. Policy disagreements should be restricted to the school system and the parent, and if the disagreement cannot be satisfactorily resolved, the court system should be involved. NEVER the parents' employer. If someone at the school truly feels threatened, contact campus security or local law enforcement. The parents' employer should have NOTHING to do with this. In CJ's case, school district personnel have overstepped the boundaries of ethical, professional behavior. The reason, IMO, they contacted his employer - the United States Army - is because they KNEW it would cause problems for CJ. I am disappointed beyond words that CJ's Chain of Command did not back CJ up on this issue. CJ acting as a parent - even if he had actually threatened someone, which he did not - has NOTHING to do with the Army.

As far as donating, I don't have deep pockets from which to spare vast sums of money. I'm sure many of us are in that same boat. However, I'm sure I'll be able to spare $5 or so from time to time. That will just be one less trip through the drive-thru. So, I would ask, even if money is tight, anything will help. This fight against the school district won't be over soon, I'm guessing. I'll be able to handle smaller amounts over time. I will be doing it because I believe in CJ, and I believe he is doing the right thing with regard to the school district.

As for the Army, I hope SOMEONE will come to their senses and put an end to the hell CJ and his family have been going through in regard to damaging an impressive career. We need more people like CJ in the Army, and telling its story from the Soldier's Perspective, not fewer. CJ needs to have the freedom to continue blogging, and sharing the unvarnished truth. CJ's smart enough to know what shouldn't be general public knowledge. The Army should trust him to do on this - he gets the fact that sharing certain information publicly can get good people killed unnecessarily. There's a reason he's been invited - as a milblogger - to the White House both under Bush and Obama. There is no legitimate excuse the Army could provide to justify losing his voice. The Army needs to stand behind a soldier like CJ, not punish him. From where I sit, CJ hasn't done anything to deserve the treatment he's received from the Army in recent months.

If you are so inclined, you can join the Pitchfork Brigade on CJ's behalf. Or, since this issue is larger than just CJ and his blog (other blogs have gone silent, gone away, or self-censored their content based on taking flack from various chains of command), consider writing your own representatives. Find out where to contact your Senator or Representative on this issue. Milblogs provide an invaluable service to us, the American public. They provided "ground truth", and the positive stories coming from Iraq and Afghanistan that are sorely lacking in most mainstream media outlets. We cannot allow them to disappear because some in the military do not understand, do not want to deal with, or are downright hostile towards, milblogs.

Updated 6:38pm

Participating blogs:

A Soldier's Perspective
You Served
Bouhammer
The American Legion
Laughing Wolf
Hugh Hewitt
This Ain't Hell
Castle Argghhh
Boston Maggie
Blackfive
Miss Ladybug
Hooah Wife
Kiss My Gumbo
Some Soldiers Mom
Assoluta Tranquillita
Knee Deep in the Hooah
Soldiers' Angel New York
Drunken Wisdom
Grim's Hall
From my position
CDR Salamander
Confederate Yankee
Chromed Curses
Homefront Six
Pvt Murphey's Law
Delta Bravo Sierra
The Sniper
Another Voice
Support your Local Gunfighter
Knottie' s Niche
Great Reader JihadGene
America's North Shore Journal
Righty in a Lefty State
Thunder Run
Gazing at the Flag
Neptunus Lex
Soldiers Angels Germany
Bring the heat, bring the stupid
Little Drops..... Into the pool of life.
The Gun Line
Thirdwavedave
In Iraq Now (at 56)
Milblogging.com
Army Houesehold6
From Cow Pastures to Kosovo
Susan Katz Keating
Kitchen Dispatch
Right Wing Right Minded
The Foxhole
The SandGram
My Own Political Party
Registered Evil
Drunken Wisdom
Storm'n Norm'n
OPFOR
Texas Fred
No Runny Eggs
Keep My Soldier Safe
FlashPoint
Asymmetric Military
The Army of Dude
LTC John - Miserable Donuts
The Mudville Gazette

Covering the story:

Army Times
Air Force Times
Marine Times
Navy Times
Military Times
The AtlanticWire
Muncie Free Press
Flopping Aces
Small Dead Animals
Navy Experience
The Pink Flamingo
World Net Daily
CNN IReport
Michelle Malkin
Instapundit
Bookworm Room
National Review's The Corner
Ace of Spades
Jawa Report
Winds of Change
Cao's Blog
Free Republic
United Conservatives of Virginia
Miss Beth's Victory Dance
Wake up America
Dr. Melissa Clouthier
Villainous Company
The Washington Independent
In the Crosshairs