By Here is an article in the Army Times that shows how the US Marines cracked down on a guy that had a Tea Party webpage:
After a brief disruption, a politically charged Facebook page is back in the hands of the California-based Marine who started it three weeks ago.
Sgt. Gary Stein, a meteorologist with 1st Intelligence Battalion at Camp Pendleton, Calif., formed the “Armed Forces Tea Party Patriots” on the popular social networking site as a way to offer service members a nonpartisan forum to speak out on issues that are important to them. The group is part of a growing grassroots movement comprising conservative, middle-class taxpayers who oppose President Obama’s fiscal policies.
Stein shut down the page, which already had more than 400 fans, on Tuesday and canceled a scheduled interview with MSNBC’s Chris Matthews after his supervisors voiced concern that he may be violating a Pentagon policy prohibiting service members from participating in partisan politics while in uniform.
Though he will once again be moderating the Facebook page’s discussions and posting links there, Stein says he intends to make it clear the site is not endorsed by the military nor the federal government.
“I will still post links, but I will do it in the highest regard and respect of Marine Corps orders and DoD directives,” he said in a telephone interview Wednesday evening. [Army Times]
This guy’s Facebook page is shut down due to partisan political activity, but this is what the Pentagon policy states:
Military personnel must not actively advocate supremacist doctrine, ideology, or
causes, including those that advance, encourage, or advocate illegal discrimination based
on race, creed, color, sex, religion, ethnicity, or national origin or that advance,
encourage, or advocate the use of force, violence, or criminal activity or otherwise
advance efforts to deprive individuals of their civil rights.
The Pentagon policy says nothing about partisan politics, which is probably why the Marines had to back off. I remember when I was in a unit where we had an E-7 that was the President of the local black Democrats organization who was a huge supporter of the then Senator Barack Obama who was running for President. This is something he did on his own time, but could you imagine the uproar if someone tried to shut him down because of partisan political activity?
10:22 am on April 15th, 2010 1
Military personnel must not actively advocate supremacist doctrine, ideology(can't pick a side)=partisan politics
11:10 am on April 15th, 2010 2
Another Strawman.
GI Korea, your words, "the US Marines cracked down on a guy." The words in the article, "his supervisors voiced concern that he may be violating a Pentagon policy." Nobody threatened him or ordered him to shut down his blog. He did so by his own choice. He may even be within his rights to be interviewed on television and stating his opinions and objections.
Everybody is treading lightly because of uncertainties and implications with the use of new information media. Military commanders are just making sure their people are aware there are boundaries, and where those boundaries are.
Several years ago, the military also cautioned military bloggers writing from forward operating locations about their observations. The military said the intent was to make sure the bloggers were aware of possible Op Sec concerns. I accept that. I think that is reasonable. I didn't see it as "cracking down."
Not everyone has to be a victim of political correctness. If, 5 years ago, a military person wanted to blog about their opposition to enhanced interrogations or warrant-less wiretaps, it would have probably pissed some commanders off, but, under past and current regulations, that would have been within the bloggers rights, unless they crossed the bounds into advocacy or activism.
The same Pentagon Policy indicated above also says:
Most of the statutory provisions set forth in Enclosure 2 are violations of the UCMJ. Sounds reasonable to me.
1:59 pm on April 15th, 2010 3
The very least I would have said to NCIS when they sat across from me at the table in the interview room would have been "pound sand" and then I would have take my experiences to MSNBC and then to FOX then to Lipless Coulter and finally to Fatas Rush. I wouldn't have let them surgically removed my spine as they did the weatherman. The UCMJ is clearly written for interpretation by commanders, but suppressing free speech is certainly a no-no. The weatherman's mistake was associating the ARMED FORCES with the TEA PARTY. That's just stupid and I'm glad NCIS knocked on his door. As a member of the armed forces, I don't want to be affiliated with any political embarrassment.
2:07 pm on April 15th, 2010 4
Before the nabobs start. You can't associate yourself with the armed forces when you voice your opinion. I know a lot of you don't understand this so you should sit in front of the television and watch AFN for at least 1 minute. The commercial will come on where the guy is writing a check to his friend…just listen to what the voice is saying don't become dazzled by the lights and colors.
The bottom line
You can say whatever you want, but you can't associate yourself with the armed forces when you do it.
However, I say whatever I want whenever I want and to whomever I want because I'm an American and I have that right.
You don't believe me then take me to court.
3:53 am on April 16th, 2010 5
I second Lemmy.
One reason US is great is that military (as an institution) largely stays out of politics.
4:25 am on April 16th, 2010 6
The Tea Party? Politics? I like Jeff Martin, but I doubt he’d ever run for office.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Martin_%28Canadian_musician%29
4:26 am on April 16th, 2010 7
4:06 pm on April 16th, 2010 8
The leadership should be thankful that someone in uniform wants to vote for "pro-military" candidates and is willing to spend off time discussing issues that affect active duty soldiers and veterans. It makes us more powerful when we lobby for benefits if we can show voter strength among active duty soldiers and veterans.
But we all know that's not how the leadership thinks.
4:14 pm on April 16th, 2010 9
People who've never been in the military mistakenly assume that all soldiers and veterans vote and only support one party. That's not true. Many soldiers, especially younger ones, do not vote, and they miss out on having their voices heard by those in power. Also, there are probably more conservatives among soldiers and veterans, but there are Democrats and some liberals, too.
Hopefully ALL soldiers and veterans understand that the more active voters we have among us, the better our voices will be heard with elected officials.