Sunday, November 20, 2005

Milblogger's dilemna: Freedom of speech isn't free when vandals and hackers trash a pro-troop blog

Two Illinois bloggers, Mr. Right of In the Right Place and Jake at Freedom Folks alerted me to the plight of Mili-blogger A Female Soldier 2.

Anti-war hackers and trolls have bombarded her site.

This is what A Female Soldier 2 has to say, in an excerpt:

I wish to express my congratulations to the hackers, vandals, and anti-war visitors who successfully blocked my ability to post any further tributes to the soldiers. I am sure you find victory in preventing myself and others from having a place to read and pay our respects to the Fallen Female Soldiers, and my brother’s in arms, the brave soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division. I can only imagine your satisfaction in justifying the disgrace of men and women who died for this country. You may not feel it was justified, but they gave their lives believing in what they were doing. Apparently freedom of speech is merely a phrase to you, not something you believe, in unless it applies to you. If you do not share the person’s view you justify your actions in removing the ability for them to express their opinions. In doing so, you have only displayed to me that your cause is unjust, and strengthen my resolve and beliefs in what we are doing here. You have dishonored those who did believe in something, and toke away my right to mourn their memories. These were men and women who actually took a stand in what they believed in, sacrificed their time with their families, and put themselves in danger simply because they believed in something. So to support your beliefs what have you done? Oh, that is right, you took away my freedom to pay tribute and mourn my fellow soldiers.

Not everyone agrees with our nation's Iraq policy. But in the pursuit of their version of "free speech," the hackers and trolls should hold their heads in shame.

Technorati tags:

No comments: