For an old retired dude like me, Facebook has been a real blessing. One of the things I like best about FB is being able to see what my brothers and sisters-in-arms are up to – how their careers are progressing, how their families are growing, particularly if I played some small role in their development and/or lives. In many ways, for my wife Marcie and I, FB has been a fantastic way to mitigate what retirement from the military represents – an abrupt end to close membership in a great community, and, hopefully, a successful integration into a new one.
One thing I have not enjoyed on FB, however, are statements, posted or shared by active duty personnel, that are disrespectful towards the President of the United States. I could name several examples, but the posts starting with “Clown Obama…” were particularly disturbing, or the celebratory forwarding of posts showing some idiot rodeo clown wearing an Obama face mask. I cringe when I see them generally, and most specifically when I played a role in that person’s pre-commissioning training or later professional development. Here’s why:
You might want to interrupt here with a “Wait a minute, you pontificating jerk, my speech is protected by the Constitution – plus you can delete me on FB if you don’t like it!” Fair enough, but hear me out at least ok?
Most active duty folks know, at least in the abstract, that there are limits on free speech for military personnel. There are punitive articles in the Uniformed Code of Military Justice that proscribe both political speech and criticism of certain public officials, including the President. So when Marine Sgt Stein created a military Tea Party page, clearly identifying himself as a Marine and openly criticizing the President, well, Ray Charles could see he was going to get schwacked. I guess everyone but Sgt Stein saw that one coming.
But active duty folks also understand that they enjoy the same freedom of speech as any other American in their private capacity as citizens. You can express political views, you can criticize U.S. foreign policy, you can even vote democrat (though I’m guessing not), as long as you do so in your private capacity as Claude Hopper, not Claude R. Hopper, 1Lt, USAF.
So why the beef with FB posts? After all, nobody puts their rank and service as part of their name on FB right? So here is the root of my problem: Every one of your FB peeps knows you are serving as an active duty military member. If they didn’t, the posts showing your promotion ceremonies, or wedding(s), or Veteran’s Day profile pic changes would clue them in. To me, those two personas are merged in the minds of your “readers.” They don’t make any distinction between the two, because, IMHO, a Soldier, a Marine, a Sailor, or an Airman is who you are to them.
Is it illegal to post or share a picture of “Clown Obama” on your FB page if you are active duty military? I doubt it. But I’m not taking this stance because I think people who post these things are criminal, I’m posting this because I think they are using poor judgement. It also demonstrates a lack of appreciation for the historical context of America’s relationship with a standing military since the founding of the Republic, a relationship founded on deep distrust of standing armies and firm civilian control over the military.
Professional military members, especially after the Civil War, took great care to observe political neutrality. General George C. Marshall, WWII Army Chief of Staff and later Secretary of State, went to the extreme to demonstrate this, declining even to vote in elections. I assume General Colin Powell had/has conservative leanings, but not from anything I ever heard him say while he served as our Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Watch the Joint Chiefs during the next State of the Union address. Watch when they applaud, when they do not. Studied neutrality.
Maybe I take this too far, too personally. I mean, I’m retired, I can say whatever the hell I like, forward whatever post strikes my fancy. But you might notice that I don’t forward posts like the those I described earlier. People still call me “Colonel” or “Sir” sometimes, and it reminds me I should still try to set a positive example. They knew me, and maybe still know me, in that role. I do vote in elections, and I have political opinions, but you won’t hear me speak with disrespect about our (elected) President personally. Ever.
Now Congress on the other hand…
Well said Jeff!
I think you should shut the eff up Colonel! No one cares what you think! BLINDLY following a community organizer turned POTUS doesn’t strike my fancy as a military member. Soldiers SHOULD have an opinion about their elected officials who may issue unlawful orders at some point.
FB is merely an extension of their personal life and in no way represents them professionally. I feel I am part of the Gestapo in Nazi Germany with people like you publishing articles like this. Hitler’s officers didn’t speak up when they should have (and look how that turned out). Just leave people alone and let them be. When public critisism occurs while in official capacity/uniform, you’ve got a point. However, your point is no different than telling a soldier he can’t speak out against the POTUS while having dinner with friends in his own home. His friends know he’s military…just as his FB friends would. How is this any different?? People’s FB presence is as limited as one wishes and, assuming it’s not public information…leave it alone. I would never have someone like you as a FB friend…you’re what every sensible member of the miltary refers to as a tool! Not to be trusted.
Dear “Clown Obama,”
I was not sure how to respond to this post. Some of my military colleagues thought I should just ignore it, others suggested you need some serious SNCO counseling. I don’t disagree with them on that, but in between your defense of free speech by telling me to “shut the eff up” and calling me names at the end, you do make a point that is interesting. A conversation between friends at dinner is the same thing, in terms of free speech, as having one on FB. FB, and other social media like blogs, are, in your opinion, private because you can control who sees them.
Fair enough, but consider this – you probably saw my blog via FB, on which, as you point out, we are not “friends,” but probably a friend of a friend of a friend. So actually, when you post on a blog like this, there are a whole bunch of folks who see it you don’t know at all, and there are about to be a bunch more when I publish this. Now I am FAR from a computer expert, but I can see easily that you posted this comment under the alias “Clown Obama” from a government computer on a Navy/Marine server located in Florida. Naughty naughty. BTW – your IP address is listed too, the one right where you sit at work. So much for anonymity on the internet. Hard to argue you are acting in a private capacity when you post at work.
Don’t get me wrong. I would like to engage over this issue and any others with you, though I don’t guess you’ll subscribe to my blog. I’d just like to disagree civilly and with mutual respect. I served 32 years, enlisted and as an officer. I was a commanding officer seven times. So, though you may disagree with me, I think my perspective is worth something.
Finally, a comment on your historical references to Hitler. It is tiresome to hear “if only someone stood up to Hitler…” Several of his senior officers did. They were allowed to resign early in the Third Reich, the later ones were not so fortunate. But they were not raising moral objections to conquest or the holocaust, they objected because Germany was not ready militarily to occupy the Rhineland, the Anschluss in Austria, or the seizing of Czech territory. Germans actually voted many times on Hitler’s seizure of more power and acts of aggression. They voted “Ja!” The group of officers who later tried to kill him did so because he was ruining Germany by losing the war, not because they objected to conquest or the suppression of minority groups. Also, I think you mean you feel like you were victimized by the Gestapo, not in it, right? They were the bad guys.
Seriously? The point is that it doesn’t matter what your beliefs or feelings are, the President’s position should still be respected, especially when you are in the military. But clearly you know nothing about respect as you tell a retired Colonel to “shut the eff up” for sharing an opinion on a personal blog. As a military member the President is essentially your BOSS. You don’t have to respect their beliefs or even them as a person but you have to respect their position. Also you could broadcast you views in a more intelligent way instead of disrespectful, STUPID personal attacks on the president on Facebook. Just because you have the right does not mean it’s the right thing to do. Are you promoting anything productively? No. Are you changing anyone’s mind? No. You just look like an idiot. Promote what you believe in instead of bashing what you don’t.
@ Clown Obama,
You make some interesting points (although very rudely). While I am not a lawyer to any degree, I have taken first amendment law classes (the joy of having a degree in journalism). Let me inform that a dinner conversation in your home with your friends is drastically different than a post on Facebook. The privacy of your own home does not extend to Facebook. Facebook is a company. It has share holders. It owns the content that YOU post on it. While Facebook is restricted by what they can do with the content YOU gave them, they still own that information. It is on their servers, forever. It is similar to the emails that you send from that government computer, that rides a Navy/Marine network in Florida. The government owns those emails, even if you wrote them. So your argument regarding the privacy of Facebook among is invalid. But I guess they don’t teach that at clown school.
As on of my former CC that I have had the pleasure of working under, I find your opinion SPOT ON!! If you don’t like the POTUS ( your boss) finish your commission/enlistment and find a new job/boss. As for Clown Obama, man you have to be either the most ignorant service member or just that retarded to seed that message to my Col from a gov’t computer. I hope your command squares you away!!!
What Articles of the UCMJ forbid Enlisted from posting electronic text on a web page in opposition of POTUS policies? I’m unable to find it. Any help? I have some subordinates who are looking for that, and made me look sub-par for not being able to find it anywhere within. I would try base legal, but that’s a touchy subject.
Oh…what’s your thoughts on some one openly wearing a “Black Panther Party” t-shirt to the MPF?
JS Fighter, I did not argue that enlisted personnel could not post opposition to POTUS policies on their FB page or wherever, as long as they did so in their private capacity, and not as a military member. What I objected to was people sitting at a government computer writing disparaging comments about the President (Like “Clown Obama”) on a FB page they mistakenly think is “private.” There was a Marine named Stein who was given an other than honorable conditions discharge recently for doing just that. As to the UCMJ articles, Article 88 for officers would apply, as well as Art 92 and good ‘ol Art 134 for enlisted. The Black Panther T-shirt is a no-go in my opinion, for the same reason a T-shirt with a big Confederate flag on it is a no-go. The meaning may be benign for the wearer (they admire BP or miss Dixie), but they know damn well some folks who see either will be offended. That’s just my opinion. If you can’t talk to the JAG try the Area Defense Council. Not to mention your 1ST Sgt – they love questions like that! ha ha.
Thanks for the clarification. I agree. I found Art 88, but it seemed more for commissioned personnel. Wasn’t sure how the others would apply at the time. I agree with ensuring you use your own private means and ensure you clarify its your thought/opinion only. I tell my subs to use best judgement with FB posts.
As far as the BP shirt, I thought the same thing. From what I have been told, the BP is not a “hate group” so it is allowed to be worn on base/ in base facilities. I’m still trying to figure out how it’s mot a hate group, but what ever I guess. Thanks for the thoughts/direction.