Perception of CENTCOM Contact Mixed but Positive
It seems the recent flurry of outreach by the PR Folks at CENTCOM to me, and at least 1 other blogger ( As Reported in the 1st comment in this post at Captain's Quarters ) has stirred up opinion from readers as to what it means.
Capt. Ed Sees it as an endorsement of Blogger efforts to support The War Against Terror, and report it in a fair, ballanced, and accurate way.
With his experience dealing with these people, and others, he writes:
I know from our correspondence that Centcom appreciates the support they receive from many people across the blogosphere.
With all the negative stuff from the Mainstream Media, and the Left, I'll bet they do. ;-D
Another Commentor to the post above wrote:
Perhaps I'm a little slow, but I fail to see any endorsement in any of the communications from CENTCOM. You're being written to by a PR guy who's being paid to get his organization's name and story some publicity - no more, no less. Sure he wishes you well in your endeavors - I've been wished the same thing while being given a pink slip.
It's nice to be noticed, certainly, but is it really all that nice?
And (another chapter in my puzzlement at what kind of views get self-labelled as conservative nowadays) does Cap'n Ed and the other Chickenhawks really believe that an endorsement of particular political websites by the nation's military would really be all that great an idea anyway?
Posted by: jiHymas
Nothing wrong with encouraging your supporters, and offering to answer questions, and otherwise help, as appropriate, in getting the word out about success.
As for that last crack about endorsement:
Imagine the uproar on the Left if CENTCOM started sending out Thank You Notes to Bloggers, and websites, who daily make fools of themselves by their innacurate info, AntI-Bush, Anti-Republican Anti-American, Anti-Liberation Effort, Anti-Democracy opinions, and reporting, hateful rants, and other stupidity on just about anything, and everthing, from Culture to Politics, that every day makes them even less relevant to the discussion of the future of this country?
To Whom it May Concern:
Thank you for expressing your views, and showing your true colors for all to see, and understand.
Keep it up, and thus make yourself irrelevant!
Sincerely yours,
A Proud American.
CENTCOM
Someone posted this response to the comment by JiHymas:
Jhymas has a point. It's not an endorsement, it's a request for more exposure.
That's fine with me. As the US military learns new ways to get thier story out, the road block that is the anti war establisment media will be skirted.
If the centcom PR folks have found an avenue that will lead to positive exposure for their activities, well that's great IMHO.
We're in a war and it seems that the legacy media has chosen sides.
Since they are opposed to the war and that clearly impacts their coverage, using alternative methods to carry the story simply makes sense.
Thanks for the clarification JHymas.
Posted by: skip
THE ASYLUM has some more thoughts on this.
As a thank you to SPC C. Flowers I sent him a copy of a poem I wrote last Christmas in honor of the troops, and told him to feel free to share it ( You can spread the word about it, too, if you want ):
By the end of the weekend I hope to add the logo to my sidebar, and make a Blogroll in support of MilBlogs, and some other sites of interest.
With the birth of the 101st Fighting Keyboardists, and the approach of the 2006, and 2008 Elections, it's a good time for it.
***UPDATE - 5/4***
Captain Ed has more relevant thoughts on the subject:
For those who argue that Centcom didn't endorse this in an official way ... well, no kidding. It's hardly a form letter, either. Did anyone notice where SPC Flowers wrote, "I caught your post about the 101st Fighting Keyboardists. Good luck with the project"? That sounds to me like SPC Flowers appreciates this blogospheric effort to support the mission and the troops. He's certainly encouraging us to continue it.
***END UPDATE***
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