In October 2001, 25 days after 9/11, I purchased the domain "noarmy.com" as a vehicle to voice my disdain for the prospect of an invasion of Afghanistan and the coupled sloganeering and misrepresentation of military careers by the Army recruitment efforts. Admittedly dragging my feet on posting the content, I built up a humorous set of pages mocking the "goarmy.com" site that suggested a bloodless, diplomatic solution to the issues our country chose to solve with force.
Since then, with over half-a-million troops having served in Iraq and Afghanistan, I buried the domain because of my unwillingness to front an effort that could be perceived as condescending to soldiers, living and dead, and their families. I've received offers approaching 6-figures for the domain from people who seemed to want to do nothing constructive but smear the military, and I held my ground to prevent the domain from falling into the wrong hands.
Now, though, dire financial straits are forcing me to liquidate my expendable assets. Unused domains are the first to go ;). Mind you, I'm not a domain trader. As I say in the auction I'm currently holding, I purchased the domain to protest the build-up of the war in Afghanistan. Since the start of the Iraq war, and knowing families whose sons were lost to the cruel civil war our country illegitimately started, I couldn't bear the brunt of the backlash against a protest that could be perceived as an attack on those whose sense of responsibility led them to death overseas.
That said, the domain is up for sale with a portion (10%) of the proceeds going to UNICEF to benefit those struggling in the Darfur conflict. I'm pricing it specifically at 33% of the appraised value, which is far less than what I've been offered since I purchased it. If you're thinking I'm selling it for personal gain, you're right. I have a child on the way and a leaky roof. I'm hoping, though, that it falls into the hands of someone who can post content that enables would-be soldiers to make informed decisions, and makes a point that might isn't right when it comes to resolving economically-motivated conflicts.
The DailyKos community always does a good job of making a balanced argument on volatile points, and stopping the tide of a heated topic before drawing blood from the downstream victims of national issues. I'm really hoping that someone with this sense of responsibility picks up the domain and puts it to good use. Here's a quote from the text of the auction description:
I'm not a domain trader. I purchased this domain as a protest to the invasion in Afghanistan. Once the war in Iraq started, I couldn't hack the notion of the grieving families with sons/daughters overseas, and the courageous soldiers themselves. Although I cannot mandate what content is posted to the domain, my hope is that it is something constructive with concern for those whose commitment to our nation's military is either a source of pride or out of their control.
If you're interested, or have questions, feel free to contact me via eBay's 'Contact the Seller' mechanism. If the link below is blocked or removed, you can search eBay for "noarmy" and it's the only result (item # 250055439257).
Here's the link: noarmy.com auction