On Sunday, Dec. 5th, the Denver Post had a story about
National Guard members health problems and how they're being treated.
Today, the Denver Post has a story about the Post being denied access to Fort Carson in retaliation.
"We have temporarily suspended relations with The Denver Post as a direct result of Fort Carson not being given fair and balanced treatment in a story that appeared on Dec. 5, 2004," Lt. Col. David Johnson, the chief public affairs officer at the base, said Wednesday evening.
[emphasis mine]
Fair and balanced? That's Bush-speak for "say what we want or else."
"It's our job to investigate issues like these and explain them to our readers, many of whom have family members serving in the military," [Denver Post Editor Greg] Moore added. "We hope Fort Carson officials reconsider their ban of The Denver Post. If they don't, we will appeal to senior military officers at Fort Carson and in Washington, and through any other legal or congressional channels that are available to us."
Johnson said the paper has been dropped from an e-mail list that distributes invitations to cover events and official statements.
A Post reporter was told Tuesday she could not attend a formal deployment ceremony Wednesday even though other media members were invited.
Johnson said the lack of access is not an official ban, but he later said that all Denver Post reporters and editors were - for the time being - no longer welcome at Fort Carson.
But wait! It gets better!
Also last week, The Denver Post obtained an injunction to stop an investigative hearing that had been closed to the public for three Fort Carson soldiers charged with murdering an Iraqi general.
Gee, Fort Carson folks are really sensitive to public scrutiny. The Denver Post did some amazing stories on Abu Ghraib earlier this year too. Not the same wire copy that everyone else had, they did their own reporting.
The email address for the Public Affairs Officer is PAO@carson.army.mil, which I'm assuming will go to Lt. Col. David Johnson who was quoted in this story. Be polite, but let him know what you think of their heavy handed tactics.
To let the Post know you appreciate their efforts to get the truth, let them know it by sending a letter to the editor, openforum@denverpost.com