While reading through some diaries on Daily Kos just now, I happened upon the following diary posted by Congressman Tim Ryan, of Ohio.
MON MAR 26, 2012 AT 12:50 PM MDT
Will the Secretary of Defense Personally Stand Behind Limbaugh?
It seems he's still keeping the heat on the Department of Defense, specifically the Secretary of Defense, to remove shows like Limbaugh's from AFN and ensure his, and others like his, are not subsidized by tax payer dollars. He's even introduced a bill HR 4189 which "would require the Secretary of Defense to come before Congress on an annual basis and verify that the programming on the Armed Forces Television and Radio Networks is in line with the values our armed services are defending, including free speech and civil rights."
Within his entry, he also mentioned the "troubling" statistics of sexual assault in the military, which made me incredibly pleased.
I replied with the following:
Rep Ryan, thank you for keeping the heat up on this topic, and most especially for mentioning the alarming statistics of military sexual assaults. The GAO's own report on sexual harassment, initiated per request by the DOD due to concerns about a possible increase in sexual harassment in the military linked sexual harassment to sexual assault and rape in the military.
As a survivor of military sexual assault and rape, I have recently been attempting to bring awareness of these issues, as well as the issue of the DOD still playing Limbaugh's show on AFN on my own diaries here on Daily Kos. One of my diaries was cross posted on two other on line "papers"; Like The Dew and Archetype In Action.
I have also just completed setting up screenings of "The Invisible War", directed by Kirby Dick, in Albuquerque. Four showings are set with Ariana and Ben Klay, who were featured in the documentary attending as guest speakers.
I'm still working to see if Kirby will be able to attend as well.
My diaries have extensive links to the DOD sexual harassment policies, as well as information on their zero tolerance policy. I also have the GAO Report on Sexual Harassment linked as well. The full pdf can be downloaded from one of the links, and the pdf link is within another diary.
Other links include sexual harassment policies from the Army, Air Force, and Navy.
It is clear the DOD is going against their own policy in this case.
While I will fully agree this type of speech may be considered "free speech" under the First Amendment of the Constitution which I served to protect and defend, and will support within the context of any civilian environment, what must be understood by everyone, including our Secretary of Defense, and our President, is that within the DOD and the military, completely different policies are in place for a reason; the military is a completely different culture. And in accordance with DOD policy, the speech spewed by Limbaugh towards Ms. Fluke for three days constitutes sexual harassment. The DOD policy is clear on this.
And as you have already mentioned, the extensive and pervasive problem of sexual assault and rape hasn't been properly dealt with yet. In condoning the sexual harassing speech peppering AFN, the DOD is complicit by sending a message that sexual harassment is "okay" within the military.
My diaries which support this are:
DOD; Proof of Engaging in, and Condoning Sexual Harassment with AFN
US Army Drops Rush, but Not DOD
Rush V. The Constitution V. Military Policy; They Just Ain't the Same
And my diary on Military Sexual Trauma and The Invisible War which was cross posted is:
I'm a Slut; But as a Military Veteran, I've Known This for Decades
Thank you for your entry and your time.
Rose Weaver
To see a Congressman come forward to assist with this cause is very impressive. What's more, to see a Congressman mention something I've been attempting to bring forward here, the incredibly high number of sexual assaults and rapes within the military, is even more impressive.
Though I thanked him on my blog and in my comment on his diary, I wanted to thank him here, within a diary of my own so the Daily Kos community can see this.
Rep. Tim Ryan, Thank you! You deserve high praise!
Please, anyone with the newest link to the Change.org petition, please provide it so I may add it to this entry. Thank you!