A Lesson in Freedom of Speech

An absolutely appalling and shocking story has been brought to my attention. I had to post about it here. I hope you will all read the following. This is the actual text that can be found at FOXNews.com

Web Site Kicks Sand in Faces of GIs in Iraq Asking for Mats to Ease Hardship of Sleeping on Ground

An American GI assigned to one of the harshest posts in Iraq had a simple request last week for a Wisconsin mattress company: send some floor mats to help ease the hardship of sleeping on the cold, bug-infested ground.

What he got, instead, was a swift kick from the company's Web site, which not only refused the request but added insult to injury with the admonition, "If you were sensible, you and your troops would pull out of Iraq."

Army Sgt. Jason Hess, stationed in Taji, Iraq, with the 1st Cavalry Division, said he emailed his request to Discount-mats.com because he and his fellow soldiers sleep on the cold ground, which contains sand mites, sand flies and other disease carriers.

In his email, dated Jan. 16, 2007, he asked the Web-based company, registered to Faisal Khetani, an American Muslim of Pakistani descent:

"Do you ship to APO (military) addresses? I'm in the 1st Cavalry Division stationed in Iraq and we are trying to order some mats but we are looking for ships to APO first."

On the same day, Hess received this reply:

"SGT Hess,

We do not ship to APO addresses, and even if we did, we would NEVER ship to Iraq. If you were sensible, you and your troops would pull out of Iraq.

Bargain Suppliers
Discount-Mats.com"

Khetani on Monday told FOX News that the person responsible for the email reply had been fired. The Web site, meanwhile, has been temporarily taken down.

Hess emailed that he has since found two mat suppliers willing to ship to an APO address in Iraq.

Out of one of the local papers in that area, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, I have also found the following information:

E-mail to soldier spurs outrage

Military supporters bombard West Allis company with messages; fears for safety arise

By ANNYSA JOHNSON
anjohnson@journalsentinel.com

Posted: Jan. 22, 2007

What began as a brief e-mail exchange between a U.S. soldier in Iraq and a Wisconsin-based online retailer has erupted into an international incident that has pitted military supporters against free speech advocates and threatens to shut down the local company.

Bargain Suppliers of West Allis said its discount-mats.com Web site had to be taken down Monday to address the thousands of e-mails it's received since news of the exchange - in which an employee voiced opposition to the war in Iraq - began circulating on the Internet last week.

Vice president Sajid Nasir said the employee is being "held accountable." But he said the incendiary and threatening nature of some of the e-mails - and voicemails left at the West Allis home that co-owner Faisal Khetani shares with his parents - have shaken the family.

"It's really getting out of control," said Nasir, who described the messages as "angry and vulgar."

"Our main concern is for the safety of the family. That's more important than the business," he said.

Repeated attempts to reach the Khetanis were unsuccessful.

The controversy exploded last week when a soldier, identifying himself as Sgt. Jason Hess of the Army's 1st Cavalry Division, sent an e-mail to discount-mats.com asking if it ships to military addresses.

Someone on the other end answered no, but went on to add that "even if we did, we would NEVER ship to Iraq. If you were sensible, you and your troops would pull out of Iraq."

A handful of Hess' friends got wind of the exchange, and soon it was ricocheting around the Internet - first on the Web site snopes.com, then on conservative and military forums and blogs - and has since made its way to talk radio.

Military supporters were outraged, calling it disrespectful and urging one another to flood the company with e-mails and calls.

Several posted Khetani's name, telephone number and address, which is also the business address, though Nasir insists it's for mailing purposes only.

Many of the messages invoked anti-Middle Eastern or anti-Muslim sentiment. (Khetani is Muslim, Nasir said.) Others vowed to shut the company down, and a few suggested they might make a personal visit.

"I think it's disgraceful," said Sgt. Maj. Dennis Webster, executive director of the First Cavalry Association in Copperas Cove, Texas, who learned of the e-mail exchange from a reporter.

"He's certainly entitled to his opinion. That's what soldiers defend," Webster said. "But there's a matter of respect. A young soldier isn't making those decisions. He's following orders."

Eduardo Briones, a Milwaukee native and retired Army sergeant who lives in Colorado Springs, Colo., said: "All he needed to say was no."

"I personally think we screwed up in the war, but that's not the fault of the soldiers. That's the fault of the politicians," he said.

Anti-war and free speech advocates were equally offended, by the widespread criticism of the company and the individual who responded to the soldier.

"This is a matter of free speech," said Julie Enslow, an organizer with Peace Action Wisconsin in Milwaukee. "It is totally irresponsible for radio stations and bloggers to attack a person for his personal political views."

Othman Atta, president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, said he would fault the worker for his lack of tact but defended his right to speak his mind.

"If you look at the polls, his opinion is reflected by a majority of Americans now," Atta said. "In the United States, everyone one is free to speak their opinion."

Atta appeared concerned that the controversy might fuel anti-Muslim and anti-Middle Eastern sentiment.

"Some people will look for any excuse to target people from the Middle East," he said.

A person identifying himself as Hess, who was reached via a military e-mail address, has agreed to an online interview but has yet to respond to a list of questions.

West Allis police said Monday that they were aware of the controversy.

"We're monitoring the situation, in case somebody decides to retaliate," Capt. Tom Kukowski said.

"But we're hoping people use good judgment."

Just for those of who have an interest you can feel free to avoid them at all costs by not going to:

The above logo is owned by Discount-mats.com by the way, and I have made it a click-able link to their site which is not operational at this time.

You can also email them at: contact@discount-mats.com

I myself will be sending them a letter condemning what was done to SGT Hess, and will also be thanking them for addressing the individual responsible. I also feel for this individual's safety. I, unlike many, have a bit more self-restraint when irked as sorely as I was when I read the response by the Discount-Mats.com employee.

I am a firm believer that even when a war is not something you agree with, when your country is at war you support your troops. I also believe you never use your right of free speech to attack those that are defending your rights. It simply doesn't make much sense. To make matters worse, you don't use your freedom of speech in any way on the company email. You do that on your own time.

When excersizing your freedom of speech, always do so with the knowledge that although you are free to do so, there are always consequences. The consequences could be good or bad, but there are always consequences. If you doubt this statement, contact the Dixie Chicks. They are still suffering for excersizing their freedom of speech. You may have the right to say, or write anything you wish, but other's have a right to not read it, speak back out against it, or boycott anything and everything you are tied too.