MySpace.com....make friends! Connect! ENLIST!?!?!?

[Bluebear]

KANEOHE, Hawaii -- Teens looking to hook up with a friend on the popular Web community MySpace may bump into an unexpected buddy: the U.S. Marine Corps.

So far, over 12,000 Web surfers have signed on as friends of the Corps in response to the latest military recruiting tactic. Other military branches may follow.

MySpace.Com, the Internet's most popular social networking site with over 94 million registered users, has helped redefine the way a generation communicates. Users, many in their teens and 20s, post personal profiles and accumulate lists of friends and contacts with common interests.

The Marine Corps MySpace profile - featuring streaming video of barking drill sergeants, fresh recruits enduring boot camp and Marines storming beaches - underscores the growing importance of the Internet to advertisers as a medium for reaching America's youth.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/1700AP_Marines_MySpace.html

[BlueEyedSon]

1. Another Murdoch media outlet, BTW

[Bluebear]

2. Quelle surprise. nt

[jseankil]

3. Directly targeting children, there should be a law against this. /nm

nm

[Raster]

5. of course they are directly targeting children. In a war-based economy,

children are considered raw materials or true human resources.

War is a great business. Invest a child.

[orleans]

16. soliciting kids for sex: bad

soliciting kids for murder: good

(and you're right. there should be a law against *both* instead of just one)

[Horse with no Name]

4. I guess they aren't REALLY trying to stop ALL the predators

are they? Perhaps that's why they are cracking down on adults in myspace--so they can have clear shots at all of the fresh fodder without any pesky adults around.

[Gman]

6. You're right. They all want to screw the underaged

any way they can.

[rocktivity]

7. Steve Morse with the Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors

is critical of recruiters using MySpace profiles. But Morse said they don't surprise him because the Iraq war has forced the military to search "under every bush" for recruits.

Good point--maybe they'd have more credibility if they started with Barb and Jenna Jr.

:evilgrin:
rocknation

[Swamp Rat]

23. As in Dixie Dregs?

:headbang:

[light catcher]

8. something really interesting is happening on mySpace

about 200 people have put flickering candles on their profile picture in a "mySpace Vigil for Peace in the Middle East." It's fascinating to see the reactions to this simple, peaceful thought. There's a lot of hate out there. Only 200 people are thinking of peace, while the Marine Corps has 12,000 "friends." The goal is to have 1 million candles for peace (in an effort to generate media attention) but I have my doubts that the goal will be reached. Sad.

[Bluebear]

9. Welcome to DU, light catcher

[arcos]

10. Do you have a link so we can add candles to our profiles?

Is it a group?

Welcome to DU btw!

[light catcher]

11. myspace.com/peacecandle

Join us! Thanks!

[light catcher]

12. group link

groups.myspace.com/peacecandles

[AlphaCentauri]

13. Here is a peace candle

[light catcher]

14. people are posting hateful responses to the peace candle

it's quite disheartening. Such an insignifignant gesture is met with such violent hate. scary.

[newyawker99]

26. Hi light catcher!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

15. Makes Sense. They Have To Keep Up With The Times Like Anyone Else.

The internet, and myspace in this case, is an expected way to do that. We do need a military, after all.

I never did quite understand the animosity of some at anything and everything our armed services do to recruit. We need our armed forces, and we need people to enlist. So the Marines have a myspace page. So? Good for them. It's not like they're forcing people to call themselves 'friends'.

[light catcher]

17. I have a lot of respect for those serving in the armed forces

That's not what it's about. We can have a strong military and a world with out war. The two are not mutually exclusive. I think the goal is to make people think about the possibilities and to start a converstion about peace.

I am interested in conversing with the millennial generation in order to understand their thoughts on current world affairs. After all, if there is a draft, they will be the ones to serve.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

18. No Idea What The Relevance Of Your Post Is, In Relation To Mine.

Though I don't disagree with your post, and think it is of sound mind, I still have no idea how it in any way applies to what I wrote.

My post was solely about not understanding why there would be an outcry because the Marines had a 'MySpace' page. It had nothing to do with condoning war or not wholeheartedly supporting peace, which I do.

On edit: Welcome to DU!!!

:toast:

[light catcher]

20. I don't have a problem with recruiting on mySpace

It's an excellent way to reach new recruits and for former and current marines to correspond with their friends and family. Noone is forced to be a friend. You choose your friends on mySpace. If soeone doesn't want to join the marines they can delete the messages - no harm done :-)

on edit - spelling

[Bluebear]

25. I'm sure you didn't read the article before being contrarian yet again...

But Morse said they don't surprise him because the Iraq war has forced the military to search "under every bush" for recruits.

"It's kind of obnoxious of them to be using something that's sort of like a youth domain, to kind of come in and really sucker youth into something they're not really explaining fully," Morse said.

====

Now you can understand the "animosity of some". Maybe.

[cynatnite]

19. I said something about Murdoch owning myspace some time ago...

I got slammed by some here at DU because I think myspace is dangerous. Murdoch was one of the reasons why I will never trust myspace.

This should be a warning to all who use myspace.

myspace = murdoch = faux news = bush

[light catcher]

21. yeah and the NSA is reading my posts

but I stay in touch with my peeps from college, meet my neighbors, reconnect with former coworkers and generally have fun participating in the pop culture of it all.

[cynatnite]

22. Your choice...

I won't trust it and this article gives me more reason not to. My kids are not allowed to have an account with them. The site is blocked on the home computers.

BTW, welcome to DU :hi:

[light catcher]

24. Thanks!

You guys are wonderful! I've read DU every day for over a year and this is my first post (I'm shy). Thanks for making me feel so welcome.

Peace to all!