[infowar.de] Playmates emailen an US-Soldaten im Einsatz

[Ralf Bendrath <bendrath -! - zedat - fu-berlin - de>]

Infowar.de, http://userpage.fu-berlin.de/~bendrath/liste.html
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Schaut euch zu diesem Thema mal die Redux-Version von "Apocalypse Now"
an - dort wird der Anfang dieser Idee (Playboy-Bunnies tanzen vor
US-Soldaten in Vietnam) mit grandios aufbereitet. RB

Wired News
http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,48549,00.html

Dear Playmate, Say Hi to GI Joe  
By Michael Stroud  

Nov. 21, 2001

It's Hugh Hefner to the rescue.  

The venerable founder and editor-in-chief of Playboy magazine says
Playboy centerfolds will communicate with U.S. troops in an e-mail
campaign. 

"Operation Playmate," which began as a more conventional
letter-writing campaign during the Gulf War, was relaunched because
"many Playmates have asked what they might do to support America's
fighting men and women," Hefner said in a statement.   

A Playboy official said Playmates, assisted by Marines, will answer
e-mail correspondence from active duty personnel. The bunnies will wear
"the traditional bunny costume in military colors, with military
accessories and collars," the official said.  

The Playboy official did not say how Marines will be involved in the
campaign or why Playmates responding to e-mails would need to wear full
bunny regalia.  

The company said in its statement that it decided to restart the
program "in light of the international war on terrorism."  

There's no charge for the service, but each e-mail to Operation
Playmate must include the APO number of the person who will be contacted
by the Playmate. Only active service personnel will be allowed to
participate.  

The e-mails will be responded to "expeditiously" by Playmates
volunteering their services and working in shifts. The responses will
include a message and an autographed photo of the bunny.  

Capt. Joseph Kloppel of Marine Corps Public Affairs in Virginia said
the service has not endorsed the program, a response echoed by an Army
official. Any personnel who use government equipment, facilities or time
for such activities would be in violation of Defense Department
guidelines, Kloppel said.  

Still, "pornography in and of itself is not prohibited for uniformed
personnel as long as it is on their own equipment, on their time and at
their expense," he added. 

He noted that such rights are guaranteed by the First Amendment as
long as they don't involve activities such as distributing child
pornography or participating in the Ku Klux Klan.  

In any case, servicemen stationed near Afghanistan, on ships or other
highly secure locations would find it difficult or impossible,
logistically, to participate in the campaign, Defense Department
officials said.  

Playboy claims that the Gulf War Operation Playmate campaign prompted
Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf to call their effort "a major morale boost for
our troops" and praise the Playmates as "true patriots."  

Playboy said the campaign has it roots in the Vietnam War, when 1966
Playmate of the Year Jo Collins traveled to the combat zone aboard a
helicopter gunship the troops nicknamed "The Playboy Special" on a
"hazardous goodwill mission."  

Operation Playmate will be coordinated by Playboy.com, the online
division of Playboy Enterprises, and Playmate Promotions, the company's
in-house modeling agency.

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