This is so important, I borrowed this from an email message:
I’m writing you with urgency. There’s a very troubling development underway in Washington – a bold attack on your free speech rights directly from the Obama Administration.
A recent White House blog written by the White House Director of New Media states that ”there is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there” both on the web and floating around in chain emails.
The blog continues, ”since we can’t keep track of all of them here at the White House, we’re asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov.”
This is absurd! In a nutshell, the White House is asking Americans to report on their neighbors, family, and friends who disagree with the President’s policy choices on health care.
This new White House reporting program strikes at the heart of the First Amendment and has no place in this important debate about health care.
Make no mistake, this outrageous attack on free speech is designed to stifle public debate about the health care issue – including growing concerns from Americans opposed to making abortion services mandatory health benefits.
Americans have the constitutional right to express their opinion and concerns about health care. This wrong move by the Obama Administration is nothing more than a blatant attempt to intimidate those who have legitimate concerns about the health care plan.
Jay Sekluow
American Center for Law & Justice
(ACLJ)