The Right to Free Speech according to Bushco

posted by The Sailor @ 6:12 PM Permalink

In addition to Bill's post below, (which, BTW, I would have titled "Question: What can gag a prostitute? Answer: Bush's Department of Justice" ;-), the Bush regime is also continuing to silence scientists:

Memos Tell Officials How to Discuss Climate

Internal memorandums circulated in the Alaskan division of the Federal Fish and Wildlife Service appear to require government biologists or other employees traveling in countries around the Arctic not to discuss climate change, polar bears or sea ice if they are not designated to do so.

[...]
"Please be advised that all foreign travel requests (SF 1175 requests) and any future travel requests involving or potentially involving climate change, sea ice and/or polar bears will also require a memorandum from the regional director to the director indicating who'll be the official spokesman on the trip and the one responding to questions on these issues, particularly polar bears."

The sample memorandums, described as to be used in writing travel requests, indicate that the employee seeking permission to travel "understands the administration's position on climate change, polar bears, and sea ice and will not be speaking on or responding to these issues."