Make John Peter Zenger proud!

August 6, 2009

Dear Mr. President,

Is this true?

“There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of personal finances to end of life care. These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation. 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.”

Information that seems fishy? You are really asking people to tattle? Are you giving us more of a view into your parenting than you want to? In my circles of friends this is not acceptable. Tattling is viewed as wimpy, a true weeny child with no backbone. My friends and I are trying to raise children with strong values, and a solid character.

Since when do we try to curtail rumors? Since when do we want to keep track of them? Honestly, there are folks frustrated in the White House because they can not keep track of all the disinformation? Yikes. Mr. President, you can stop all of this. You can stand tall amongst this group of people wasting their time wanting to know what every one is saying about the Health Care Reform that they feel is not true.

I know, I know, you want the truth to be known about the reform. You don't want people to misconstrue what it's really saying. Just remember that truth is truth and truth sets one free. In the end truth remains, rest in that. Don't allow your administration to waste their time in encouraging the american people to engage in one of the most universal, disrespected, anti-american endeavor of tattling.

If this health care reform has any merit it will stand on its own. Why don't you see this "fishy disinformation" as helping you to trouble shoot? You do know there is always another way to look at something. Help your administration to perfect the art of keeping perspective, not in tattling.

I'm hoping you were not aware of this quote. I can't imagine you would have allowed this to be sent. I'm trusting we are not forgetting Freedom of Speech....you are going to do something about this, correct?

Mr. President, you want to encourage our nation to work together. You want the United States to remain united. You have a ways to go in this endeavor, and the first thing you should do is discourage these kinds of memos from coming out of the White House. Tell me you don't have a bunch of adults who were the weeny kids tattling on their brothers and sisters?! Some people never learn.

What I'd like to know is what are you going to do with all the people who disagree with this Health Care Reform? Are you going to do something with them? I'm not clear on why you want "fishy info" sent to the White House.

Here's how I handle these things, I deal with this all the time. I know the information I have communicated either to a class or a group of people or my own six children. Talk about fishy information coming back! You'd think I was speaking in a different language! I don't ask for anyone to keep ears to the ground for this. I ignore it, move on, and when someone wants to come and make a clear logical point about what they didn't like about what I said, I listen.
We are adults, let's act like it.

You are in an awesome position. Please discourage these types of memos in the land of the free. You have had a fair share of history lessons in your lifetime. You've heard of John Peter Zenger? Now that's a man of courage and these are the kind of men the American people love to remember, the ones who are willing to put their money where their mouth is. Refresh your memory of John Peter Zenger and share it with your daughters and tell them to watch you closely as you make strides to keep this nation free while upholding the freedom of speech that came at a price!!!

We must never take our freedom of speech for granted. Our diversity, our differences of opinons are what unite us, don't forget that Mr. President, don't forget that! I am a republican, I have a democratic President. Am I leaving the country? No, because this nation allows for checks and balances, this nation allows for differences. We must revel in this.

God Bless you, Mr. President, in this endeavor. I believe that you will do the right thing. The truth will set you free.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Burkholder