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WhiteHouse.gov Shuts Down Bradley Manning Petition
Last time I talked about We The People, the White House’s official petition tool, it was about the Legalizing Marijuana petition that had passed the 25,000 general signature response required for the official White House response.
Well, this time, they didn’t even allow a petition to get that far. “Free PFC Bradley Manning, the accused WikiLeaks whistleblower” was curtailed at 6,619 signatures and the White House gave their official response early, saying they can’t comment the issue.
OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE RESPONSE TO: Free PFC Bradley Manning, the accused WikiLeaks whistleblower
Why We Can’t Comment on Bradley Manning
Thank you for signing the petition “Free PFC Bradley Manning, the accused WikiLeaks whistleblower.” We appreciate your participation in the We the People platform on WhiteHouse.gov.
The We the People Terms of Participation explain that “the White House may decline to address certain procurement, law enforcement, adjudicatory, or similar matters properly within the jurisdiction of federal departments or agencies, federal courts, or state and local government.” The military justice system is charged with enforcing the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Accordingly, the White House declines to comment on the specific case raised in this petition.
Thanks, Obama administration, for giving the people a transparent forum to direct their requests so you can shut them down due to close-door terms of participation.
Petitioners Call for Resignation of National Drug Control Policy’s Gil Kerlikowske
Gil Kerlikowske: The guy Google image search when you want human analogs of a Bulldog face.
In September 2011 The White House released an online petition tool, We the People, with the supposed goal of helping create a more open forum between the frederal government and the common people. Anyone over the age of 13 can submit a petition for public signatures.
According to NORML, “Legalize and Regulate Marijuana in a Manner Similar to Alcohol” was the most popular petition submitted, garnering 74,169 signatures in a month, which surpassed the current 25,000 signature requirement for an official response.
The White House posted their response this Friday titled “What We Have to Say About Legalizing Marijuana” which said, “Simply put [marijuana] is not a benign drug,” and used language that was essentially a tepid endorsement of The War of Drugs.
NORML posted an extensive and scientifically cited rebuttal to the White House’s response on why National Drug Control Policy’s Gil Kerlikowske’s response was made of poor logic and lies.
The Internet has responded with “Publicly Request the Resignation of Gil Kerlikowske,” which echoes NORML’s rebuttal post points and ends succinctly with:
We demand the resignation of Gil Kerlikowske; and the legalization of marijuana.
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