I found two disturbing stories this week in the Washington Post.

First, staff writer Karen DeYoung reported in her article “Berlin Rally is Off-Limits for Embassy Workers” that the United States Government instructed Foreign Service personnel stationed in Berlin they could not attend Barack Obama’s public rally on Thursday. And then, foreign service reporter Ernesto Londono disclosed in his article “Silent Posting” the Government forced Lt. Matthew Gallagher to take down his ultra popular blog Kaboom because of an “unvetted” post about the Lieutenant’s dialog with his superior.

Both of these government actions fly in the face of our long-standing basic rights. What’s going on here? Does this smell? Has our Government lost its way?

I think so. Whatever happened to free speech? Why can’t Lt. Gallagher write about his tour of duty in Iraq? Whatever happened to the right to assemble? Why can’t American federal workers attend a political rally on their off-duty time?

It sounds like the Government doesn’t want them to. It sounds like the Government wants to control and censor reports from Iraq. It appears the Government is going to make it as difficult as possible for democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama to become our next President.

I contend my Government is a giant propaganda machine and they are really good at it. These actions prove me correct. Where’s George Orwell when you need him? Who was he being satirical of in “Animal Farm”? The obvious answer is Stalin. But really, it could have been George W. Bush too.

Pierre Cutler
The Sacramento Executive