Obama Berlin Speech: US Foreign Service Workers Instructed Not To Attend

[proud2BlibKansan]

The U.S. Embassy in Berlin has instructed Foreign Service personnel stationed there not to attend Sen. Barack Obama's public rally today, which the State Department this week labeled a "partisan political activity" prohibited under its regulations for those serving overseas.

Government employees serving in the United States are permitted to attend such events under the Hatch Act, which bars other partisan activity, such as contributing money or working in behalf of a candidate...

...The American Foreign Service Association, the union of the diplomatic corps, objected to the ruling, calling it an "unnecessarily narrow interpretation" of the Foreign Affairs Manual. "The fact that you are working for the U.S. government overseas should not preclude political activity that you could engage in in the United States," one retired senior Foreign Service officer said.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/24/obama-berlin-speech-us-fo_n_114752.html

[TomInTib]

1. Watch Rice rescind that order as soon as Obama gets back to the States.

"Upon further consideration....".

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. Every single agency in this government has been politicized,

Lurita Daon presented FREAKIN SLIDE SHOWS on which republicans to donate to in the work place, but agency people cannot ATTEND OBAMA'S speech.

These people cannot be gone soon enough.

[lyonn]

10. Yes, since McCain plans his own trip abroad

How will they get an audience if they exclude those people?

[tridim]

2. So Americans abroad aren't free to do as they please while off the clock?

That's a new one to me.

BTW, Obama's speech wasn't partisan at all. Unless of course peace is now a partisan idea.

[supernova]

7. That's what I thought

How can you "forbid" anyone to do something on their own time in their off hours? :wtf:

I can understand not going to the rally in an "official" capacity, but to just be a private citizen is OK.

[Mz Pip]

3. Watching a speech is

political activity? Well, try as they may to stop it, this speech will be seen by everyone in the free world who has access to a computer or TV.

Deal with it COndi.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. Yes at least they can view it online

[trashcanistanista]

6. Mark my words,

They will all call in sick today and go or go to a bar a watch it. Even the rethugs will go. There will be a lot of empty offices of Foreign Service personnel today.

[Imagevision]

8. -->"US Foreign Service Workers Instructed Not To Attend" now do you get it?

[TreasonousBastard]

9. I'd call it a "criminally narrow interpretation" n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. Can you elaborate on that?

[TreasonousBastard]

13. The American Foreign Service Association is using...

diplospeak calling Rice's order an "unnecesarily narrow interpretation"

"Unwarranted," "unheard of," and "unacceptably" are far more appropriate terms, and "criminally" is only slightly hyperbolic.

[hedgehog]

12. Do you suppose they took attendance?

[BlooInBloo]

14. Keeping Americans unaware of hope is their only chance.