On Sun, 25 Jan 2004 05:06:15 GMT, "Greg D. Moore \(Strider\)"
wrote:


"Mary Shafer" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 24 Jan 2004 22:16:02 GMT, "Greg D. Moore \(Strider\)"
wrote:

Gag orders can only be issued by a court. NASA is part of the
executive
branch.

Eerr, yes and no.

An employer can make confidentiality part of their employment contract.
There's things about my company I can't discuss in public. That's
effectively a gag order.

Err, yes and no.

Companies can restrict your speech just because they feel like it.
The government can't; that pesky First Amendment means that they have
to have a reason to keep a civil servant (or military member, come to
think of it) from discussing things publicly.

They can't even keep the civil servants from identifying themselves as
civil servants, although they can keep folks from claiming to speak
for the government or the agency. If the material isn't classified or
otherwise formally restricted, the troops can say whatever they want
without fear of official retribution. And they'll have a nice case
for grieving unofficial retribution.

Umm, Mary, that's really basically saying the same thing. I.e. if I apply
for a job with classification, I'm agreeing to have my rights restricted.
And as you're state, a civil servant can't necessarily speak on behalf of
their agency.

Not on behalf, but certainly about. Your company can prohibit you
from even mentioning anything as minor as that you work there, should
it wish. The government can't do that without going through the hoops
of classifying or otherwise limiting distribution, processes which
require justification. The default is unclassified and unlimited

Of course, just because the government couldn't stop me from talking
didn't mean that I had to tell all. But that decision is mine alone
and not the government's.

Mary

--
Mary Shafer Retired aerospace research engineer