In response to what the White House calls health care “disinformation,” it has set up a page with the blaring headline “Facts are Stubborn Things” to encourage citizens to snitch on each other. Halfway down the page is a call to action with the e-mail [email protected], where Americans are requested to send in “fishy” e-mails, or rumors spread via “casual conversation.” The effect of this snitch line has been far from what the White House probably expected. Far from soothing the masses, this e-mail has enraged the opposition even more, causing them to retaliate by flooding the White House with tongue-in-cheek letters.One anonymous example sent in clips of President Barack Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaking about health care reform, along with the most up-to-date copy of the actual bill, sarcastically pointing out their juxtaposition as “disinformation.”Opponents and proponents of health care reform alike have every reason to be angered by this call to action. There is evidence [email protected] is infringing on the rights of private citizens, given the nature of two statutes that were crafted to regulate the handling of records and the protection of citizen privacy. These statutes conflict in such a way that the White House’s e-mail address, [email protected], is patently illegal.The first statute is the Presidential Records Act, which prohibits the White House from deleting communications unless they are submitted to the Archivist of the United States, who then deletes them after determining they no longer have administrative, historical, informational or evidentiary value. Despite the outcry, there is no evidence these e-mails have been submitted to the current archivist, Adrienne Thomas, for review.This failure to follow through with purging the e-mails is shocking, especially in light of the Privacy Act of 1974. This statute, formed in response to former President Nixon’s attempt to use federal agencies to illegally investigate individuals for political purposes, prohibits agencies from keeping records of individuals exercising their free speech rights.Obviously, a situation has been created that makes keeping track of tattle-tale e-mails an impossibility.Evidently the administration is in a tight corner. What will they do to resolve this issue legally and peacefully?So far, we have been given only two fuzzy answers that blatantly contradict each other. The first explanation came from a flustered Linda Douglass, the communications director of the Office of Health Reform and the featured speaker on the page containing the controversial e-mail. “We don’t have a list. We’re not keeping any of the sources of information,” Douglass claimed in an interview on CNN.Unfortunately for Douglass, this statement not only violates the terms of the Presidential Records Act, but contradicts the statement made by White House Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton. Though Burton continually denied the White House was compiling an “enemies list,” he was careful to avoid answering whether the e-mails sent in were recorded. After avoiding this direct question four times, he eventually slipped and retorted, “Why would we delete [the e-mails]?” thereby indicating, contrary to Douglass’s statement, that the administration does have these e-mails on record.Which explanation is correct? It’s a troubling question, not only because of the shady legality of this affair, but also because no one is capable of answering a simple yes-or-no question. If a one-word answer is all that is necessary to resolve this problem, then why has a satisfactory explanation yet to emerge?Careful, White House. Facts are stubborn things.Linnie Leavines is a 19-year-old mass communication sophomore from Central City. Follow her on Twitter @TDR_lleavines.– – – -Contact Linnie Leavines at [email protected]