White House responds to Louisiana petition for secession

Fulfilling its promise to respond to any online petition that garners more than 25,000 signatures within 30 days, the White House’s “We The People” website has issued an official response to an effort initiated by a Slidell man to allow Louisiana to “withdraw” from the United States and form a new government. “In a nation of 300 million people—each with their own set of deeply held beliefs—democracy can be noisy and controversial. And that’s a good thing. Free and open debate is what makes this country work, and many people around the world risk their lives every day for the liberties we often take for granted,” reads the official White House response. “But as much as we value a healthy debate, we don’t let that debate tear us apart.” The online petition, which Gov. Bobby Jindal had called “silly” days after it broke the 25,000 signature threshold in mid-November, was one among a number of such calls for secession from states across the country. The complete response, written by Office of Public Engagement Director Jon Carson, can be found here.