Editor,<\/p>\n
I find myself writing another letter to our community newspaper. No, Im not mad, angry, nor riding a high horse pushing a candidate for elective public office. Believe it or not, it is because of a small, square white sticker tag attached to front of my Saturday newspaper.<\/p>\n
For simplicity, Ill refer to it as the civility tag. Yes, a call for civility in the wild, one could say. That being wilderness of discontent we find ourselves in today, I presume. Asking for or suggesting the signing of a civility pledge of a local group promoting civility.<\/p>\n
Yes, I believe the tag, as well as the group, are well intentioned.<\/p>\n
Freedom of speech, as granted in our Constitution with few if any restrictions on ways of expression, does not include civility as a stipulation or requirement. Civility is an ambiguous term anyway. Meaningful in different ways to different folks.<\/p>\n
Speaking for myself, I found it to be a Trojan horse of censorship.<\/p>\n
This time of discontent we find ourselves in a period of history in the making and, I believe, most exercises of our inherited freedoms have been reasonably presented.<\/p>\n
I understand others may disagree, but there is the value in freedom of speech, discussion and debate.<\/p>\n
Thomas Strang<\/p>\n
Coupeville <\/p>\n
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See the original post here: <\/p>\n
Letter: 'Civility' is not mentioned in the First Amendment - Whidbey News-Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Editor, I find myself writing another letter to our community newspaper. Continue reading