I think I’m starting to see a pattern develop in our political system. And it seems that the proponents of free speech really don’t believe in that at all if something goes against what they believe in.
Locally, we are witnessing what seems to be a repression of a school board member’s speech by a majority of the other school board members. In her open letter to the community, it appears that other people who have questioned the school board’s policies in the past have an innate fear of retaliation by the school board or the superintendent. I can’t personally attest to any of these suppositions, but I’m just repeating it here to continue with this theme.
In science, we take a theory and attempt to prove its truth or disprove it. I think we all remember that from our math classes.
So what I’m starting to hear and witness are similar theories of repression of free speech.
At a national level, we are all witnessing what is supposedly a whistleblower or two who have something to say and everybody on one side wants to hear from them and the other side doesn’t want them to say anything at all.
And at the local level, we have this issue with the school board and one member who in essence is a whistleblower also and is being intimidated by the ruling party.
So if we are going to have this concept of a protected whistleblower in our society, like a Paul Revere of past, we are going to have to give them due process. Now we also have a competing process in our system of law that someone accused of a crime has a right to know who that person accusing them is so that we don’t have unsupported hearsay being used against a person.
So what are we going to do?
Bob Heitel & Charles Drury, Laguna Beach
This seems to be a prevailing issue and unfortunately I think it is taught, this also happens on our next door site of neighbors. I know Dee Perry and she is delightful and a seriously nice person but she has a differing view point and has literally been shut out along with much harassment. She was voted in by the people in this community and I have been told the parents are in fact afraid to speak out on her behalf..this is very scary in this day and age and quite dangerous. I know where this is coming from this censure ship of speech and it has been at work in our society for decades and now we are reaping the benefits..how to fix, for people to see it plain and simple, only till then can we change this horrible injustice.