Our way of life in the “Land of the Free” is becoming less free every day; not because people force their wills upon us, but because we sit back passively and allow it to occur. We as a nation achieved greatness through a system of laws and traditions that encouraged independence, responsibility, morality, diversity, and the ability to succeed or fail according to our own accomplishments. The Founding Fathers recognized that to achieve such greatness freedom of speech was absolutely essential. Those who attempt to control or silence our freedom of expression endanger our basic rights as free men and women.

In the past year we have been treated to some pretty lively debates in the Editorial and Letters to the Editor sections of our local newspaper. Battle lines have been drawn. Sides have been chosen.

Many different opinions have been presented as to who is right and who is wrong. I would submit this to those who question who is right and who is wrong in such situations – it is never wrong for either party to express his/her sincerely held beliefs. In our country we are not required or expected to accept or reject one opinion over another. However, if only one opinion is allowed to be expressed with the opposing opinion silenced, we are deprived as a society from making rational and educated decisions. As Walt Lippman so aptly put it, “When all men think alike, no one thinks very much.”

Issues debated in local newspapers are virtually always more heated and personal than those in the major city publications. Why? Because in small town America the readers know the individuals involved in the debate. Consider this, which would cause the most outrage in Fillmore – the Mayor of Des Moines, Iowa being accused of taking a bribe or the Mayor of Fillmore doing the same. Obviously, the closer it gets to home the more personal it becomes.

Does freedom of expression result in bias? It certainly does. Is bias good or bad? One would think that depended on which side of the argument he/she supported at the time. It cuts both ways.

Whether one agrees with the publisher or those who challenge his viewpoints, we are fortunate to have a local newspaper that allows both sides of local issues to be printed. One will not find that occurring to any credible extent in the major newspapers like the LA Times or the Washington Post.

As Americans we have both the right and the obligation to become informed and voice our opinions on issues that determine the terms and conditions of our lives and those of our children. Such rights and obligations include considering both sides of the issues. If we fail to do so we open the door to allowing others to determine the direction and quality of our lives. One needs only to consider the possible consequences associated with the Congress of the United States passing a bill with over a thousand pages of amendments that they didn’t bother to read. That bill, if enacted, will directly and significantly alter the life of every American.

As a freedom loving people we have a moral obligation to stand up and speak out when we determine that certain issues are not in the best interests of society. Mark Twain once stated. “It is curious – curious that physical courage should be so common in the world, and moral courage so rare.”

The Founding Fathers provided us with very explicit rights associated with freedom of expression and freedom of speech. If those rights are not exercised they will be lost.