Freedom of speech
Dear editor, I attended the rally for Beto O’Rourke Friday evening inside the Kay Theatre. Unofficial rallies for Greg Abbott were also held in the county parking lot across the street and on surrounding streets.
First, I thank the Rockdale Police Department for being visibly present and helping to maintain a calm environment and feeling of safety for all.
It is easy to become enveloped by the passion we feel for our causes and candidates, especially at this moment in American history. I know I do at times.
But we cannot forget that democracy literally depends on the free exchange of ideas. The very first of the Bill of Rights is that of free speech because our founders were acutely aware of this.
I praise those Abbott supporters who attended the Beto rally, challenged Beto, and respectfully listenedto what he had to say,whether they agreed or not. This is democracy in action!
Several attempted to silence Beto and his supporters by drowning them out. I can relate; most of us have moments when we feel like drowning out the noise of “the other side.”
But our democracy cannot survive unless we overcome such temptations and remember the words of Benjamin Franklin: “Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.”
Finally, for the gentleman who entered the Kay towards the end of the rally waving an Abbott sign and trying to yell over the speakers, know that the speaker you silenced— thankfully, only temporarily— was a 12-year-old girl who, ironically, was asking Beto what he would do to prevent her from being bulliedin school.Sincerely, Gretchen McCord DeFlorio 3016 CR 322 512-470-8932
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