To the editor:

The degradation of free speech is of monumental importance. It is not the First Amendment to our constitution for nothing. They knew well then as we should know now that silencing of people’s voices is to conceal the truth and quash dissenting opinions. It is certainly a human right to speak your mind, and it is the role of society, not governments or kings, to determine what ideas and notions are fine, and which are taboo or should be discarded. If we allow others to keep us from speaking up, what will they do next?

That is the question that confronts us as a people and we need to say, “Keep out of our conversations!” We need to say that because while we can disagree with a few ... it should not mean silence for all.

Richard Lartz

Larned