Believe in Free Speech? Let's Talk.
For perhaps the first time in America’s history, you can’t express a difference of opinion without fear of being shunned by your friends, disowned by your family, let go from your job, and canceled on social media. I learned in grade school how great our country was, because here you can voice your disapproval of government, talk about your religious beliefs, and read and write what you want. It is these freedoms that our grandfathers fought and died for. They told us horror stories about other countries where speaking out about your leaders, pursuing an education, or practicing the wrong faith could mean prison, or even death. I was so happy that I was born an American!
The pandemic opened my eyes to the possibility of tyranny in our own country. I couldn’t believe what I was witnessing; it felt like I wasn’t living in the USA. I would never have believed that our freedom of speech would be compromised and blatantly taken away. For the last two years I have been asking everyone who has met with me, Democrats, Independents and Republicans, for their thoughts on the most contentious subjects of the day: police funding, abortion, women’s sports, freedom of speech. Most people are chiefly concerned about the economy and gas prices, but the narrative the news media is pushing centers instead on the topics I asked about. Without hearing my own opinions, not one person agreed with what the news tells us to feel. No one believes the police should be defunded or eliminated, no one believes biological males should play in women’s sports, and 98% of the people I spoke with believe in freedom of speech.
A few people qualified their belief in free speech, telling me that we should not let misinformation be spread to the public, because a lot of people are prone to believe lies. My response was to ask “who is the arbiter of what makes a ‘lie’?” Isn’t it our duty as Americans to hear all sides of a scenario so we can decide for ourselves? These people answered, to paraphrase, that some people are too dumb to know the truth, so we can’t risk exposing them to lies.
Abortion was an even trickier subject. Many of the men I spoke with felt they should not even comment since they weren’t women. Some people were very much against abortion, while others felt the practice should be prohibited after the detection of a heartbeat. A handful initially felt abortion should be allowed throughout the first trimester, but when they found out a heartbeat can usually be discerned at seven to eight weeks, they changed their minds.
Having had the benefit of these dialogues with my fellow Americans, and with 25 years of experience as a businessowner who works with the general public, I am running for state representative in Ohio. I think that more Americans need to engage in these sorts of dialogues about thorny issues with each other. More than that, I think more of us need to openly express our opinions on contentious topics — especially when we disagree with the government — without fear of what others think. It is an insult to the freedoms we were born with, and to America’s revolutionary spirit, to live in fear of being canceled.
Wendi Hendricks is a candidate for Ohio State Representative in District 43.
