To the Editor:
As bad as it is with a Biden-Harris administration, the vice president’s choice of Tim Walz as a running mate is even worse. Notwithstanding all of the issues that we face with respect to immigration, crime, inflation, taxes, education, foreign wars and the threat of another world war, the issue that troubles me the most personally is Walz’s position on abortion. His fingerprints are all over a law in Minnesota that allows a born infant from a botched abortion to die by requiring only “comfort care” as compared to the previous law, which required life-sustaining measures to preserve the life and health of the born-alive infant.
I am therefore encouraging everyone to study his record as the governor of Minnesota, and not just with abortion, but with crime and how he allowed Minneapolis to be decimated by rioters in the summer of 2020, as he just sat by and let it continue for three days without calling in the National Guard. As a result, thousands of people lost their businesses and livelihoods. Although the media portrayed these protests over the George Floyd murder as “peaceful events,” Minneapolis experienced widespread rioting, looting and property destruction that resulted in $500 million in property damage. All while Governor Walz sat back and did nothing.
But as disheartening as all of this is, more unsettling to me is the attitude that a multitude of people in this nation have based primarily on their hatred of Donald Trump. People who support President Trump are demonized and silenced, whether it is at social gatherings, the public square, athletics or in the workplace. This is still America, and people have the right to speak out about issues that oftentimes involve politics. This includes the right to state opinions that may be taken as an offense to some people. Nevertheless, this is a right that should be cherished in our nation, and one which sets us apart from all other nations around the world.
Business owners, employers and employees have been guilted into a position of neutrality. As a result, employers try to silence employees and restrict their right to speak out about any issues that are controversial or could be perceived as political, and employees are afraid to express their views. Just about every issue that we face as a nation has political overtones, including those that arise in sports and entertainment, and it seems as though every major institution in this nation has adopted a progressive position on social issues. The criticism that Harrison Butker, the placekicker for the Kansas City Chiefs, received for speaking the truth about the importance of faith, the right to life and the roles of men and women in the family is just one example. I applaud Andy Reid, who when baited for a response said, “I didn’t think I need to (address it). We’re a microcosm of life. We all respect each other’s opinions. We all have a voice.”
As Americans, we should not be intimidated and coerced into becoming speechless robots for the social elites, who are becoming the ruling class in our society and who try to control every aspect of our lives. And in the workplace, employees should not be bullied by employers who threaten them or try to shame them for exercising their God-given rights to express their opinion, and likewise employers should not be intimidated by employees when it comes to speaking about issues that cross over into politics. The fear of offending someone or getting sued has dulled our senses and has thwarted the free and unbridled expression of our views. As a result, we know very little about the people we spend most of our time with.
When it comes to abortion, for someone who believes that life is a gift from God, and that only God has the right to take it, speaking out against it is at the core of that person’s being. And no one should be able to take away that right, regardless of the circumstances and regardless of where that opinion is expressed. On the other hand, the rights and opinions of others who disagree with you also need to be respected, and debates over issues such as abortion, taxes, gun control, immigration, inflation, education, sexuality and foreign policy cannot interfere with the orderly operations of an employer’s business. I believe that employers should carefully review their policies in an effort to allow the free exercise of speech in a way that respects the opinions of others and does not interfere with the employer’s business.
Too many businesses try to sit on the fence by not allowing employees to discuss politics in the workplace, based on a position that neutrality is a better approach from a business standpoint. But what you end up with is an environment in which everyone is fearful of saying anything that another person may not agree with. As the director of a major leadership consulting firm said, “If HR teams simply ban political discussion from the workplace, they risk making employees feel silenced, disengaged and distrustful of leadership.”
From my personal standpoint, as an attorney with clients from all walks of life and with different views and opinions on social, economic and political issues, I respect each and every one of them. All Americans should feel the same way and should have the freedom to express their views, especially when it comes to protecting our God-given rights. And for those who have opinions that differ from mine, I quote Patrick Henry, who once said, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”
