OPINION:
“One-third of adults say free speech ‘goes too far’” (Web, Feb. 28) reports that many American want to limit the freedom of speech of those who offend them. But it is any limit on our freedom of speech that should offend Americans.
Once we limit our freedom of speech we effectively limit our freedom of thought. We are moving inescapably toward our fate as predicted by George Orwell’s “1984,” in which the government employs thought police. We and our children should be educated to understand the differences between opinion and fact and news and propaganda, and taught to be questioners and doubters rather than mindless consumers of media hype.
As Edgar Allen Poe said, “Believe nothing you hear, and only one half that you see.” We can’t believe anything we hear, read or see now that there is the ability to edit and manipulate photo and video evidence and our news media has abandoned any efforts at shunning bias.
JACK DUCKWORTH
Burke, Virginia
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