Ridgefield Letter to the Editor: Freedom of Speech

The Ridgefield Republican Party has had bi-weekly editorials printed in the Ridgefield Press, alternately with Democrat editorials, for many, many years. You will no longer see them.

When pressed for an explanation, the response is that the editorials “violate our community standards.” One wonders what those might be, since not one has been submitted that is factually incorrect, libelous, or calls for violence of any sort.

They have, however, often pointed out harmful policies by our government leaders in Hartford or misguided, in our opinion, actions by the federal government or our legislative representatives. We have also received complaints from citizens whose Letters to the Editor have been rejected, no doubt because their letters didn’t fall in line with “community standard” opinions. It is a sad day when free speech is disallowed in our small town.

The Press is owned by the Hearst Corporation, a mega-corporation with $11.5 billion in revenue, and has interests in more than 360 companies in print media, radio, TV, and cable ventures, real estate, tech, and more. One would think that, being so heavily involved in communications, they would value free speech and a free press. But no, they are allied with those who would control what we see and hear and shut down all diverse views they don’t want us to consider.

If history is any teacher, eventually those with greater power will shut them down, also. The question for every one of us is: Do we value freedom of speech and press? And, if so, how do we stem this ugly tide of censorship? Whether we remain a free people depends on the answer.

Linda Lavelle

Ridgefield, CT