To the editor:

It seems that freedom of speech is being attacked daily anymore. Whatever happened to the acceptance of different views and opinions? It used to be accepted and encouraged, but it seems in today’s society, that is not the case anymore.

Certain beliefs and opinions are attacked and hatred seems more abundant than ever. Censorship seems the favorite approach, especially on social media. If you don’t agree with a certain group of people or even just one person, you get attacked and then your account becomes restricted or even deleted in some cases. Those who seem to stand for being tolerant in this day in age turn around prove the opposite, becoming hypocrites.

What is this world going to be like in four years? Ten? Twenty? Fifty? What will become of free speech then?

It seems that in today’s society, you have to agree with the mainstream opinion or get censored and/or chastised.

I myself have experienced these, especially being the way that I am. Being a homosexual and supposedly a part of the LGBTQ community, I’m supposed to think and act the same as many other who fall under this category. However, I do not think or feel the same. I have different views and yet I am chastised for it and am what they used to call “black balled” or “blacklisted.”

Where’s the acceptance? Where’s the respect that I have different views and opinions? What about the rest of you? Do you get chastised for thinking or believing in a different view from society? That’s because they only believe in only one type of free speech and want to shut down everyone who doesn’t agree with them.

I fear that freedom of speech will die within the near to distant future and it will become a distant memory or even a legend in which no one believes. What will this teach the younger and future generations? That only one type of opinion matters? That free speech does not exist for some people?

I know this is not what our founders envisaged for our country, which will turn 245 years old this July the Fourth. What does all this censorship mean for our country? I for one shudder to think.

I do not know what to make of this new age, but I do not like the idea of the dreaded possibilities or probabilities.

Tyler D. Eubanks

Hillsboro