Free speech shouldn’t include lying to the public – Monroe Evening News

opinion

Soour state senator, Dale Zorn, feels it's necessary to write prospective legislation to address some voter concerns about voter fraud and election integrity. If such legislation is needed, allow me to contribute my ideas on the subject.

Mr. Zorn should remember and acknowledge that this high degree of mistrust ONLY exists on account of "The Big Lie." The accusations of voter fraud were unfounded.The Trump campaign lost 63 election lawsuits with nearly all of the cases being dismissed due to a lack of evidence. Still, Trump continued spreading his lies about voter fraud and irregularities.Trump knew his lies were exactly that:Lies! Therefore, let me list my ideas for some new laws to help ensure election integrity.

First off, Georgia made it illegal to bring food or water to voters waiting in line as they fear it may influence voting selections. I agree that it should be illegal, but not for the reasons Georgia Republicans give.Nobody should have to stand in line four to six hours to cast a vote. Any district that is so heavily populated must have sufficient polling locations to relieve the burden of fulfilling their democratic responsibility.

Secondly, free speech should not allow a candidate to repeatedly lie and misinform the general public to the point of insurrection. Fox News eagerly repeated the Trumpian lies. But since no self-respecting lawyer sought to be disbarred for bringing a meritless lawsuit into the courtroom, their story changed when they actually appeared in front of a judge. One judge repeatedly asked Rudy Giuliani if his lawsuit was about election fraud and he was forced to answer "no." So the practice of bringing multiple meritless lawsuits by a disgruntled candidate should be made illegal with severe consequences for the perpetrators of the frivolous lawsuits.

Lastly, elected legislators who cry election fraud but bring no proof of such actions, instead bring only incendiary partisan rhetoric, which stokes mistrust in our elections, should be censured by their peers or removed from office, stripped of retirement or job benefits and be prohibited from holding public office again.

The mistrust concerning this election only exists because of all of the Trump enablers, those legislators who repeated the lies of the ex-president because they lacked the personal courage to stand up for what is right. You have no right to restrict our voting privileges simply based upon the lies that you helped to tell!

Charles K. Cline

Monroe

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Free speech shouldn't include lying to the public - Monroe Evening News