Letter to the Editor: To Our Democratic Friends: What Republicans Believe

This is in answer to Cindy Nelson’s Oct. 14 “Dear Republican Friends” letter to the editor in the Peninsula Pulse. She was referring to signs that read “Fight for Freedom” and wrote that she would like to sit down and have a conversation. We would be eager to help.

She wants to know what freedom means to a Republican. It means the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It means the ability to act according to the law, which means honoring property, religious, speech and all other rights specified in the Constitution as defined by the Supreme Court. Republicans mostly believe that the rights of a not-yet-born person also include the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

We apparently agree that we all have the right to read what we choose. We do not believe that government should choose, censor or pay for controversial content. Yes, we believe in treating all people humanely. This includes all people, including foreigners, immigrants and babies still in the womb. We also believe that we need immigrants, but they must enter legally in a controlled manner.

Yes, teachers should have the right, even the duty, to teach our history – all our history – free from radical or biased selection. Yes, most of us believe in the right to love whom we choose, to believe in climate change or not. Yes, most Republicans believe in accepting electoral defeat gracefully, even if others from both sides do not like Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton or Stacey Abrams.

We Republicans also deplore the mob pressure on people’s beliefs. This is often called “political correctness” – as if there is an established correctness. Certainly the “correct” thing is not established by any mob or even by some majority, or expert, or claimed consensus. It’s called freedom of opinion.

Joseph Kenny

Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin