By Gary Cohen - Sun City West Foundation Board Member
With more than four decades of major broadcast market experience, I believe I am in a good position to write about the importance of not abusing our First Amendment right to free speech, whether in written or spoken form.
As I write this gest commentary on Election Day 2022, I write about my level of concern about how a number of people in our Sun City West community and surrounding areas have used this First Amendment right to communicate their feelings about the leader of our country. I do not care whether or not you support President Joe Biden but we should all care about seeing U.S. flags that have the F word in huge letters followed by the president’s name.
At a recent Sun City West community event I saw a few people wearing shirts supporting the name Brandon, which most of us know is a reference to the F word.
Amazing how I have not seen any F Trump flags or bumper stickers or shirts with a not so veiled message similar to the Brandon shirts.
To those who favor displaying these flags, shirts and bumper stickers, you are indeed exercising your First Amendment right to free speech. But what message about yourselves do you think you are showing to the community? Do you really need to display these messages to show your feelings? Are there not more civil ways to communicate?
I write this guest commentary knowing it opens up the door to heated reaction from those who support such displays, but that’s okay. No one should live in fear of standing against such messaging — that is our First Amendment right on display.
Editor’s note: The Independent welcomes all points of view. Email your opinions, pro or con, to AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
