Don’t shout them down

Re “Even appalling speech is protected,” Opinion, Jan. 21

I agree with Robin Abcarian that “even appalling speech is protected,” and that Southern California venues should not have backed out of letting two Republican members of Congress stage rallies.

Where I disagree with Abcarian is her applauding the idea of trolling the events of those with whom we disagree. We, as a freedom-loving people, can do better than shutting down the programs of whose with whom we disagree or using subterfuge to disrupt their events.

In the last few years, there has been a distressing increase in instances of conservatives denied the right to speak on college campuses. Now, that’s expanding to public venues.

For heaven’s sake, let us live up to the ideals of free speech and debate and not slide back into a McCarthylike era of repression and the silencing of dissenting opinion.

Rick Tuttle Culver City

I cannot agree in any way, shape or form with the statement made by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), “You and I cannot let these communists shut us down and take away our 1st Amendment rights.”

First and foremost, Greene is lying when she is accusing those who challenge her lies of being communists.

Are we aware of what she and Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) are advocating? Greene and Gaetz are spreading lies that border on or are seditious speech.

The election was not stolen, nor are Democrats, liberals and progressives communists (or socialists or Marxists).

The city of Anaheim has every right to refuse to support subversive speech for the same reasons that Twitter and Facebook have banned former President Trump. I find it both surprising and commendable that such a traditionally conservative city is refusing to participate in further attempts to spread the Big Lie.

Denis Robinson Winnetka