SPEECH: Keep it free for everyone

Regarding the "My Turn: Press should filter more" from Sept 1, 2010, Readers Write:

I have to take issue with a statement that Terri White of Post Falls wrote in Wednesday's Coeur d'Alene Press. The statement is that The Press should "exercise some judgment on the letters and guest columns you publish."

Forgive me, but I thought that was what the First Amendment rights that we hold dear refers to - Freedom of Speech. The definition of Freedom of Speech is "the freedom to speak without censorship or limitation or both."

The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law "respecting an establishment of religion," impeding the free exercise of religion, infringing on the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering with the right to peaceably assemble or prohibiting the petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances.

As you can see from the above verbiage of the First Amendment to our Constitution, the Coeur d'Alene Press is fully within its capacity to publish "all" letters to the editor, no matter if they offend the viewpoints of certain readers or not. As to whether Fred Hamelrath had factual inaccuracies in his "My Turn" is - in fact - his turn to speak. And with freedom of speech he has that right, as does Terri White have freedom to express her viewpoint as well.

Whether you agree with the points that Mr. Hamelrath feels or not, we should all hold dear the protection of our freedom of speech, along with the other freedoms protected by the First Amendment.

KANDI JOHNSON

Dalton Gardens