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Editor, The Beacon:
The photo and headline of the editorial “‘Anti-riot’ law is anti-American” is an example of what you would expect of yellow journalism, not a respectable hometown newspaper.
After reading the entire CH 2021-6, it confirmed that the editorial twisted the facts of what that bill was all about.
The editorial failed to connect the real purpose of the law by using isolated portions of the law out of context to present a distorted view of the law.
Further, it made a potentially slanderous statement that our local representatives voted for “racist, anti-American legislation,” which is an irresponsible statement based on the facts of the legislation.
In actuality, the bill modified existing laws to provide different levels of punishment for those who instigated riots that resulted in harm and damage to property and other people. It did not prevent the right of people to peaceful protests.
The bill focused on those who bully or intimidate or threaten people into agreeing with their demands. It also made them pay for the damage made to the property of others (both public and private) during the riot they caused.
We teach our schoolchildren to not bully others and to be respectful of other people’s property and lives — since when is that anti-American? What do our children learn from seeing riots and destruction?
They should learn that destruction of property is not the way to protest a real or perceived injustice.
We have passed laws to protect citizens’ right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and punish those who disrespect those rights.
However, liberty for someone stops when it interferes with the liberty of another. That is the responsibility we must do as Americans living under the umbrella of liberty.
I am going out on a limb here; but I would assume all the shop owners would agree that they need to have the cities to protect them against wanton destruction and looting of their establishments in order to thrive in the local economy. They should not have to endure the wrathful results of an angry mob taking out their frustrations.
As a local newspaper, you should know that those committing damage and destruction need to be accountable for their actions just as the news media needs to be accountable for what they publish.
Making a statement that our local representatives voted for “racist, anti-American” legislation is an irresponsible statement and borders on slander based on the facts of the legislation.
Instead of taking selective isolated portions of the law to fit a political agenda, the article should have presented the actual benefits of the legislation.
Robert Marchant
Deltona
