1. United States
2. Wisc.
3. Letter

I am a mother of two school-age children, a teacher, and a proud member of my community in Waukesha, Wisconsin. I oppose actions being made by our current administration that show a disregard and curtailing of free speech and free press, especially the president's recission request to cut off funding for public broadcasting. Over and over, the president is using his power to shut down, bully, and further intimidate those who do not wholesale agree with and promote his policies and opinions. He attacks agencies such as NPR and PBS who give fair, middle of the road reporting -- this is based on many external assessments of media bias. He also does not have the authority to "cancel" NPR, PBS, or other actions of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, as that was an agency created by Congress. It was meant to be independent from the whims and bias of any presidential or party affiliation, and it has maintained those standards for years. This is all a part of the many ways our president is attacking free speech in the press, at colleges, in medical journals, and more. The overall actions build up into a cohesive picture -- if you do not immediately agree with and submit to the current administration and all of the political opinions that come with it, you will be be silenced. This is not acceptable in our America. This is not the precedent to set, to put the president of any current or future political party in such a powerful, authoritarian position that free speech and free press are not allowed. I want people to have the ability to discuss many ideas and opinions in this country, so that we can grow and learn together. I want a wide range of press to exist, to bring transparency and multiple methods of interpretation to what is happening in our world. Stand up today for a fair, free, and open America. Restore the checks and balances and accountability of our system of democracy. This is not a place where the loudest voice gets the only attention. You have been elected to be the voice of all of us here in Wisconsin, and I do expect as your constituent to hear you using that voice on our behalf. Thank you for all you do, every day, for us.