1. United States
2. Okla.
3. Letter

The proposed legislation from Sen. Deevers represents an alarming overreach that threatens fundamental rights and freedoms. The provisions targeting drag performances and pornography pose a severe threat to creative expression and personal liberties. A society that censors art and polices private behavior is not a free society. Rather than promoting a narrow moral agenda through draconian criminalization, we should embrace open discourse and pluralism. Outlawing drag shows for children is an unnecessary solution to a non-existent problem. There is no evidence that age-appropriate performances are harmful to kids. This transparently targets the LGBTQ community under the guise of protecting children. A far better approach is to foster understanding through education rather than fueling division. The pornography ban is equally misguided and unenforceable. What adults view in private should not be the government's business. This puritanical crackdown will only push pornography underground, wasting law enforcement resources on victimless crimes. A pragmatic policy recognizes that prohibitions rarely work and reasonable regulation is preferable to ham-fisted bans. Creative freedom and personal liberty must be fiercely guarded against moralistic overreach. I urge you to reject this reactionary slate of bills that undermines core American values of free expression and individual rights. An open, pluralistic society allows for diverging beliefs rather than enforcing a single orthodox code. Please stand as a bulwark against this encroachment on our civil liberties.