Letter to the Editor: Seeking respectful boundaries for speech

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To the Editor:
I lived in the town of Perryville for 10 years and felt so “at home” there in a community that reflected true blue values of home & family. Each time I return, I feel that “sense of place” that fills my heart with something I have yet to experience elsewhere. Recently, as I drove through, I noticed a very disturbing flag, “F*** Biden”, expressing yet another form of hate speech that seems to be pervading in our world today. It concerns me that the city of Perryville is allowing this kind of exposure to a way of thinking that contributes negatively to its true blue values of home and family. Can someone explain why this flag is being allowed to fly as freely as the American flag? If the reason is a “free speech” issue, I would hope the guidelines Perryville uses for this have respectful boundaries with the common sense of decency that it wants its community to reflect and be a role model for America. I think we all know in our true heart of hearts that free speech has got to have respectful boundaries if we have any concern for turning things around in this country, in our communities, in our own homes. Please consider replacing this disturbing flag with one that reflects the Golden Rule. Thank you.

Susan Reinagel,
Cape Girardeau