All politicians must defend our First Amendment rights

When they take the oath of office, senators and representatives swear to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic,” yet almost all of them are allowing our First Amendment rights to be trampled. Each and every one of them, regardless of political affiliation, should be appalled by the attacks on our free press, by the suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” and by the threats being made by the Federal Communications Commission and the president to revoke broadcast licenses in retaliation for unflattering (not false or inaccurate) coverage. Even more distressing, the Pentagon is requiring journalists to sign a pledge not to publish information that hasn’t been authorized for release, even unclassified reports; violation of that pledge will result in the revocation of press credentials. Democracy dies in the darkness of censorship, and our elected officials must condemn these unconstitutional and unprecedented actions before it’s too late.

Irene Kolessar

Upper Nazareth Township

There are limits to freedom of speech

Freedom of speech is a constitutional right; it is fundamental to our republic. Free speech allows the government to hear directly from citizens, prevents authoritarian overreach and drives innovation through diverse viewpoints.

However, this constitutional right has limits when using public resources that belong to all Americans. There is a considerable difference between watching ABC, CBS, NBC or FOX versus watching CNN, Fox News or MSNBC when it comes to free speech protections.

When you watch ABC, CBS, NBC or FOX — or listen to the radio — you are tuning into FCC-licensed broadcasters who serve as “public trustees” of the airwaves that belong to all Americans. When these broadcasters acquired their FCC licenses, they agreed to certain responsibilities. The FCC rules are not censorship, but voluntary trade-offs broadcast networks accept for valuable privileges like exclusive frequency rights. The broadcasters must serve local communities, provide equal time to political candidates and participate in emergency alerts. FCC-licensed broadcasters face real consequences and serious penalties, including losing their licenses, if they deliberately spread false information during national crises.

Robert Pohlman

Middle Smithfield Township

More public transportation needed

Numerous studies show attempts to relieve traffic problems by expanding the number of lanes on a road usually fail. The expansion attracts more vehicles, those studies show. The additional traffic adds to the air pollution problem and directly impacts climate change.

Instead of continuing to build highways, the U.S. needs to invest in trains and public transportation that actually connect communities while cutting emissions. Rail and transit investments would prevent traffic congestion, slash greenhouse gas emissions (a leading cause of climate change), create jobs and give people real alternatives to driving. Paving more highway lanes won’t solve climate problems. It’s time to fund the future. Our leaders must stop pouring money into asphalt and fund the clean and efficient transit we actually need.

Allie Williamson

Bethlehem

Tech company executives fawned over Trump

In early September President Trump hosted an economic summit of technology company titans at the White House. It included the likes of Apple CEO Tim Cook; Sergey Brin, who established Google; and Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder of Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook).

The dinner portion was turned into a filmed, kneel-at-the-feet, love fest that felt forced at best, extremely embarrassing, for the tech titans, at worst.

These so-called men of great influence, power and leadership who have been battling the effects of Trump’s whipsawing tariff policies, his forced instability of the Federal Reserve, and a cooling economy collectively rolled over and feigned worship like a third grader fawning over Justin Bieber.

Collectively, this extraordinary group associated with companies of great wealth, power, influence, coupled with small armies of lawyers could combine to drive home the message that a representative republic does not include a president taking a wrecking ball to the Constitution or forcing companies to give the government equity stakes in their businesses. Note to Republicans … if that smells like socialism it’s because it is.

It took only one man, Joseph Welch, just a lawyer, to finally stop the sinister period of the McCarthy Red Scare era in the 1950s with the famous phrase “Have you no sense of decency?”  Where is this generation’s backbone?

Bob Aylward

South Whitehall Township

Farm preservation op-ed is excellent

Mark Lichtenwalner wrote an excellent op-ed recently in The Morning Call regarding the reasons we preserve farmland. I was pleased to read it, as my family preserved our farm several years ago.

Our farm was purchased by our ancestor around 1760, and we naturally have a sentimental connection with it. There are a number of reasons to preserve farmland, as Mr. Lichtenwalner pointed out. Thank you for printing this excellent article.

Barbara Heist

Upper Milford Township

Speak out against Israel’s actions in Gaza

I love history. I have read books and viewed documentaries about the Nazi genocide of the Jewish people. It was difficult to absorb the horrific conditions that took place in those concentration camps. I questioned how the U.S. government could turn its back on the desperate people seeking refuge in our country. Between 1933 and 1939 our government turned away hundreds of thousands of Jews seeking refuge here. Currently, the U.S. government is turning its back on the Palestinians. The Palestinians are enduring a genocide in Gaza. Israel is blocking humanitarian aid from entering. Sen. Bernie Sanders introduced legislation, known as the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval, to block U.S. arms to Israel until humanitarian aid is allowed to enter. The legislation did not pass, and our Pennsylvania senators voted against this legislation. The United Nations Human Rights Council concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and the Trump administration pulled the U.S. out of the council because of this conclusion. I can no longer observe the genocide that is currently taking place in Palestine without speaking out against it. It is my hope that decent people will contact their leaders and express their opposition to this crisis in Gaza.

Ann Lee

Whitehall Township

ELECTION LETTERS 

Letters to the editor about candidates and issues in the Nov. 4 general election must be received by 10 a.m. Oct. 27.  Election-related letters will not be published after Oct. 30.

The Morning Call publishes letters from readers online and in print several times a week. Submit a letter to the editor at letters@mcall.com. The views expressed in this piece are those of its individual author(s), and should not be interpreted as reflecting the views of this publication.

https://www.mcall.com/2025/09/28/letters-what-does-jimmy-kimmel-suspension-mean-for-us-rights/