.jpg)
Sept. 9, 2024 Editor, The News-Gazette: Once again, Democrats who claim to believe in freedom, including freedom of speech, felt the need to deny Republicans the opportunity to speak at the Buena Vista Labor Day event.
Instead, rather than allowing the chance for people attending to hear Gov. Youngkin, Lt. Gov. Sears and others, they continued to shout them down and drown them out. Three years ago this same group used racial slurs against then candidate Winsome Sears. This year they shouted at Winsome, a Black woman, to “Go back to Jamaica” and “Get off the stage”.
All candidates, Republican, Democrat or Independent deserve the opportunity to be heard. The public attending know Republicans support Republicans and Democrats support Democrats, but many attending the Labor Day event in Glen Maury Park are undecided and all deserved the right to hear candidates from both sides as well as independents.
The behavior of the Democrats needs to remember freedom of speech should be respected at the Buena Vista event. If you disagree with the speaker, don’t applaud or give a polite applause to the speaker as many of the Republicans did.
This should be an opportunity for all opinions to be heard and for people to make up their own minds. No candidate for office deserves the hostility shown by the Democrats at the recent Buena Vista Labor Day event. JAN LOWRY Lexington
