I could not have articulated my motivation for supporting Steve Brown for mayor nearly as well as Ms. Faye Norris and Mr. Dan Tennant in The Citizen [Dec. 14]. Though Ms. Norris and Mr. Tennant were critical of Mayor Brown, they demonstrated precisely the reason why we need vocal thinkers in government: protection of liberty.

Both Ms. Norris and Mr. Tennant expressed a wanton desire to suppress our freedom of speech. As long as you concur with their political leanings, you are free to utter your beliefs.

However, if you express thoughts dissimilar to their party line, you should be boycotted as Ms. Norris suggests or driven from the public view as Mr. Tennant desires.

The next step would be colored arm bans and painted symbols on front doors for anyone that disagrees with their political elitism.

Mayor Brown had the mettle to confront the powerful bloc and hold them accountable. If, as Mr. Brown contends, the old authority did behave badly, should we appoint several clandestine envoys to make a pact with the bank as Mr. Logsdon wishes?

They will direct us to remain silent while they repair the damage that accountability inflicted. Perhaps boycotting the local newspapers will keep the truth stored upon a high shelf where no one can notice it; we can only hope not.

The readers might think my assertions are a bit overboard. Let me jog your memory and remind you that nations across the globe fell because of movements that began with suppression of free speech and intimidation. Men and women fought world wars to defend themselves from adversaries who wanted to force their doctrines and ideologies onto other nations.

My family had relatives in Budapest when the Soviet tanks crushed a movement geared toward a more open society. History proves the day you forfeit your liberties is the day you begin to take them for granted.

Hopefully, our fate does not rest upon controlling peoples like Ms. Norris and Mr. Tennant. We have cause to worry when officials like Mayor Brown are torn to shreds for merely espousing open government and raising opposing views.

Our recent election was the most hate-filled political races I have ever witnessed. The results have proven there is a price to pay for taking a position against the powerful bloc and we have no one to blame but ourselves. God help us.

CeCe Stephens-Parker
Peachtree City, Ga.