Tim Knickerbocker, Minot

I expressed my concerns expressed here in a letter to Governor Burgum.

I am writing to you to express my concern with the direction the state of North Dakota is turning to censorship of all forms of media available to the public. House Bill 1205 and Senate Bill 2360 are designed to censor the citizens of North Dakota. These bills are saying to the residents, ”you are not intelligent enough to make ’good’ judgement on the media your family members access.” Therefore, the State will enforce the States judgement on what is right and wrong media for you and your family to access, all under the guise of “protecting children.”

The Republican party in North Dakota and across the country has stated on many occasions that “government is too big and exacting overreach.” Yet, this same party is willing to take steps to impose the government’s will on the citizenry of North Dakota. Sounds a lot like “overreach” to me. These laws say to parents, “you are incompetent,” “you are not guiding children properly therefore the State must take charge of the youth of the state.” This is the same tactics the Nazi Party in Germany, the Fascist in Italy, and Francoist Spain did. Where does this authoritarian governance stop? An authoritarian government is not a “free country” as the United States is designed. What the State of North Dakota is implementing is the same form of government imposed by governments of the past, and as current governments in China, North Korea, Myanmar, Iran, and Russia. 

I encourage the citizens of North Dakota to reject these bills and to request the governor to veto them. The state of North Dakota was one of the main embarkation points to the prohibition of alcohol and the passing and adopting of the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States of America Constitution. Ultimately the Eighteenth Amendment failed in less than 14 years. What it did bring is bootlegged defiance of the law. A level of violence and civil disobedience that was not controllable. Who will enforce these laws? The Iranians have their Guidance Patrol, “Morality Police” walking around caning or arresting citizens they deem violate the laws of Islamic religious beliefs. Are you willing to set up “Morality Police” force to ”cane” and arrest those who are deemed to violate Christian religious beliefs?

I ask you to consider my words, to help you make an informed decision concerning the pathway the legislature of North Dakota is taking the State. The Authoritarian State is not a free State. Forcing citizens to believe only how the State believes is not freedom. Citizens ruled by fear are not Free!