Letter: The right to freely discuss important topics

A news story in the Jan. 20 edition of the Daily Herald informed readers that an event scheduled for Feb. 8 at the Des Plaines Theater was canceled because of numerous threats of harm against Mr. Ron Onesti, the leasing agent for the Des Plaines Theater, if he allowed this event to proceed as scheduled.

These threats included bullets being mailed to Onesti, neighbors being solicited to put dog feces in his garbage cans, and "countless hateful calls" targeting him and the Des Plaines Theater. Several city officials, including Des Plaines Mayor Andrew Goczkowski, acknowledged that they shared their constituents "concerns" about the event, but didn't demand that Onesti cancel the event.

And what was the reason for this vicious targeting of Ron Onesti and the theater that he manages? It turns out that Onesti had leased the theater to a DuPage-based group called AWAKE Illinois. This group advocates for protecting children from what they feel is inappropriate sexual indoctrination and "drag" performances in public venues such as schools, libraries and parades.

Pardon me for not being sufficiently "woke," but have we reached the point where parents, grandparents and other concerned citizens are not allowed to discuss a topic that is of utmost importance to them - the protection of their children and grandchildren from prurient and deviant forms of sexual expression during their childhood and teen years? If so, then we have truly reached the point of near-collapse of the very foundation of our society - the family, with all its rights, privileges and responsibilities in raising the next generation.

I sincerely hope that we may all come to our senses and allow free discussion on any topic that is important to thoughtful and concerned citizens. It is our right!

Deirdre O'Neal

Naperville