Editors note: Maureen Marinkovich has reached out to the Journal to clarify that she believes everyone deserves healthcare.

In the United States, freedom of speech is the right to express ideas and opinions without government interference or punishment. This right is protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

However, “freedom of speech” does not mean “freedom from social accountability.” If what we say is abhorrent to our neighbors, they are just as free and protected to speak out against it. Social consequences have always been part of what it means to be in a community—especially on a small island like ours.

It is illuminating that Maureen Marinkovich confuses uncomfortable feedback from her neighbors with an ‘infringement of rights’.

Freedom of Speech protected Marinkovich’s right to hold a sidewalk rally, while also protecting other citizens when they protested that rally. It protected the leader of the Grange as a private entity when they chose not to platform an event that conflicted with the organization’s values. It protected Marinkovich when she published a letter in the county newspaper and it protects me now as I do the same.

Not one of us has experienced interference or punishment by the government. Our freedom of speech remains alive and well, as evidenced by how many of us are exercising it left, right, and center.

I have lived in countries where there is no protected freedom of speech and where dissent is criminalized. Where state agents have disappeared people in the night and beaten citizens in front of election halls. For the author to equate her earned social discomfort with those realities, is frankly reprehensible and unamerican.

If Marinkovich doesn’t believe that trans people deserve healthcare, then she should own that point of view and face the social consequences of her actions. She should not dress her opinion up in a costume of nonexistent censorship. It is deceitful and cowardly.

Marinkovich can promote messages that many of us believe are harmful and immoral without threat of government reprisal as is her right. Likewise, we can voice how unwanted and unwelcome her commentary is, as is ours.

This is what Freedom of Speech means in this country.

Theora Moench,

San Juan Island