GUEST COLUMN, Don Alexander, Parsons
Freedom of speech and freedom of religion are not optional. They are not privileges handed out when convenient. They are foundational rights guaranteed to every American. The authors of our Constitution enshrined them not as suggestions, but as bedrock principles meant to endure. These freedoms do not come from Washington, D.C. They come from God and are recognized in our founding documents so that no official, no matter how powerful, can take them away.
And yet, new proposals in Congress threaten to make those rights conditional. These so-called “reforms” would empower Washington to monitor and punish churches, charities, and nonprofits whose beliefs don’t align with those in power. Proponents claim that they are about oversight and accountability, but make no mistake — they are about control. When a government can decide which values are acceptable and which must be silenced, it abandons democracy and embraces coercion.
Consider how this would play out on the ground. A church in Salina running a food pantry might suddenly face audits or funding freezes because its leaders preach values out of step with federal preferences. A mentoring program in Hays could be labeled “too political” for teaching personal responsibility alongside reading skills. A nonprofit in Dodge City offering support to young mothers could be threatened with loss of status if its mission conflicts with the prevailing political winds. These are not far-fetched scenarios; they are the logical outcome of giving unelected bureaucrats the power to judge conscience.
Kansas has never operated that way. Our communities are built on the work of ordinary people living out their convictions every day. From small-town pastors who open their churches as storm shelters, to volunteers who gather donations for neighbors after a fire, to faith-based organizations that provide counseling, job training, and hope — this is the lifeblood of our state. These efforts are not partisan strategies or political ploys. They are acts of conscience and service rooted in timeless values. No Washington regulation could ever duplicate or replace that kind of commitment.
If Washington gains the authority to scrutinize and silence these local efforts, what message does that send? It says that service is acceptable only when it is politically convenient. It tells Kansans that their care for the hungry, the lonely, or the addicted must pass a federal litmus test before it is recognized as legitimate. That is not accountability — that is intimidation. True accountability flows upward from the people, not downward from government mandates.
Real democracy does not mean silencing disagreement. It means protecting the space where disagreement can exist without fear. Our nation’s history is filled with unpopular voices — abolitionists, suffragists, civil rights leaders — who challenged the status quo and, in doing so, made us better. Had the government possessed the tools now being proposed, many of those voices might have been silenced before they were ever heard. That is why these freedoms matter so deeply, and why they must remain beyond the reach of political convenience.
Kansans know this better than most. We are a people shaped by resilience and rooted in community. When floods strike or storms tear through towns, neighbors do not ask whether Washington approves before they help. When a church opens its doors to feed the hungry, it does not seek permission from a federal agency. These are expressions of faith and freedom lived out in action — tangible demonstrations of what it means to be American.
The choice before us is clear. We can allow Washington to chip away at freedoms until only the approved voices remain, or we can insist that those freedoms are not negotiable. We can let bureaucrats redefine service as subversion, or we can stand firm and defend the right of every Kansan to live by conviction. One path leads to silence and fear; the other leads to liberty and responsibility.
That is why we must stand firm now. Faith and freedom are not negotiable. They are the bedrock of our nation and the heartbeat of our communities. It is up to us — not Washington — to defend them. And if Kansans remain true to who we are, no law or decree will ever be strong enough to take them away.
