Enoch Burke: Freedom of Speech?
Enoch Burke is experiencing the effects of compelled speech in a “democratic” society. A history and German teacher in Ireland and a Christian, he was suspended from his school after refusing to use a student’s preferred pronouns. Since then, he received a court order to stay away from the school. But he failed to follow the order and continued to show up at the school. This resulted in his eventual arrest. He was taken to Mountjoy, one of Ireland’s most famous prisons, and stayed there for 108 days, between September and December of 2022. He was eventually released just before the holidays, refusing to purge his contempt.
When he was released, he continued to show up at the school. He faced a fine of 700 euros for each day he failed to obey the court order. He was sent back to court, and then back to Mountjoy prison, where he is today. The court is set to review this case once again on December 12th. However, Burke refuses to back down until he is vindicated for his stance against transgenderism.
The freedoms of speech and religion are essential. One must be able to practice their religion in public. When it comes to transgenderism, one must be entitled to refrain from using compelled speech to support an ideology that their religion does not support.
Many see this as “bigotry,” feeling that the denial of the use of one’s “preferred pronouns” is a form of hate speech. Many seek to show support for their loved ones by agreeing with them. Unfortunately, in the case of transgenderism, that means saying “yes” when one is suffering from gender dysphoria. But this isn’t true love, for love seeks the truth and the good of the other. And the false belief that one is truly the opposite gender is not true, and it is not for one’s own good.
Burke must be allowed to express his religious convictions and cannot be forced into speaking something he does not believe. Let us continue to pray for true justice and freedom.
Marisa Cantu has an MS in political science and international affairs with a BA in political science and has also studied international studies and French. She has a strong background in nonprofit work, research, writing, and policy proposal and analysis.
In her free time, Marisa enjoys painting, writing, cooking, spending time with her husband and playing with her dog.
