Marylanders will solve the information war. We must. Its economic costs are a burden we already carry, straining businesses, public trust and social cohesion while fostering division among neighbors and communities, a fait accompli we can no longer afford to ignore. In the public sphere, there is extensive documentation of state-level actors using tactics to inflame hate speech and distort the very foundations of democratic discourse. From Salisbury to Baltimore to Hagerstown, bad actors have targeted our communities with the goal of dividing us and turning neighbors into strangers, then strangers into enemies.

Here’s the truth: Marylanders don’t need secret code words, covert meetings or encrypted messages to fight this battle. All we need is a shared commitment to transparency, truth and the power of our collective voice. This means more fully acknowledging Marylanders’ right to access reality. That is the fundamental right to engage with the world based on facts, not falsehoods. The raison d’être of the Free State Strategy is simple: Empower the people, and the people will triumph.

The first problem Marylanders will solve is the delusion that only experts can navigate the disinformation crisis. The truth is, every Marylander, regardless of background, can detect and counter disinformation. The idea that only a select few can call out falsehoods belongs to an ancien régime mindset. It disempowers communities and leaves them vulnerable. Sometimes, experts get tunnel vision. For instance, when foreign actors amplified divisive rhetoric around the “defund the police” movement, many experts hesitated to fully acknowledge these events. Instead, they fixated on easier-to-discuss examples that were already oversaturated in the media. This lack of acknowledgement allowed bad actors to exploit our most delicate fault lines and delay truth and reconciliation processes in our communities.

The second problem Marylanders will solve is the overreliance on censorship to combat disinformation. When disinformation spreads, the immediate response is often to silence it, restrict speech, shut down platforms and give censors carte blanche to eliminate the so-called troublemakers. Too often, the very voices censors seek to silence are those that might hold the key to understanding the complexity of an issue. Censorship exacerbates mistrust and fosters even more confusion. It pushes people into shallow echo chambers, where they are told what to believe, not what is true. It robs communities of the ability to learn more and ask deeper questions about a group’s or individual’s perspective on an issue.

Marylanders can acknowledge how the gardens of democracy appear messy while the flowers are still growing. This messiness, though frustrating, is a sign that the democratic spirit is alive, dynamic and evolving. We will provide a more perfect environment where open dialogue and democratic discussion can thrive by setting clearer boundaries between the responsibilities of communities, governments and individuals. Obviously, this will be a difficult and nuanced discussion, but it starts with talking.

The third problem Marylanders will solve is ensuring that vulnerable communities are shielded from the corrosive effects of disinformation. State-level actors often target these communities, such as conservative women, minority groups and less connected ruralities, with the goal of deepening existing divisions and generating conflict. Marylanders can work to ensure vulnerable communities are shielded from the corrosive effects of disinformation by providing the resources, education and support they need to stay informed and resilient — not through censorship or isolation, but through shared knowledge, targeted outreach and the strength of common purpose. Every Marylander deserves the knowledge and tools to recognize and call out lies both for themselves and their communities. This is what will help us build the boats and bridges needed to heal and repair existing divisions.

The power to champion our democracies lies in the hands and heart of every Marylander. We will not sit back and allow disinformation to inflict damage on our communities. We will confront it head-on, not with anger or censorship, but together with knowledge, solidarity and resolve. The Free State Strategy will be a tour de force, not through top-down mandates, but by unlocking the democratic potential of our neighbors and ourselves.

Together, we will triumph. This is Maryland’s moment to shine, to show the world how communities, when armed with truth and transparency, can conquer even the most powerful forces working against us.