The First Amendment Is Under Attack and We Can’t Stay Silent!
Kimmel’s suspension shows how easily dissent can be silenced—and if unchecked, today’s censorship of comedians could become tomorrow’s silencing of us all.
This past week should terrify every American who still believes in the promise of free speech. ABC’s suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! wasn’t just about one late-night comedian. It was about the federal government, led by Trump’s handpicked FCC chair Brendan Carr, flexing its muscles to silence dissent. It was about the Trump administration openly praising the silencing of critics, and it was about the dangerous precedent that government officials can bully networks and press outlets into shutting down voices that they don’t like or feel threatened by.
Here’s what went down, after Kimmel called out MAGA figures for politicizing the assassination of Charlie Kirk, ABC yanked him off the air. Carr all but threatened broadcasters’ licenses if they didn’t toe the line. Trump applauded the move, saying networks that air criticism should lose their licenses altogether. That’s not an oversight. That’s not accountability. That’s censorship, plain and simple, and it’s the kind of authoritarian playbook we’ve seen from tyrants abroad, not presidents here at home.
Yes, Disney eventually caved to public outrage and put Kimmel back on the air, but let’s be honest, the real damage is done. The message has been sent loud and clear — if you speak out against Trump, you could lose your platform, your show, even your livelihood. That is not democracy. That is fear masquerading as governance, and when fear dictates what our media can and cannot say, the First Amendment isn’t just under attack, it’s bleeding.
This isn’t just about Kimmel. Stephen Colbert was already pushed out, and others are feeling the heat. It’s the beginning of a pattern, and if we don’t fight back, it’ll spread. Today it’s comedians, tomorrow it’s journalists, the next it’s podcasters, and then it’s activists and everyday citizens who refuse to stay quiet. That’s how freedom erodes, not with one big ban, but with a thousand quiet silences that remain unchecked.
But here’s the truth: we are not powerless. The Constitution is still on our side. Courts have long ruled that the government cannot punish speech simply because it’s critical of officials, and when people rise up, speak out, and put pressure on corporations and regulators, change happens. Disney brought Kimmel back because the public wouldn’t let this go. That’s proof that our voices matter.
So let’s use them. Let’s make this bigger than a late-night monologue. Let’s turn it into a movement for accountability. Here’s what we need to do:
Demand hearings in Congress: Democrats (and any Republicans who still value democracy) must investigate Carr’s threats. Regulatory power cannot be weaponized against speech.
Support independent media and comedians under fire: Don’t just watch the clips, share them, amplify them, and make sure these voices aren’t drowned out by censorship.
Call out corporate complicity: Disney and other networks need to hear from us that caving to political intimidation is unacceptable. They’re not just entertainment companies, they’re gatekeepers of public debate.
Organize and mobilize: Authoritarian tactics thrive in silence. The more we speak, write, protest, and vote, the harder it becomes for them to normalize this behavior.
– Michelle Kang, the Democratic candidate for Georgia House District 99