Freedom Under Attack—Time to Stand Up

Freedom is under attack in the United States of America—aided and abetted by cowardly corporations that are bowing down to fascism instead of standing up for democracy. This marks a serious authoritarian escalation. Every American has a moral duty to raise their voice against this assault on precious rights and freedoms.

Yesterday, ABC pulled the Jimmy Kimmel show from the air “indefinitely” to please Trump. Kimmel has roasted Trump for years, drawing his ire and generating multiple threats to have him removed from the air. Now, he has succeeded, thanks to spineless ABC executives.

From the New York Times:

ABC announced on Wednesday evening that it was pulling Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show “indefinitely” after conservatives accused the longtime host of inaccurately describing the politics of the man who is accused of fatally shooting the right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump stooge, went on a conservative podcast and said “This is a very, very serious issue right now for Disney...We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to take action on Kimmel or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”

The ominous threat set off a series of emergency meetings at ABC, resulting in a shocking decision to pull Kimmel—a comedian—from the airwaves. ABC executives apparently believed this was the best way to protect their company. But in caving to threats, they betrayed American values, giving Trump a victory as he moves to consolidate authoritarian power. From the Times:

Mr. Carr’s criticism of Mr. Kimmel was the latest attack against the media by the president and his administration. Mr. Trump himself sued ABC last year in a case that the network paid $16 million to settle. On Monday, the president filed a defamation lawsuit against The New York Times and four of its reporters.

This summer, Mr. Carr’s F.C.C. approved a major merger involving CBS’s owner, Paramount, days after CBS agreed to pay $16 million to settle a separate lawsuit filed by the president.

CBS also canceled “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” ending a network franchise for over three decades after next May. CBS said the cancellation was for financial reasons, but many in the media industry have speculated that it was done to curry favor with the Trump administration while Paramount’s merger was pending.

It’s clear that Trump intends to silence his critics, and he’s using Kirk’s assassination as an excuse for doing so. For starters, he’s testing his power by bullying media outlets into submission.

Earlier this year, he did the same things to major law firms, threatening them with attacks unless they surrendered to his outrageous demands. But a few law firms refused, showing courage in the face of tyranny and providing a brave example.

This is a dark moment in American history. But it’s the wrong time to give in to despair and hopelessness. Trump is deeply unpopular and his poll numbers are sinking to record lows. Even Republicans like Tucker Carlson are criticizing these attacks on free speech.

We have the power, but only if we use it.

Here's what every American can do right now:

Use your voice. Tell everyone you know—freedom is under attack, and we have a moral duty to defend American values. To do this, we must stand up to Trump’s assault on democracy. Share this reality with your family, your friends, your neighbors. Democracy dies in apathy and silence, but it survives when ordinary people refuse to be quiet.

Boycott Disney and ABC. We must apply financial pressure to those who aid the fascist takeover. Every dollar we spend with companies that bow to authoritarian threats funds our own oppression. Cancel Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN. Boycott ABC. (Be on the lookout for more information on the boycott.)

Get ready to march. We are entering a time when massive and sustained public protest will be necessary to halt this assault on everything America stands for. History teaches us that fascism advances when good people do nothing—and it retreats when millions take to the streets in defense of their freedoms. There’s a major nationwide march planned for October 18.

The choice is ours. We can watch our democracy crumble, or we can fight for it. There is no middle ground in 2025.

Remember: This fight isn’t new. Our system of government was designed to withstand these attacks on freedom. But only if we rise up and do our part.

From Heather Cox Richardson at “Letters from An American”:

Two hundred and thirty-eight years ago today, the Framers signed their names to the blueprint for a new government established by “We the People of the United States.” The next day, James McHenry, a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, recorded in his diary that a lady had asked delegate Benjamin Franklin whether the convention had established a republic or a monarchy. “A republic,” Franklin said, “if you can keep it.”