“Free speech is a bedrock of American life. Our constitutional rights must be fiercely protected, and I want you to know that we will always have your back,” President Donald Trump at a July 2019 social media summit, addressing the media’s role in America.
It’s been a tumultuous past few weeks in the media with the tragic assassination of political activist Charlie Kirk and the subsequent removal and reinstatement of late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel as a result of his commentary following Kirk’s murder.
While I, and many others, may have disagreed with almost everything Kirk said, nobody deserves to die for advocating for what they believe in. This is a country founded on freedom of speech. (See above). It’s not up for debate whether Kirk’s death was an absolute tragedy. It was.
Many people have been struggling with Kirk’s murder, as he was a popular and influential figure in the media. Therefore, it’s valid if you feel as though Kimmel’s jokes were ill-timed or insensitive. Kirk’s death is an extremely sensitive topic, and Kimmel may very well have benefited from waiting to comment.
That being said, looking at Kimmel’s statements, in no way was he glorifying or poking fun at Kirk’s death. In fact,
before he made any commentary on the situation, Kimmel stated: “I’ve seen a lot of extraordinarily vile responses to [Kirk’s death] from both sides of the political spectrum. Some people are cheering this, which is something I won’t ever understand.”
Kimmel was solely opining about the shooter himself and poking fun at President Trump, as he often does.
I think we all have to remember that Kimmel is not a politician. He’s a comedian who discussed a topic that every late night show host was discussing at the time. People appreciate comedians because of their ability to call out public figures in a satirical manner, and bring levity during serious times, not because they always say exactly what their audience wants to hear.
Whether or not you support Kimmel or agree with the commentary he made, our society is built upon our ability to
speak freely. (See above.)
Kimmel spoke his opinion, not on Kirk’s death itself, but on MAGA’s and Trump’s reaction to the tragedy. He never spoke in a derogatory manner toward Kirk. To be taken off air for speaking his opinion was a violation of the rights to free speech that Trump claims “must be fiercely protected.”
Our “protector of free speech” celebrated Kimmel’s removal from air and criticized ABC for reinstating him: “Why would they want someone back who does so poorly, who’s not funny, and who puts the Network in jeopardy by playing 99% positive Democrat GARBAGE,” President Trump posted.
Trump later stated: “They [the media] give me only bad publicity [and] press. I mean, they’re getting a license. I would think maybe their license should be taken away.”
Again, whether or not you support President Trump, we should all be able to agree that silencing the media when they say or do something our leaders don’t agree with is censorship.
Kimmel’s return is a small victory for free speech, but should not allow us to lose sight of the fact he was taken off the air in the first place. If the public allows Trump and his affiliates to silence media outlets who offer differing opinions, we begin (or continue) to slide down the slippery slope of authoritarianism.
Whatever side of the political spectrum you may fall upon, as citizens of a democracy we should all be able to call out our leaders when they stand against the values of our country. Our generation is the next to begin going to college and entering the work force, and it’s up to us to ensure democracy is still standing.
