I had never heard of Charlie Kirk until he was assassinated. He had the right to express his views. His views were racist, sexist and the value was white male supremacy and that is not my cup of tea. He should not have been killed. The Trump administration has reported him as a “martyr for American freedom.” His widow Erika Kirk‘s remarks at the public memorial were heartbreaking as she mourns her- lost but insists that she carries on and as a good Christian she forgives the killer. His funeral was massive with 90,000 people in a football stadium. That is a compliment to his life and work..
I saw some of his speeches on Facebook. He said, Dr. King was awful. He made derogatory remarks about Black women of note. Totally wrong and unnecessary. But he had the right to say it.
Regrettably, he did not have the voice, debate, or discussion of a Black male. Attorney and political commentator Van Jones revealed that Kirk contacted him a day before his death, asking for a public conversation. Regrettably, this didn’t happen. It would have been intriguing. This would have been the equivalent of the debate between the brilliant minds of James Baldwin and William Buckley in 1965.
So, Trump does not appreciate the satire of late-night TV, and through his presidential power, the late-night hosts are disappearing and other TV personalities are targeted. With the cancellation of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert and suspension and reinstatement of Jimmy Kimmel, Live!, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, free speech is clearly in question. This is reshaping the media landscape as we know it in America.
With the new mergers and acquisitions there with be five companies, conglomerates to control mainstream media. Trump has sued major media outlets, including ABC, CBS, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, and defunded PBS.
A new understanding of free speech is emerging. America is in crisis and at a crossroad. The core of democracy is free speech: the right to speak, the right to disagree, and the right to debate. It also includes the right to be satirical. The new Trump-aligned media imply no critique, no criticism, no debate. The media will be dictated by the Trump administration and only compliments and praise will be accepted. His mindset is one of punishment and cancellation for dissent. Governor Pritzker reminds us that this is how “authoritarian dictators” take control. Think Stalin and Mussolini.
The media always shapes public opinion because it is the primary source of information. Social media, where everyone is an expert with voice is a new dimension. So, what are our thoughts? Remember when Arsenio Hall had a late-night TV show? He was removed because he dared to host Minister Louis Farrakhan on his program. He was also canceled. Is this different from or similar to censorship? The President of the United States now decides what is funny and what to watch after the late news.
I have a question, as the late-night decisions are made. Where are Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock?
Are they ready for late-night TV, or will we return to old movies?
