the attack on free speech
Dear Beholder,
Song of Choice: N/A
Date: 09/29/2025
In 1791, the First Amendment, the first of the ten Amendments of the Bill of Rights in the Constitution, was ratified. These ten Amendments outline the rights that every American is entitled to, regarding their civil rights and liberties. The First Amendment guarantees fundamental rights, including the freedoms of speech, the press, religion, assembly, and the right to petition the government.
Along with the remaining provisions of the Bill of Rights, the First Amendment was shaped by the diverse political, religious, and social elements of colonial America. These were the rights that were deemed pertinent. These were the rights that the drafters of the Constitution believed were vital to a new era, the United States of America.
Centuries later, there is an ongoing attack against free speech.
Recently, Jimmy Kimmel, the TV personality host for Jimmy Kimmel Live, had his show pulled from the air as a consequence of bringing attention to statements made by Charlie Kirk, a right-wing political activist and media personality who was assassinated in an act of political violence earlier this month.
Several popular late-night talk show hosts took to their audiences to discuss the recent tragedy/demonstration of political violence, and Jimmy Kimmel, who has since had his show reinstated following immense backlash from the general public, vocalized his own opinion, and as a result, his show was pulled off the air for “promoting political violence.”
Universal Karma does not condone political violence of any kind.
In addition to television personalities, a writer for the Washington Post was fired from her job after discussing Kirk’s own statements. Karen Attiah cited a statement from Kirk that “Black women do not have the brain processing power to be taken seriously. You have to go steal a white person’s slot.” Attiah’s biography page is still on the Washington Post website, which is attached below:
However, these are not the first attacks on the First Amendment since the new administration took office.
In early 2025, the Associated Press (AP) was removed from the White House briefing room after it refused to acknowledge President Trump’s efforts to rename the Gulf of Mexico via executive order.
As a result, AP filed a lawsuit to regain access. A lawyer for the AP asked a federal judge to reinstate the agency’s access to the White House press pool and other official events, saying the Trump Administration’s ban is a fundamental attack on freedom of speech and should be overturned. A federal judge in April ordered that the Trump White House allow AP journalists to return to the Oval Office and other spaces to cover news events, ruling that it was unlawful to block the news service in a dispute over a choice of words.
Following the decision to remove AP from the briefing room, many believe that this removal promotes the idea that it is acceptable to ban a news agency for what it says, rather than for the words the government demands to be used.
This, in addition to current events surrounding free speech, has raised questions about whether the administration can or should censor media agencies for publishing stories or discussing topics with which the administration disagrees. Many journalists believe that these actions demonstrate viewpoint discrimination. Essentially, that news agencies can only discuss perspectives on issues that align with the agenda the current administration wishes to portray.
Following the news of the late-night hosts’ show being pulled off the air. Various petitions began to emerge in support of Kimmel. A petition created by MoveOn received over 230,000 signatures, while dozens of smaller petitions garnered over 600 signatures each.
After these events, many citizens have become concerned about their right to free speech in recent months. Some believe that there is a threat to censorship, a direct contradiction to America’s democracy.
These concerns are heightened, given the role that corporations have begun to play in citizens' ability to air their grievances. Jimmy Kimmel’s show airs on ABC, and Disney owns ABC. Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar Media Group are two major media broadcast companies that collectively own over 70 ABC affiliates across the nation. Nexstar is seeking FCC approval for a proposed $6.2 million merger with Tenga, its rival.
It has been revealed that four democratic lawmakers announced that they will be probing into Nexstar and Sinclair to focus on whether their decisions to pull Kimmel’s show “relate to regulatory issues with the Trump administration.”
The question is then posed: What’s next for free speech?
Think of free speech as the rock or foundation, and when disrupted, it could disturb the delicate ecosystem that it protects. The United States is that ecosystem.
If the freedom to speak is wrongfully taken from American citizens, the very nature of the country itself is disturbed. Several years ago, I learned that when an empire establishes itself, it typically takes 250 years for that empire to fall. The United States of America is 249 years old, as of today.
In 2026, the United States will celebrate its 250th anniversary. This concept is based on the pattern of the rise and fall rather than a historical rule. The most notable empires that fell around 250 years old are the Western Roman Empire and the Kushan Empire. I won’t go into their individual history, for fear this letter will be too long, but it is just a point I wished to make for you. As always, take it with a grain of salt.
Sources are attached below:
https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/constitutional-amendments-amendment-1-freedom-speech
With love,
Universal Karma
