Understanding Why We Need To Protect The First Amendment
Understanding The First Amendment And Why We Need To Protect It
Eight months after the White House released its executive order aimed at allegedly ending government censorship, the Trump administration has escalated its war on freedom of expression and freedom of speech. Experts have warned about the increasing danger with the right’s approach to freedom of speech and false claims of censorship.
But in the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s murder, we’ve seen a rapid increase in the administration’s war on the First Amendment. On Thursday, FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez took direct issue with FCC Chair Brendan Carr’s unilateral action leading to comedian Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension.
“This FCC does not have the authority, the ability, or the constitutional right to police content or punish broadcasters for speech the government dislikes,” Gomez explained. “If it were to take the unprecedented step of trying to revoke broadcast licenses, which are held by local stations rather than national networks, it would run headlong into the First Amendment and fail in court on both the facts and the law. But even the threat to revoke a license is no small matter. It poses an existential risk to a broadcaster, which by definition cannot exist without its license. That makes billion-dollar companies with pending business before the agency all the more vulnerable to pressure to bend to the government’s ideological demands.”
Even as he claims to be upholding the obligation of broadcasters “to operate in the public interest”, Carr’s hypocrisy is on full display as he gives interserves to conservative propagandists.
Also raising the alarm about Carr’s actions, Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett introduced the Free Speech Act of 2025, making it clear that the Federal Communications Commission cannot be weaponized by any administration for partisan agenda. The Free Speech Act of 2025
“The Republican Party has demonstrated that free speech clearly isn’t free for everyone,” Crockett said. “The Free Speech Act of 2025 will prevent the FCC from using its power to unlawfully censor voices or force media companies to align with a political agenda. That kind of overreach is a direct step toward authoritarianism. It is critical that we add these protections so Americans can freely express their opinions—without fear, without coercion, and regardless of politics.”
SEE ALSO:
Trump Attacks Free Speech, As Pam Bondi Targets Journalists For ‘Hate Speech’
Understanding The First Amendment And Why We Need To Protect It was originally published on newsone.com
