The First Amendment is very important to citizens of the United States, no matter what side of the political spectrum one may lean towards. It is a deeply innate American concept, stemming all the way back to pre-Revolutionary ideology. According to a pre-election poll conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, two-thirds of Americans claimed that the protection of free speech is very important to their vote, making it the second most important factor over others like crime, immigration and healthcare.
The irony of this Oct. 2024 survey lies within the effective result of the presidential race: Donald Trump retaking the White House this January.
Now, nearly a full year after the election, we must reflect on the consequences of the decision many Americans made at the ballot box–ICE crackdowns in major cities, defunding the Department of Education, the persistent disregard for climate change and the list goes on. In political circumstances such as these, ethical journalism is needed now more than ever.
However, what happens when the very fabric of the media begins to unravel at the hands of government control and propaganda?
People across the world saw perhaps the most overt case of censorship during this round of Trump’s presidency just this past month, when “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” got temporarily taken off-air due to the host’s comments on Charlie Kirk’s assassination, after simply insinuating that the perpetrator could’ve been a member of Kirk’s own political party.
Not only was the man who attempted to assassinate President Trump last year a registered Republican, but we also see examples of conservative white men committing large acts of violence far too often in similar tragedies. Yet, a completely plausible statement was publicly condemned for its “insensitivity.”
This isn’t the first time this type of censorship has happened. In 2001, shortly after the horrific 9/11 attacks in Manhattan, commentator Bill Maher on his show “Politically Incorrect” condemned the U.S. government and military regarding their violence and occupation in the Middle East. Objectively criticizing those in positions of authority seems to be discouraged, as if both empathy and love for one’s country cannot coexist with cognitive analysis.
This idea is not only seen in broadcasting media, but it is also seen in education. Once DEI policies in schools were deconstructed, teachers and students no longer felt safe challenging harmful pedagogy and discussing “controversial” topics on race and gender. Even assembling as communities became difficult under the watchful eye of the current administration.
As a marginalized student in the realm of academia, I can say that I have seen this diversion of organization and curriculum firsthand– and it’s nerve-wracking to say the least.
The ceaseless content output of social media isn’t safe either. Just weeks before Trump retook office, internet Instagram-Facebook giant Meta announced that it would remove its fact-checking features on both apps, furthering the spread of misinformation and unguided political conversation. In a perfect dance of immoral filtering code, Instagram was also seen limiting search results for the word “Democrat” after inauguration day.
Similar algorithm censorship occurred on TikTok, where its counterpart “Republican” faced little-to-no restrictions – how incredibly appropriate and profitable for the United States government.
In this newfound era of blatant indoctrination and misinformation, the freedom of the press itself is at stake. Journalist Mario Guevara, a Salvadoran seeking asylum from threats in his home country, was recently deported on the basis of “immigration violations.” But what were his crimes? Why was he detained in the first place?
Well, Guevara almost exclusively covered ICE raids in the Latino community.
Being arrested because of the truthful nature of one’s work, let alone being completely withdrawn from the country, is morbidly reflective of the state of present-day American journalism. Additionally, policy changes in the Pentagon now forbid reporters from covering anything regarding the Department of Defence’s affairs without government authorization, with dire consequences for press credentials if it is not acknowledged.
This insatiable desire for control is unfathomably dangerous for the media and the state of education in the United States. It puts the people’s sources for information through an autocratic filter, denying them the right to unfiltered access to news and ideas. As the country moves further away from the principles of democracy, it’s becoming increasingly clear that free speech in the U.S. is under attack.
So buckle up, America–we’re in this First Amendment fight for the long haul, and we aren’t stopping anytime soon.
Jadelyn Villa is a junior majoring in creative writing and minoring in teaching.
