How to Defend Freedom of Speech in the Face of Religious Attacks

Americans are grappling with the horrific assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Their real source of anger is the loss of yet another bureaucratic entitlement program, reminiscent of their hysterics amid DOGE cuts earlier this year. From the public airwaves to USAID to DEI contracts, the deep state and its media mouthpieces have enjoyed a long-standing structural advantage thanks to the largess of the taxpayer. 

Government officials need not act directly to censor speech.

Networks and local affiliates try to avoid programming that might strike FCC regulators as misleading, tasteless, or shocking. The FCC has never disavowed its authority over content, and the sword of Damocles still hangs over every licensee.

President Trump and others in his administration can and have pushed back against speech they disagree with and speech they believe to be false. That is their right, so long as their counterspeech does not cross the line to threats of government power.

From universities to legacy media to Antifa to Black Lives Matter to Big Pharma, Kirk fought the most influential cartels in our midst. They noticed.