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On Wednesday evening, a decision was announced that marks a dangerous new low for freedom of expression in this country. ABC revealed it was pulling Jimmy Kimmel Live off the air “indefinitely.” The decision came just hours after the Trump administration’s chair of the Federal Communications Commission publicly threatened regulatory action against ABC for comments Kimmel made about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The sequence was unmistakable: a powerful government official wielded his office to intimidate, affiliates panicked, and one of America’s longest-running late-night hosts was silenced.
This is not an isolated incident. CBS recently canceled Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show under a cloud of speculation about political pressure. Reporters, commentators, and entire outlets have been sued, threatened, and labeled as “enemies.” What happened to Jimmy Kimmel is the latest, most brazen escalation in a lengthy campaign to undermine the free press and punish criticism of those in power. As the nonprofit journalism school and research organization Poynter put it this week, “to have a show taken off the air for such a remark seems like a blatant disregard for freedom of speech.”
The First Amendment is the backbone of our free society. Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are what distinguish democracy from authoritarian rule, which is why it was included in the Bill of Rights in the first place. When networks and publishers make decisions not because of editorial judgment or financial realities, but because they fear retaliation from the government, it is the essence of censorship, of life under autocracy.
What is most chilling is that ABC did not wait for fines, court orders, or pulled licenses. Executives acted out of fear—and that fear is precisely the point for those in power. It intimidates journalists, artists, and publishers into censoring themselves in an attempt to head off retribution for exercising their power of free speech. History tells us clearly: This is how free societies fall.
As Unitarian Universalists, we believe in the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. We covenant to learn, to question, to dissent.
This crackdown comes at a time when structural economic changes have already decimated traditional media and when social media platforms have become dominant forms of information consumption. Local newsrooms have shuttered, creating news deserts. Misinformation is rampant online. Public trust in journalism has eroded amid endless cries of “fake news.” In a news vacuum, fear fuels chaos, confusion, and rage.
As Unitarian Universalists, we believe in the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. We covenant to learn, to question, to dissent. To see a comedian silenced under government threat should enrage us, not because we all agree with Jimmy Kimmel, but because democracy depends on protecting voices that those in power seek to silence.
Unitarian Universalists have been here before—and we have acted in accordance with our values to support the First Amendment. In 1971, when the federal government tried to block the Pentagon Papers from being made public, the UUA’s own Beacon Press, alongside Senator Mike Gravel, published the full record. According to Beacon, “As a result of publishing the papers, President Nixon personally attacked Beacon Press, the director of the press was subpoenaed to appear at Daniel Ellsberg’s trial, and J. Edgar Hoover approved an FBI subpoena of the entire denomination’s bank records.” But our faith stood firm. “We will help reduce the likelihood of our nation becoming involved in a similar situation,” said then-UUA President Robert West. In other words: Transparency and truth are not optional—they are acts of moral courage.
Transparency and truth are not optional—they are acts of moral courage.
Our Association has a long tradition of speaking out for the freedom of dissent. A 1968 resolution put it plainly: to remain silent while violence and abuse continue is to share responsibility for the destruction of one of the most precious features of our heritage, the right to speak our conscience freely.
Amid today’s acts of censorship, I am grateful for the independent, values-driven journalism that still flourishes here within Unitarian Universalism. In this precarious media moment, UU World provides accurate, high-quality reporting rooted in UU values. We publish stories that amplify courageous action, illuminate our faith’s commitments, and connect us across congregations. Our work—in our twice-yearly magazine, our news website, our bimonthly newsletter Wayfinder, and our Instagram account—is not just about offering information. When we share your stories of courage, connection, and community, we seek to fortify our fellow UUs with hope. In a time when fear silences so many, UU World remains a place where truth can still be spoken, celebrated, and shared.
Even as the lights go dark on one late-night stage, even as so much remains broken in our country and our world, I am heartened and humbled to know that Unitarian Universalists will keep shining our light for democracy, truth, and freedom of expression.