The removal of Jimmy Kimmel’s show is one of the highest profile examples of retribution from the right following the killing of the conservative activist Charlie Kirk. On this episode of “The Opinions,” the Opinion national politics writer Michelle Cottle is joined by the columnists Jamelle Bouie and David French to talk about how the right is trying to redefine whose words are free speech.
Below is a transcript of an episode of “The Opinions.” We recommend listening to it in its original form for the full effect. You can do so using the player above or on the NYT Audio app, Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts.
The transcript has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Michelle Cottle: Last week, David, you said Republicans and the right had a decision to make, that after the Charlie Kirk killing, there was a fork in the road. They could go high or they could go low. And it looks like this week we found out which way they’re headed.
Audio clip of JD Vance: You have the crazies on the far left who are saying: Oh, Stephen Miller and JD Vance, they’re going to go after constitutionally protected speech. No, no, no. We’re going to go after the NGO network that foments, facilitates and engages in violence.
Audio clip of Pam Bondi: There’s free speech and then there’s hate speech, and there is no place, especially now, especially after what happened to Charlie in our society.
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The post ‘We’re in the Most Dangerous Point for Free Speech in America’ appeared first on New York Times.
