A global crackdown on free speech (that now includes the U.S.)
Humor is dangerous for autocrats.
Seven months before the outbreak of World War II, Hitler’s propaganda minister ended the careers of five comedians, calling them “brazen, impertinent, arrogant and tactless” and their fans “parasitic scum.”
Their firing made the front page of The New York Times on Feb. 4, 1939. The article explains what got them into trouble. The comedians “deftly, but unmistakably, caricatured the gestures, poses and physical characteristics of National Socialist leaders.”
This month, the American late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel was suspended and then reinstated. I spoke to my colleague Damien Cave, who has written extensively about the growing restrictions on speech around the world, to see if he could put what is happening in the U.S. into a larger context. (I really recommend reading his full story.)
Damien, what does the Jimmy Kimmel saga look like to you?
It reminds me of all the other countries where leaders have tried to silence speech, whether it’s taking over newspapers or shutting down TV stations or going after comedians. For the past decade, the trend line has been moving away from freedom of expression, whether it’s in hard-core authoritarian countries like Russia or China, or backsliding democracies like Turkey and Hungary. The degree of crackdown differs, but the number of countries cracking down is rising. What’s shocking is that the U.S. — specifically its government — is now among them.
Why is humor so dangerous to autocrats?
Authoritarians tend to have thin skins, and insist on being seen as great. Some scholars argue that the perception of competence is what keeps dictatorships in place — and that unlike anger or protest, which seek to compete with power, laughter and mockery are entirely dismissive, essentially insisting, “This guy is a joke.” In that sense, humor is the ultimate weapon.
Is there a pattern in how authoritarian leaders try to crack down on speech?
It often starts with broad media criticism. Next come suggestions that individual people and publications are somehow an enemy of the people. After that, it moves to takeovers of media companies.
The goal is always to create an echo chamber. Today, it’s not just about controlling newspapers and broadcast networks, it’s social media outlets and future technologies like A.I. But the logic is the same: It’s to control the information space and use that to impose a new idea of what’s normal or “common sense.” It’s all part of trying to achieve cultural and political dominance.
Who is the master of this kind of control today?
China definitely has the most high-tech system of information control. The Chinese model relies heavily on censorship, surveillance and control of the internet. It has implemented a range of new technologies to enforce rules about what can and can’t be said beyond just politics — in video games and even on issues like manhood.
The U.S. is still far from that kind of scenario. Jimmy Kimmel is back on the air, and social media remains full of Trump criticism. How much stock should we put in that?
It’s not just about individual speakers. Experts worry that President Trump has already set a precedent by intimidating some owners of media companies into submission. He has now shown that it’s easy to get corporate owners to obey and to silence creators, and as long as corporate leaders feel that it’s in their financial interest to bow to the president’s demands, there is still a significant threat.
The U.S. has historically had a maximalist commitment to free speech rights, at least on paper, allowing for speech that other countries might restrict. If the U.S. commitment to free speech is in question, what does that do to other democracies?
It legitimizes all the countries with regimes and the leaders that have severely suppressed speech and dissent. It also encourages leaders who haven’t yet gone in this direction to think, ‘Maybe I should be pushing for more limits.’
And that includes not just weaker democracies but strong ones — it creates a model for leadership that says, “We’re in a new era with new rules even in the country with the First Amendment, with historically one of the strongest systems of free expression.”
It suggests we’re all moving closer to a world where if you have a sharp critique of someone in power, maybe you think twice and stay quiet.
MORE TOP NEWS
Trump and Netanyahu offer a plan for Gaza
President Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a new plan to end the war in Gaza. But it appeared improbable that Hamas would agree to their demands, which include releasing all hostages within 72 hours of Israel accepting the terms. We have live updates.
During a joint news conference at the White House yesterday, Trump said that if Hamas did not agree to the proposal, which requires the group to disarm and give up control of Gaza, Israel would have his “full backing” to eliminate the group. Netanyahu said that if Hamas did not agree to the proposal, “then Israel will finish the job by itself.”
Here is the full text of the Gaza plan. It calls for Israel to pull back its forces by degrees within the enclave, first to await the return of all Israeli hostages, living and dead, and then a further withdrawal once an “International Stabilization Force” is created. Hamas members “who commit to peaceful coexistence” and who turn over their weapons would be granted amnesty; those who chose to leave Gaza would be given safe passage.
Gaza’s future: The U.S. plan calls for the creation of a transitional authority to stabilize Gaza. The body could include Tony Blair, the former British prime minister.
OTHER NEWS
- Typhoon Bualoi tore into central Vietnam, leaving at least 13 people dead. Two million people were without power.
- A pro-European party won an election in Moldova despite intense Russian interference.
- Namibia deployed soldiers to fight a wildfire that burned more than a third of Etosha National Park, one of the largest in Africa.
- Denmark closed its airspace to civilian drone flights ahead of a major E.U. summit, following a spate of recent drone sightings near airports.
- Mail delivery in Canada was halted after postal workers went on strike to protest a drastic government overhaul.
- Jared Kushner and Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund teamed up to take Electronic Arts private for $55 billion — the biggest buyout ever.
HAPPENING TODAY
- Trump plans to attend an unusual gathering of hundreds of U.S. generals and admirals at a military base in Virginia, alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
- World leaders and activists will hold a high-profile meeting at the U.N. to help Rohingya refugees. But none of the refugees will be present.
SPORTS
Cricket: India’s team refused to accept the Asia Cup trophy from a Pakistani official, leading to an hour-long standoff.
Tennis: Carlos Alcaraz’s spell-binding victory at the Japan Open included diamond-edged forehands and gossamer drop shots.
Golf: Here’s how Europe made history by pulling off a victory at the Ryder Cup.
WORD OF THE DAY
Intentional
— A buzzword to describe deliberate choices. With endless demands on our time and attention, doing everyday things “intentionally” gives an illusion of control.
MORNING READ
Something strange is happening in the rich fishing waters off the British coast. Trawlers are finding tons of Mediterranean octopuses in their nets. Scientists say that warming waters, caused by climate change, are a likely cause.
Some trawler crews are cashing in on the octopus influx. But it’s a different story for the town’s lobster and crab boats, because the highly intelligent cephalopods are treating shellfish traps like a convenient buffet. Read more.
AROUND THE WORLD
How they’re aging well in … France
Every morning, after her breakfast of coffee and toast with butter, honey or jam, Charlotte Chopin, age 102, does yoga. She started her practice at 50 to get a break from housework and became an instructor about a decade later.
Chopin is something of a celebrity in France. But she makes no claims to be a wellness guru. Still, people keep asking for her secrets to aging well. “I don’t have too many problems,” she said. “I have an activity that I like.” Read more.
REPORTER RECOMMENDATIONS
Every week, we’ll bring you tips from our reporters across the world. Here are mine from Berlin.— Katrin.
Listen to Meute, an 11-piece techno marching band that has reached cult status by creating electrifying deep house tunes with acoustic instruments. Utterly hypnotic.
Make bratwurst. Scratch that. Just buy a bratwurst — the stalls are everywhere. (Skip the sauerkraut, which is overrated.)
Watch “The People Vs. Fritz Bauer,” a thriller that tells the story of Germany’s reluctant postwar reckoning with the Holocaust.
Read “The Director” a novel inspired by the great Austrian director G.W. Pabst, who sold his soul to the Nazis. A page-turner about art and power.
Dine at Tulus Lotrek, a Michelin-starred restaurant that serves locally sourced innovative German cuisine. Pricey but not stuffy. Tattoos and vegans welcome.
Dance at Sisyphos, a proper Berlin techno club in an old dog food factory on the river. (Get stamped in the afternoon to avoid long evening lines!)
RECIPE
Just about every home in India has its own recipe for garam masala, the most common spice blend in the country and a cornerstone of South Asian cuisines. In this any-season dish, masala gives onions and chickpeas a comforting heartiness.
WHERE IS THIS?
Where is this promenade?
- Batumi, Georgia
- Astana, Kazakhstan
- Kuwait City, Kuwait
- Baku, Azerbaijan
TIME TO PLAY
Here are today’s Spelling Bee, Mini Crossword, Wordle and Sudoku. Find all our games here.
You’re done for today. See you tomorrow! — Katrin
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