US Right's Free Speech Reversal After Charlie Kirk Killing

Conservative Hypocrisy Exposed in Free Speech Debate

In a stunning reversal of principles, prominent American conservatives who once championed absolute free speech rights are now leading calls for censorship following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The September 10th shooting at Utah Valley University has triggered a seismic shift in the political landscape, with Trump administration officials openly advocating for crackdowns on what they label "hate speech."

Administration's Alarming Rhetoric

US Attorney General Pam Bondi set the tone for this new approach when she declared the administration would "absolutely target" those espousing hate speech about Kirk, despite hate speech being constitutionally protected unless it incites imminent violence. "They are openly collapsing the distinction between political dissent and political violence," said Aaron Terr, director of public advocacy at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.

The administration is reportedly drafting an executive order to "combat political violence and hate speech," marking a dramatic departure from traditional conservative positions on First Amendment protections.

Media and Academic Purges

The campaign's most visible casualty is talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, whose program was suspended indefinitely by ABC after FCC chair Brendan Carr pressured networks to drop the show. This from the same official who two years ago declared that "free speech is a crucial check on government control" and that "censorship is the authoritarian's dream."

Academics have also faced repercussions, with three Clemson University professors fired for social media posts about Kirk's death. The Washington Post terminated columnist Karen Attiah for her critical writing about Kirk's political views.

Historical Context and Conservative Backlash

This represents a remarkable about-face for conservatives who spent years decrying "cancel culture" from the left. Some conservative voices have pushed back against the administration's approach. Commentator Matt Walsh warned that "Every Trump supporter right now applauding Trump threatening ABC with consequences must also applaud when a Democratic president threatens Fox News" in the future.

Kirk himself was an inconsistent free speech advocate—his organization Turning Point USA maintained a controversial professor watchlist—but he wrote last year that "Hate speech does not exist legally in America... ALL of it is protected by the First Amendment."

Legal experts express deep concern about the administration's approach. "It's an unprecedented attempt to use every available lever of power to suppress dissent," said Katie Fallow of the Knight First Amendment Institute.