Our Founding Fathers cemented our right to free speech in the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights. Having just overthrown a tyrannical king, they knew our emerging democracy could only survive if people could protest and criticize their leaders without risk of government persecution.
Free speech doesn’t mean the words you choose have no consequences — you could lose friends, customers, or your invitation to Thanksgiving dinner. But it is a violation of the U.S. Constitution if the government uses its heavy hand to punish you for your opinions.
This centuries-old protection is fundamental to who we are. That is why Americans watched in horror as late-night host Jimmy Kimmel was recently yanked off the air. After Kimmel poked fun at Donald Trump and the MAGA movement, Trump-appointed FCC Chair Brendan Carr leaned on ABC, pressuring the network to suspend the show and warning, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”
The chilling part is how routine this has become. The Trump regime looks for ways to punish anyone who dares to disagree. His Department of Homeland Security and State Department imposed new rules that chilled academic freedom and punished lawful speech. International students and scholars were targeted with visa revocations, intrusive social media vetting, and reporting requirements that watchdogs and courts have warned are unconstitutional.
That same instinct to silence and intimidate is alive in Idaho. In West Ada, teacher Sarah Inama was told to remove a small sign from her classroom that read, “Everyone is Welcome Here.” GOP legislators backed new rules restricting what teachers could display, silencing even simple expressions of kindness and respect.
Libraries are also under attack. In 2024, Republicans in the Idaho Legislature passed House Bill 710, which opened the door to lawsuits against local libraries simply for making books available to young people. Faced with the threat of ruinous litigation, many libraries are already pulling books from their shelves.
A government that punishes critics, whether they are a comedian, a teacher, or a student, is a government willing to silence anyone. That’s not what Idahoans want.
And yet there is reason for hope. Jimmy Kimmel was reinstated after everyday Americans stood up and demanded that the government stay out of free expression. His return to the air proves that when citizens refuse to bow to intimidation and insist on defending their right to free speech, we can win.
Free speech is not a privilege handed down by politicians. It is an inalienable right guaranteed by our Constitution. Idaho Democrats will always stand for that principle. The fight for free speech isn’t partisan, it’s patriotic. We invite every Idahoan, regardless of party affiliation, to join us.
Onward,
Lauren Necochea
Idaho Democratic Party Chair