September 20, 2025 • 15 mins
The U.S. government is testing the limits of the First Amendment. In one week, Pam Bondi promised prosecutions for “hate speech,” the FCC threatened ABC over Jimmy Kimmel’s jokes, and Trump labeled Antifa a terrorist organization.
In this Mike Drop, I argue why labeling ideas as terrorism is a dangerous precedent. We explore the irony of targeting antifascists, the hypocrisy around January 6, and why both liberals and conservatives should resist this slide. Speech is the foundation of every other freedom, and defending it is not optional.
💬 Viewer Question
Do you think the government should ever be able to label an idea or philosophy as terrorism? Why or why not?
📑 Chapter Headings
1. Intro: When Ideas Become Threats
2. From Pam Bondi to the FCC
3. Antifa Declared Terrorist – The Historical Irony
4. What Terrorism Actually Requires
5. The First Tread on Free Speech
6. Why Everyone Should Care
7. What We Do Next
📚 Suggested Reading List
1. Nadine Strossen – HATE: Why We Should Resist It with Free Speech, Not Censorship https://amzn.to/3VIzE8d
2. Timothy Garton Ash's "Free Speech: Ten Principles for A Connected World" https://amzn.to/3KsjPzO
Mary Anne Franks' "Fearless Speech: Breaking Free from the First Amendment" https://amzn.to/3KarHpB
Visit us at www.Atheistville.com for more content from Mike Smithgall and the Atheistville team
📺 Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@atheistville
💬 Want to be a guest or submit a question? Drop us a note at CONTACT
Check us out at: https://atheistville.buzzsprout.com
🔥 New episodes weekly from Atheistville — Mike Drop with Mike Smithgall, Ask an Atheist, and The Unholy Roundtable
© 2025 Atheistville Media
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:00):
And now, making his way to the studio, still waiting
for God to smite him, it's MikeSmithgall.
Thanks for tuning in.
I'm Mike Smithgall, theunelected mayor of Atheistville,
and this is today's Mic Drop.
UNKNOWN (00:19):
Mic Drop
SPEAKER_01 (00:20):
I don't normally do two mic drops in one week, but
this week is different.
On Monday, Donald Trump said hewould consider labeling Antifa a
domestic terrorist group.
That statement didn't come outof nowhere.
It's part of a broader plan thathis advisors are drawing up in
the wake of Charlie Kirk'skilling.
A plan to crack down on whatthey call radical left-wing
(00:41):
groups.
They floated racketeeringcharges, stripping non-profits
of tax status, even criminalcharges for groups or
individuals they say aretargeting conservatives.
And here's why that matters herein Atheistville.
This channel is about atheism,free thought and open
discussion.
If the government startsbranding ideologies it dislikes
(01:03):
as terrorism, then atheism,already stigmatized as
un-American or immoral, is onlya step away from the same
treatment.
So when I hear Trump and PamBondi talking about targeting
speech, targeting groups, andputting people in cuffs, I take
that personally.
If anti-fascism can beterrorism, then atheism can be
(01:24):
terrorism.
And once you normalizecriminalizing thought, no
worldview is safe.
Now this week, in the span of afew days, we saw three examples
of government overreachtargeting speech.
Let's start with Pam Bondi.
She said hate speech is separatefrom free speech, and the
Justice Department would goafter people for it.
SPEAKER_00 (01:46):
There's free speech, and then there's hate speech.
And there is no place,especially now, especially after
what happened to Charlie in oursociety.
We will absolutely target you,go after you, if you are
targeting anyone with hatespeech, anything.
And that's across the aisle.
SPEAKER_01 (02:05):
Here's the problem.
In the United States, hatefulspeech is generally protected
unless it crosses narrow lineslike true threats or incitement
to imminent violence.
Courts have been crystal clearon this for decades.
Bondi's framing is wrong andworse, it's reckless.
I made a video about this verysubject.
At the time, I thought, this isoutrageous, and I said so.
(02:29):
But I needed only wait a shorttime before her statements
became actions.
This wasn't random governmentoverreach.
Bondi's targeting of hate speechwas part of the broader
crackdown that Trump announcedon Monday.
Hours after her statement, theFCC, a government agency made up
of appointed officials, notelected representatives, leaned
(02:50):
on ABC over Jimmy Kimmel'sremarks about Trump and Charlie
Kirk.
The threat was clear.
Remove the content or risk yourbroadcast license.
And here's what happened next.
Jimmy Kimmel was suspended byABC.
Now, ABC is a private company.
They can do that.
But they're bowing to thepressure of the FCC.
(03:10):
So now we have to ask, will ABCneed to run their news copy by
the government before going toair?
Because that's what thispressure creates, a de facto
ministry of truth.
And I urge you to go readexactly what Kimmel said.
Tell me if that really rises tothe level of offensive, let
alone worthy of governmentcoming down on his company.
(03:32):
Which leads us to an evenscarier possibility.
Will the FCC restrict truthitself?
Now, let's talk about whatdoesn't get government pressure.
On September 10th, Fox News hostBrian Kilmeade said mentally ill
homeless people should getinvoluntary lethal injections
and added, just kill them.
SPEAKER_04 (03:53):
Either you take the resources that we're going to
give you or you decide thatyou're going to be locked up in
jail.
That's the way it has to be now.
Or involuntary lethal injectionor something.
Just kill them.
SPEAKER_01 (04:05):
That's not hyperbole or satire.
That's advocating the murder ofvulnerable people on national
television.
Kilmeade eventually apologizedafter the clip went viral, but
here's what didn't happen.
No FCC pressure, no JusticeDepartment threats, no licensing
concerns.
His co-hosts didn't even blink.
They just kept talking.
(04:26):
And in fact, during his apology,Fox News was running a chyron
promoting his show.
It's as if suggesting the murderof homeless people is simply
business as usual at Fox.
So let's be clear about theJimmy Kimmel makes a joke about
the right taking great pains todistance themselves from yet
another white guy with a gun,and Trump giving no thought to
(04:48):
Charlie Kirk as he brushes hismemory aside to instead talk
about a ballroom.
The government threatens ABC'slicense.
Brian Kilmeade advocates killinghomeless people, and what do we
get?
Beep, beep, beep.
That's right, crickets fromWashington.
Nothing.
That's not about protectingspeech or public decency.
(05:10):
That's about protecting power.
The government only cares aboutharmful speech when it's speech
that harms them.
But the week isn't over.
Then came the third strike.
Trump's announcement aboutAntifa wasn't just another press
line.
It was the centerpiece of thisbroader crackdown that his
advisors are openly discussing.
They're using Charlie Kirk'smurder, a tragedy with no proven
(05:34):
link to Antifa as the pretext togo after dissent.
And here's the historical irony.
Antifa means anti-fascist.
The original anti-fascististAktion formed in Germany in 1932
to resist the Nazis.
So a banner born to push backagainst a tyrannical regime 90
(05:54):
years ago is again undergovernment attack for what it
represents.
But here's where atheists needto pay attention.
If Trump and his team can labelanti-fascism Then why not
atheism?
Think about how often atheistsare already painted as immoral
or un-American.
If this labeling becomes normal,atheism fits neatly on that
(06:17):
list.
And unlike churches orconservative groups, we don't
have national lobbies or defensefunds.
Most of us are individuals,which means the process itself,
the stigma, and the legal costs,the harassment, could silence us
completely.
Here's the practical risk.
There is no Antifa nationaloffice with lobbyists or pooled
(06:38):
defense funds.
That means every person who getscaught under the terrorist label
fights alone.
Most will not have the money orthe time to fight back.
Even if they're innocent, theprocess itself becomes the
punishment.
That chills everyone else.
This is how you silence dissentwithout outlawing dissent.
(06:58):
You don't need to ban anewspaper if you can threaten
its publisher.
You don't need to outlaw aphilosophy if you can bankrupt
anyone that holds it.
And for those of us here atAtheistville, which is atheists,
free thinkers, people whochallenge religious orthodoxy,
this should terrify you.
If the government normalizesbranding ideas as terrorism,
(07:18):
your speech and ideology areunder threat.
And let's be clear about whatthe law actually says.
In U.S.
law, the State Departmentdesignates foreign terrorist
organizations, which triggersmaterial support crimes.
But there is is no paralleldomestic list for homegrown
ideology.
The FBI defines domesticterrorism by conduct tried to
(07:40):
criminal acts, not by merebelief or loose affinity.
There's a reason for that gap.
It's a constitutional guardrail.
So what would actually meet thedefinition of terrorist
organization?
You need leadership or anenterprise that calls for
violence.
SPEAKER_02 (07:55):
But I said something's wrong here.
Something's really wrong.
Can't have happened.
And we fight.
We fight like hell.
And if you don't fight likehell, you're not going to have a
country anymore.
SPEAKER_01 (08:06):
And followers who act on those calls.
(08:26):
That chain of events, leadershipcalling for a fight, and
followers acting violently onthat call, is what actually fits
the definition of domesticterror action.
So ask yourself this, if Antifais terrorism without leaders,
without a central structure,without incitement from the top,
then what do we call MAGAactions on January 6th?
(08:48):
Because if the label is appliedhonestly, January 6th looked a
lot more like organizedterrorism than anything Antifa
has done, as a loose-eyedideology.
Yet Antifa gets the terroristlabel, while January 6th
participants get campaignrallies and book deals and
pardons.
This isn't about consistency.
It's about power.
(09:08):
It's about using that power tosilence ideas the government
doesn't like.
Now let's talk about thoseGadsden flags, the one that
says, don't tread on me.
You see them plastered on trucksand flying in front yard and
stitched into hats and ont-shirts.
And the idea is noble.
Resist government tyranny.
It's an idea that I actuallysupport as a concept.
(09:29):
But I have to ask, when thegovernment starts telling you
what words you can say, whatjokes you can make, and what
ideas you can hold, who do youthink is doing the treading?
If your speech is threatenedwith prosecution, if your ideas
are branded terrorism, that'snot simply the first tread.
That's a stomp, and it's landingdirectly on your First Amendment
(09:49):
rights.
And the irony is painful.
Many of the same voices cheeringthis move would scream about
tear And let's be clear aboutwhat real government tyranny
(10:13):
looks like.
When Christians face actualgovernment actions, like being
denied permits for religiousgatherings or having their tax
exemptions threatened, theyrightfully call that
persecution.
But when the government startsbranding secular worldviews is
dangerous, when it threatensbroadcasters for challenging
authority, that's the sametyranny.
(10:34):
The difference is Christianshave constitutional protection
that are well established anddefended.
Atheists?
We're still fighting for basicrecognition.
The most basic right, thefoundation of every other
freedom, is speech.
That's the tread you shouldfear.
And this isn't about left versusright.
This is constitution.
(10:54):
Liberals and atheists, you arethe one Trump and his advisors
are openly targeting in the wakeof Kirk's killing.
They aren't hiding it.
They're saying the quiet partquite out loud.
And if Antifa is the test case,atheists and free thought are
one step behind.
Now, I can't prove atheism willbe next on the list, but I can
show you the pattern.
(11:15):
Look at how this works.
First, you normalize the ideathat certain ideologies are
inherently dangerous.
Then you expand the definition.
We've seen this before.
McCarthyism started with theactual communists, then expanded
to include anyone withun-American ideas.
I'm putting quotes about that.
Un-American ideas.
Atheism already fits the profilethey're building.
(11:36):
We're seen as underminingtraditional values.
We're a minority without stronginstitutional protection.
And we challenge beliefs thatmany consider foundational to
American identity.
If this framework becomesnormal, we don't have to guess
whether we'll be included.
Logic demands it.
But conservatives should caretoo.
Today, it Trump is in charge.
(11:57):
Tomorrow, someone else will be.
Picture this.
It's 2028, and AOC just won thepresidency.
She's holding a press conferenceabout targeting hate groups that
undermine American values, suchas MAGA, to name just one.
She's using the exact same legalframework you're cheering today.
(12:18):
How does that feel?
Because that's exactly whatyou're building when you support
criminalizing ideology.
The tool you create for Trumpbecomes the weapon used against
you.
No matter who who you voted for,you should be terrified when the
government criminalizes ideasbecause the moment you let them
start, you've already lost theright to stop them.
(12:39):
Even with heated rhetoric, yourrights still remain, for now.
Peaceful speech and assembly areprotected.
Courts can check excess.
These are real guardrails, butthey act after arrests or
threats begin.
That's why public pushbackmatters before the chill sets
in.
We have to defend the principlesYou don't have to like Antifa.
(13:03):
You don't have to agree withJimmy Kimmel.
But you do have to defend theirright to speak, because
defending their speech isdefending your own.
That means paying attention,speaking up.
Support civil liberty groupslike the ACLU.
Learn your protest rights.
If you organize or attenddemonstrations, keep the
advocacy clear of any planningfor violence.
(13:24):
Keep receipts, plans,de-escalation notes in writing
that preserves legal protectionif a Authorities get it wrong.
Get legal observers.
And if you want to dig deep intohow government threatens free
speech, pick up Nadine Stosson'sHate and Why We Should Resist It
with Free Speech, NotCensorship.
It's the perfect antidote to PamBondi's dangerous rhetoric.
(13:45):
Timothy Garton's Ash, FreeSpeech, 10 Principles for a
Connected World, will show youexactly how the government
corporate pressure we see withABC happens worldwide.
And if you really want tochallenge yourself, read
Marianne Frank's Even if youdisagree with her, she'll make
you think harder about what freespeech really means.
(14:06):
I'll put a link to these in theshow notes.
Most importantly, refuse to givea free pass when the government
crosses the line.
Because this week we saw threelines crossed.
A top official promisingprosecution for speech.
A regulatory body threatening alicense for satire.
A president labeling ideologyterrorism.
(14:27):
Each one chips away at the FirstAmendment.
Together, they're a hammerstrike.
Alright, that's my two cents.
Unblessed and unfiltered.
Agree or disagree, that's what Igot for you.
This was a clear warning shot.
If Antifa can be terrorismtoday, then atheism can be
tomorrow.
If Jimmy Kimmel can be silencetoday, then you can tomorrow.
(14:47):
And if speech without gods istreating as terror, then freedom
of conscience itself is underattack.
Don't wait until the hammerfalls on you to care about free
speech.
Use your voice while you stillhave it.
Share Share this mic drop.
Push your friends to think aboutwho is really doing the treading
and defend the First Amendmentbecause it's the only thing
standing between your thoughtsand the government's
(15:09):
disapproval.
I'm Mike Smithgall, and I'llcatch you on the next one.
And now, making his way to the studio, still waiting
for God to smite him, it's MikeSmithgall.
Thanks for tuning in.
I'm Mike Smithgall, theunelected mayor of Atheistville,
and this is today's Mic Drop.
UNKNOWN (00:19):
Mic Drop
SPEAKER_01 (00:20):
I don't normally do two mic drops in one week, but
this week is different.
On Monday, Donald Trump said hewould consider labeling Antifa a
domestic terrorist group.
That statement didn't come outof nowhere.
It's part of a broader plan thathis advisors are drawing up in
the wake of Charlie Kirk'skilling.
A plan to crack down on whatthey call radical left-wing
(00:41):
groups.
They floated racketeeringcharges, stripping non-profits
of tax status, even criminalcharges for groups or
individuals they say aretargeting conservatives.
And here's why that matters herein Atheistville.
This channel is about atheism,free thought and open
discussion.
If the government startsbranding ideologies it dislikes
(01:03):
as terrorism, then atheism,already stigmatized as
un-American or immoral, is onlya step away from the same
treatment.
So when I hear Trump and PamBondi talking about targeting
speech, targeting groups, andputting people in cuffs, I take
that personally.
If anti-fascism can beterrorism, then atheism can be
(01:24):
terrorism.
And once you normalizecriminalizing thought, no
worldview is safe.
Now this week, in the span of afew days, we saw three examples
of government overreachtargeting speech.
Let's start with Pam Bondi.
She said hate speech is separatefrom free speech, and the
Justice Department would goafter people for it.
SPEAKER_00 (01:46):
There's free speech, and then there's hate speech.
And there is no place,especially now, especially after
what happened to Charlie in oursociety.
We will absolutely target you,go after you, if you are
targeting anyone with hatespeech, anything.
And that's across the aisle.
SPEAKER_01 (02:05):
Here's the problem.
In the United States, hatefulspeech is generally protected
unless it crosses narrow lineslike true threats or incitement
to imminent violence.
Courts have been crystal clearon this for decades.
Bondi's framing is wrong andworse, it's reckless.
I made a video about this verysubject.
At the time, I thought, this isoutrageous, and I said so.
(02:29):
But I needed only wait a shorttime before her statements
became actions.
This wasn't random governmentoverreach.
Bondi's targeting of hate speechwas part of the broader
crackdown that Trump announcedon Monday.
Hours after her statement, theFCC, a government agency made up
of appointed officials, notelected representatives, leaned
(02:50):
on ABC over Jimmy Kimmel'sremarks about Trump and Charlie
Kirk.
The threat was clear.
Remove the content or risk yourbroadcast license.
And here's what happened next.
Jimmy Kimmel was suspended byABC.
Now, ABC is a private company.
They can do that.
But they're bowing to thepressure of the FCC.
(03:10):
So now we have to ask, will ABCneed to run their news copy by
the government before going toair?
Because that's what thispressure creates, a de facto
ministry of truth.
And I urge you to go readexactly what Kimmel said.
Tell me if that really rises tothe level of offensive, let
alone worthy of governmentcoming down on his company.
(03:32):
Which leads us to an evenscarier possibility.
Will the FCC restrict truthitself?
Now, let's talk about whatdoesn't get government pressure.
On September 10th, Fox News hostBrian Kilmeade said mentally ill
homeless people should getinvoluntary lethal injections
and added, just kill them.
SPEAKER_04 (03:53):
Either you take the resources that we're going to
give you or you decide thatyou're going to be locked up in
jail.
That's the way it has to be now.
Or involuntary lethal injectionor something.
Just kill them.
SPEAKER_01 (04:05):
That's not hyperbole or satire.
That's advocating the murder ofvulnerable people on national
television.
Kilmeade eventually apologizedafter the clip went viral, but
here's what didn't happen.
No FCC pressure, no JusticeDepartment threats, no licensing
concerns.
His co-hosts didn't even blink.
They just kept talking.
(04:26):
And in fact, during his apology,Fox News was running a chyron
promoting his show.
It's as if suggesting the murderof homeless people is simply
business as usual at Fox.
So let's be clear about theJimmy Kimmel makes a joke about
the right taking great pains todistance themselves from yet
another white guy with a gun,and Trump giving no thought to
(04:48):
Charlie Kirk as he brushes hismemory aside to instead talk
about a ballroom.
The government threatens ABC'slicense.
Brian Kilmeade advocates killinghomeless people, and what do we
get?
Beep, beep, beep.
That's right, crickets fromWashington.
Nothing.
That's not about protectingspeech or public decency.
(05:10):
That's about protecting power.
The government only cares aboutharmful speech when it's speech
that harms them.
But the week isn't over.
Then came the third strike.
Trump's announcement aboutAntifa wasn't just another press
line.
It was the centerpiece of thisbroader crackdown that his
advisors are openly discussing.
They're using Charlie Kirk'smurder, a tragedy with no proven
(05:34):
link to Antifa as the pretext togo after dissent.
And here's the historical irony.
Antifa means anti-fascist.
The original anti-fascististAktion formed in Germany in 1932
to resist the Nazis.
So a banner born to push backagainst a tyrannical regime 90
(05:54):
years ago is again undergovernment attack for what it
represents.
But here's where atheists needto pay attention.
If Trump and his team can labelanti-fascism Then why not
atheism?
Think about how often atheistsare already painted as immoral
or un-American.
If this labeling becomes normal,atheism fits neatly on that
(06:17):
list.
And unlike churches orconservative groups, we don't
have national lobbies or defensefunds.
Most of us are individuals,which means the process itself,
the stigma, and the legal costs,the harassment, could silence us
completely.
Here's the practical risk.
There is no Antifa nationaloffice with lobbyists or pooled
(06:38):
defense funds.
That means every person who getscaught under the terrorist label
fights alone.
Most will not have the money orthe time to fight back.
Even if they're innocent, theprocess itself becomes the
punishment.
That chills everyone else.
This is how you silence dissentwithout outlawing dissent.
(06:58):
You don't need to ban anewspaper if you can threaten
its publisher.
You don't need to outlaw aphilosophy if you can bankrupt
anyone that holds it.
And for those of us here atAtheistville, which is atheists,
free thinkers, people whochallenge religious orthodoxy,
this should terrify you.
If the government normalizesbranding ideas as terrorism,
(07:18):
your speech and ideology areunder threat.
And let's be clear about whatthe law actually says.
In U.S.
law, the State Departmentdesignates foreign terrorist
organizations, which triggersmaterial support crimes.
But there is is no paralleldomestic list for homegrown
ideology.
The FBI defines domesticterrorism by conduct tried to
(07:40):
criminal acts, not by merebelief or loose affinity.
There's a reason for that gap.
It's a constitutional guardrail.
So what would actually meet thedefinition of terrorist
organization?
You need leadership or anenterprise that calls for
violence.
SPEAKER_02 (07:55):
But I said something's wrong here.
Something's really wrong.
Can't have happened.
And we fight.
We fight like hell.
And if you don't fight likehell, you're not going to have a
country anymore.
SPEAKER_01 (08:06):
And followers who act on those calls.
(08:26):
That chain of events, leadershipcalling for a fight, and
followers acting violently onthat call, is what actually fits
the definition of domesticterror action.
So ask yourself this, if Antifais terrorism without leaders,
without a central structure,without incitement from the top,
then what do we call MAGAactions on January 6th?
(08:48):
Because if the label is appliedhonestly, January 6th looked a
lot more like organizedterrorism than anything Antifa
has done, as a loose-eyedideology.
Yet Antifa gets the terroristlabel, while January 6th
participants get campaignrallies and book deals and
pardons.
This isn't about consistency.
It's about power.
(09:08):
It's about using that power tosilence ideas the government
doesn't like.
Now let's talk about thoseGadsden flags, the one that
says, don't tread on me.
You see them plastered on trucksand flying in front yard and
stitched into hats and ont-shirts.
And the idea is noble.
Resist government tyranny.
It's an idea that I actuallysupport as a concept.
(09:29):
But I have to ask, when thegovernment starts telling you
what words you can say, whatjokes you can make, and what
ideas you can hold, who do youthink is doing the treading?
If your speech is threatenedwith prosecution, if your ideas
are branded terrorism, that'snot simply the first tread.
That's a stomp, and it's landingdirectly on your First Amendment
(09:49):
rights.
And the irony is painful.
Many of the same voices cheeringthis move would scream about
tear And let's be clear aboutwhat real government tyranny
(10:13):
looks like.
When Christians face actualgovernment actions, like being
denied permits for religiousgatherings or having their tax
exemptions threatened, theyrightfully call that
persecution.
But when the government startsbranding secular worldviews is
dangerous, when it threatensbroadcasters for challenging
authority, that's the sametyranny.
(10:34):
The difference is Christianshave constitutional protection
that are well established anddefended.
Atheists?
We're still fighting for basicrecognition.
The most basic right, thefoundation of every other
freedom, is speech.
That's the tread you shouldfear.
And this isn't about left versusright.
This is constitution.
(10:54):
Liberals and atheists, you arethe one Trump and his advisors
are openly targeting in the wakeof Kirk's killing.
They aren't hiding it.
They're saying the quiet partquite out loud.
And if Antifa is the test case,atheists and free thought are
one step behind.
Now, I can't prove atheism willbe next on the list, but I can
show you the pattern.
(11:15):
Look at how this works.
First, you normalize the ideathat certain ideologies are
inherently dangerous.
Then you expand the definition.
We've seen this before.
McCarthyism started with theactual communists, then expanded
to include anyone withun-American ideas.
I'm putting quotes about that.
Un-American ideas.
Atheism already fits the profilethey're building.
(11:36):
We're seen as underminingtraditional values.
We're a minority without stronginstitutional protection.
And we challenge beliefs thatmany consider foundational to
American identity.
If this framework becomesnormal, we don't have to guess
whether we'll be included.
Logic demands it.
But conservatives should caretoo.
Today, it Trump is in charge.
(11:57):
Tomorrow, someone else will be.
Picture this.
It's 2028, and AOC just won thepresidency.
She's holding a press conferenceabout targeting hate groups that
undermine American values, suchas MAGA, to name just one.
She's using the exact same legalframework you're cheering today.
(12:18):
How does that feel?
Because that's exactly whatyou're building when you support
criminalizing ideology.
The tool you create for Trumpbecomes the weapon used against
you.
No matter who who you voted for,you should be terrified when the
government criminalizes ideasbecause the moment you let them
start, you've already lost theright to stop them.
(12:39):
Even with heated rhetoric, yourrights still remain, for now.
Peaceful speech and assembly areprotected.
Courts can check excess.
These are real guardrails, butthey act after arrests or
threats begin.
That's why public pushbackmatters before the chill sets
in.
We have to defend the principlesYou don't have to like Antifa.
(13:03):
You don't have to agree withJimmy Kimmel.
But you do have to defend theirright to speak, because
defending their speech isdefending your own.
That means paying attention,speaking up.
Support civil liberty groupslike the ACLU.
Learn your protest rights.
If you organize or attenddemonstrations, keep the
advocacy clear of any planningfor violence.
(13:24):
Keep receipts, plans,de-escalation notes in writing
that preserves legal protectionif a Authorities get it wrong.
Get legal observers.
And if you want to dig deep intohow government threatens free
speech, pick up Nadine Stosson'sHate and Why We Should Resist It
with Free Speech, NotCensorship.
It's the perfect antidote to PamBondi's dangerous rhetoric.
(13:45):
Timothy Garton's Ash, FreeSpeech, 10 Principles for a
Connected World, will show youexactly how the government
corporate pressure we see withABC happens worldwide.
And if you really want tochallenge yourself, read
Marianne Frank's Even if youdisagree with her, she'll make
you think harder about what freespeech really means.
(14:06):
I'll put a link to these in theshow notes.
Most importantly, refuse to givea free pass when the government
crosses the line.
Because this week we saw threelines crossed.
A top official promisingprosecution for speech.
A regulatory body threatening alicense for satire.
A president labeling ideologyterrorism.
(14:27):
Each one chips away at the FirstAmendment.
Together, they're a hammerstrike.
Alright, that's my two cents.
Unblessed and unfiltered.
Agree or disagree, that's what Igot for you.
This was a clear warning shot.
If Antifa can be terrorismtoday, then atheism can be
tomorrow.
If Jimmy Kimmel can be silencetoday, then you can tomorrow.
(14:47):
And if speech without gods istreating as terror, then freedom
of conscience itself is underattack.
Don't wait until the hammerfalls on you to care about free
speech.
Use your voice while you stillhave it.
Share Share this mic drop.
Push your friends to think aboutwho is really doing the treading
and defend the First Amendmentbecause it's the only thing
standing between your thoughtsand the government's
(15:09):
disapproval.
I'm Mike Smithgall, and I'llcatch you on the next one.
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