The release of Tucker Carlson from Fox News, coming one week after conservative political commentator Dan Bongino was also let go, represents a disturbing and evolving trend in American society: freedom of thought is out; totalitarianism is in.
At its inception the Fox News slogan was "Fair and Balanced and Unafraid," suggesting the network presented all sides. "We report, you decide," was another Fox motto.
And that slogan worked well.
"Hannity & Colmes" was one of its original shows featuring liberal Alan Colmes playing off conservative Sean Hannity.
That formula worked well for more than 12 years until Colmes’ death from lymphoma in 2017. Then it became just "Hannity."
All at once the host had no one to call him out, no one to tell him, "yeah, but have you thought of this?"
The network eventually made a slogan change as well. "Fair and Balanced" became "Standing Up For What’s Right."
The problem with that is someone has to decide what constitutes “right.”
Independent journalist Glenn Greenwald observed that Carlson repeatedly butted heads with Fox management on the definition of "right."
For example, Carlson:
- Warned viewers of America’s continued support for the escalating war in Ukraine
- Denounced the systemic militarization, lies and corruption of the CIA, FBI and DHS
- Criticized the militarism of the Trump administration
- Released footage of the January 6 protest, demonstrating that while the participants may have been trespassing, they were for the most part peaceful
- Campaigned for the release of journalist Julian Assange
- Objected to Cuban regime change efforts by America while ignoring attacks on basic freedoms here
Greenwald noted that Carlson’s commentary often ran counter to that of other, more mainstream Fox News opinion hosts, especially Hannity and Laura Ingraham.
He also observed that the day before Carlson was let go, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat and self-described socialist, appeared on MSNBC and denounced Carlson.
"When you look at what Tucker Carlson and some of these other folks on Fox do, it is very, very clearly incitement of violence," she said. "Very clearly."
She was being interviewed by MSNBC host and former Biden White House press secretary Jen Psaki, who didn’t push back at this statement.
She only nodded, apparently in agreement.
Greenwald concluded that "Dems like AOC are utter authoritarians who crave state censorship."
The final minutes of Carlson’s very last show Friday were devoted to eating pizza with Tyler Morrell, a Pennsylvania pizza deliveryman who gained fame by foiling a carjacking while delivering an order. He did it without even dropping the pizza.
Independent journalist Greg Price said, "I can’t think of a better way for the greatest cable news show in history to end."
Afterwards, dressed in what appeared to be the same jacket and tie, Carlson delivered the keynote address at The Heritage Foundation’s 50th anniversary Gala. He talked about freedom.
"I am not a slave," he said. "I am a free citizen, and I'm not doing that, and there's nothing you can do to me to make me do it, and I hope it won't come to that, but if it does come to that, here I am. Here I am. It's Paul on trial. Here I am."
Carlson also spoke about truth and lies.
"The truth is contagious," he said. "the more you tell the truth, the stronger you become. . . .the more you lie, the weaker and more terrified you become . . . you see these people and some of them really have paid a heavy price for telling the truth . . . but they do it anyway. . . "
At the other end of the spectrum, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez confirmed her own authoritarian leanings after she received the news that Carlson and Fox had parted ways.
"Tucker Carlson is out at Fox News. It couldn’t have happened to a better guy," she claimed. "De-platforming works, and it is important. And there you go. Good things can happen."
And there you go. If you don’t like the message, just yank out the messenger’s soapbox, take his platform away from him.
But the problem with that thinking is that eventually you, or one of your allies, will have their platform pulled out from under them. It’s inevitable — every regime change brings with it a different way of thinking, a different point of view, a different set of values.
That’s why freedom of expression is such a basic element to a free society.
A free society can’t exist without it.
Actress and political activist Janine Turner compared society to a bird, one which needs both a right wing (conservatives) and a left wing (progressives) for balance.
And that’s why we have a First Amendment: so that we can hear all voices, both Hannity and Colmes … and yes, Tucker too. Never leave out Tucker.
Michael Dorstewitz is a retired lawyer and has been a frequent contributor to Newsmax. He is also a former U.S. Merchant Marine officer and an enthusiastic Second Amendment supporter. Read Michael Dorstewitz's Reports — More Here.
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