Photo by Frazer Harrison/Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Songwriters Hall Of Fame
Over 550 celebrities, including musicians, actors, and directors have put their names to the revival of the Committee For The First Amendment, a free-speech group dating back to the late 1940s.
Billie Eilish, Gracie Abrams, and Janelle Monae lead the list of musicians opposing government intervention in the media, a move spurred by the recent suspension of Jimmy Kimmel from his late night talk show.
Rolling Stone reports that the committee is also backed by names from the world of TV and movies including Pedro Pascal, Spike Lee, and Jane Fonda, to oppose the recent government intervention in the media.
Jimmy Kimmel Live was suspended on September 17 in response to growing pressure from government entity the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) over comments Kimmel made about the death of Charlie Kirk.
The Committee For The First Amendment was created in 1947 during a time in which many left wing figures in the entertainment industry were accused of being Communists and subsequently silenced. Jane Fonda's father, Henry, was a founder member of the original committee.
A statement from the committee to coincide with its relaunch reads:
“This Committee was initially created during the McCarthy Era, a dark time when the federal government repressed and persecuted American citizens for their political beliefs. They targeted elected officials, government employees, academics, and artists. They were blacklisted, harassed, silenced, and even imprisoned.”“The McCarthy Era ended when Americans from across the political spectrum finally came together and stood up for the principles in the Constitution against the forces of repression. Those forces have returned. And it is our turn to stand together in defence of our constitutional rights. The federal government is once again engaged in a coordinated campaign to silence critics in the government, the media, the judiciary, academia, and the entertainment industry.““We refuse to stand by and let that happen. Free speech and free expression are the inalienable rights of every American of all backgrounds and political beliefs – no matter how liberal or conservative you may be. The ability to criticize, question, protest, and even mock those in power is foundational to what America has always aspired to be.”The statement continued: “We know there is power in solidarity and strength in numbers. We will stand together—fiercely united—to defend free speech and expression from this assault. This is not a partisan issue. That is why we urge every American who cares about the First Amendment—the cornerstone of our democracy—and every artist around the globe who looks to the United States as a beacon of freedom to join us.”“And to those who profit from our work while threatening the livelihoods of everyday working people, bowing to government censorship, and cowering to brute intimidation: we see you and history will not forget. This will not be the last you hear from us.”
