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| In Trump’s America, a thick-headed man’s incredibly thin skin is threatening free speech | In Trump’s America, a thick-headed man’s incredibly thin skin is threatening free speech |
| (7 months later) | |
| Reza Aslan was sacked by CNN for insulting the president; the Public Theatre in New York lost sponsorship over its Trump-themed production of Julius Caesar – a sacred American right is under threat | |
| Tue 13 Jun 2017 16.16 BST | |
| Last modified on Sat 25 Nov 2017 02.51 GMT | |
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| Is criticising Donald Trump becoming a punishable offence in the US? Recent events suggest it might be. Take author and TV host Reza Aslan, for example, who described the president as “a piece of shit” in a tweet (now deleted). The scatological comparison wasn’t just for kicks and giggles, but apropos Trump using the most recent terrorist attack in London as propaganda for his Muslim travel ban. | Is criticising Donald Trump becoming a punishable offence in the US? Recent events suggest it might be. Take author and TV host Reza Aslan, for example, who described the president as “a piece of shit” in a tweet (now deleted). The scatological comparison wasn’t just for kicks and giggles, but apropos Trump using the most recent terrorist attack in London as propaganda for his Muslim travel ban. |
| As it turns out, comparing Trump to a turd on Twitter isn’t a good career move. CNN quickly cut ties with Aslan and cancelled the second series of his show, Believer. It would appear that CNN has introduced a don’t-be-mean-to-the-president policy; Aslan’s axing came hot on the heels of the network announcing that Kathy Griffin would no longer be part of its annual New Year’s Eve broadcast after images surfaced on social media of the comedian holding a prop of Trump’s bloody, severed head. And it’s not just CNN that has become quick to dissociate itself from disparagements of the president. As well as losing her CNN gig over the photos, Griffin also lost an endorsement with Squatty Potty, a toilet stool that helps people stoop low to aid elimination. Yes, really. | As it turns out, comparing Trump to a turd on Twitter isn’t a good career move. CNN quickly cut ties with Aslan and cancelled the second series of his show, Believer. It would appear that CNN has introduced a don’t-be-mean-to-the-president policy; Aslan’s axing came hot on the heels of the network announcing that Kathy Griffin would no longer be part of its annual New Year’s Eve broadcast after images surfaced on social media of the comedian holding a prop of Trump’s bloody, severed head. And it’s not just CNN that has become quick to dissociate itself from disparagements of the president. As well as losing her CNN gig over the photos, Griffin also lost an endorsement with Squatty Potty, a toilet stool that helps people stoop low to aid elimination. Yes, really. |
| This week provides yet another warning that criticising Trump can come with serious consequences in contemporary America. Delta Air Lines and Bank of America have both recently pulled sponsorship of the Public Theater’s Free Shakespeare in the Park production of Julius Caesar in New York because of its controversial portrayal of the assassination of a Caesar who bears an uncanny resemblance to Trump. Well, I say “controversial”, but the play had been running for almost a month without corporate America having a moral meltdown. However, conservative news outlets caught wind of the matter and turned it into a media storm; over the weekend Fox News histrionically reported that “a New York City play appears to depict President Trump being brutally stabbed to death by women and minorities”. Frankly, this is the only description of Julius Caesar that has made me want to sit through a production, but it seems Delta and Bank of America are Shakespeare purists. | This week provides yet another warning that criticising Trump can come with serious consequences in contemporary America. Delta Air Lines and Bank of America have both recently pulled sponsorship of the Public Theater’s Free Shakespeare in the Park production of Julius Caesar in New York because of its controversial portrayal of the assassination of a Caesar who bears an uncanny resemblance to Trump. Well, I say “controversial”, but the play had been running for almost a month without corporate America having a moral meltdown. However, conservative news outlets caught wind of the matter and turned it into a media storm; over the weekend Fox News histrionically reported that “a New York City play appears to depict President Trump being brutally stabbed to death by women and minorities”. Frankly, this is the only description of Julius Caesar that has made me want to sit through a production, but it seems Delta and Bank of America are Shakespeare purists. |
| “No matter what your political stance may be, the graphic staging of Julius Caesar at this summer’s Free Shakespeare in the Park does not reflect Delta Air Lines’ values,” the airline tweeted on Sunday, explaining it was immediately ending its “sponsorship as the official airline of the Public Theater”. Delta’s values, it seems, involve taking money away from the underfunded arts because they’re worried about hurting the feelings of sensitive Trump supporters. And Bank of America – which funds private prisons and sold toxic sub-prime mortgages to investors – issued a similar statement, explaining how shocked it was that “the Public Theater chose to present Julius Caesar in such a way that was intended to provoke and offend”. | “No matter what your political stance may be, the graphic staging of Julius Caesar at this summer’s Free Shakespeare in the Park does not reflect Delta Air Lines’ values,” the airline tweeted on Sunday, explaining it was immediately ending its “sponsorship as the official airline of the Public Theater”. Delta’s values, it seems, involve taking money away from the underfunded arts because they’re worried about hurting the feelings of sensitive Trump supporters. And Bank of America – which funds private prisons and sold toxic sub-prime mortgages to investors – issued a similar statement, explaining how shocked it was that “the Public Theater chose to present Julius Caesar in such a way that was intended to provoke and offend”. |
| The hypocrisy of all this is astounding. As was quickly flagged up on social media, a 2012 production of Julius Caesar featured an Obama-like Caesar character. However, this didn’t prompt hand-wringing from the media. Then there’s the fact that Trump supporters have repeatedly told us how much they delight in provocation and offensiveness. A popular T-shirt at Trump rallies read “Fuck your feelings”. | The hypocrisy of all this is astounding. As was quickly flagged up on social media, a 2012 production of Julius Caesar featured an Obama-like Caesar character. However, this didn’t prompt hand-wringing from the media. Then there’s the fact that Trump supporters have repeatedly told us how much they delight in provocation and offensiveness. A popular T-shirt at Trump rallies read “Fuck your feelings”. |
| It’s not just the hypocrisy that’s remarkable – we all ought to be worried about what these events signify for the future of free speech in America. There hasn’t yet been a law passed banning people from speaking ill of Trump, but there does appear to be a worrying trend whereby criticism of the president is slowly being stamped out for fear of the consequences. | It’s not just the hypocrisy that’s remarkable – we all ought to be worried about what these events signify for the future of free speech in America. There hasn’t yet been a law passed banning people from speaking ill of Trump, but there does appear to be a worrying trend whereby criticism of the president is slowly being stamped out for fear of the consequences. |
| Take my neighbourhood in New York, for example. There used to be a fairly notorious mural by street artist Hanksy down the street from me that depicted Trump as a 6ft-tall poop emoji. Then, earlier this year, it was painted over. There’s no clear explanation as to why this happened but Hanksy has said there were rumours the building owner wanted to get rid of the piece before Trump’s inauguration. “I blame the nervous uncertainty surrounding Trump’s presidency,” the artist said. | Take my neighbourhood in New York, for example. There used to be a fairly notorious mural by street artist Hanksy down the street from me that depicted Trump as a 6ft-tall poop emoji. Then, earlier this year, it was painted over. There’s no clear explanation as to why this happened but Hanksy has said there were rumours the building owner wanted to get rid of the piece before Trump’s inauguration. “I blame the nervous uncertainty surrounding Trump’s presidency,” the artist said. |
| Trump has made it clear that he doesn’t suffer being made a fool of lightly; he possesses an extraordinarily thick head and incredibly thin skin. Even if you’re not a public figure with a CNN contract to lose, there are still abundant reasons to self-censor negative views of the president. In 2015, for example, when Trump was running for president, 18-year-old Lauren Batchelder stood up in a forum in New Hampshire and told him she didn’t think he was a “friend to women”. The next day, Trump vented on Twitter that the teenager was an “arrogant young woman” and accused her of being a plant from a rival campaign. Batchelder found herself deluged with so many death threats that she had to go into hiding. When you see benign criticism of Trump turn into violent vitriol towards a teenage girl, you may well think twice about making public your derogatory opinions of Potus. | Trump has made it clear that he doesn’t suffer being made a fool of lightly; he possesses an extraordinarily thick head and incredibly thin skin. Even if you’re not a public figure with a CNN contract to lose, there are still abundant reasons to self-censor negative views of the president. In 2015, for example, when Trump was running for president, 18-year-old Lauren Batchelder stood up in a forum in New Hampshire and told him she didn’t think he was a “friend to women”. The next day, Trump vented on Twitter that the teenager was an “arrogant young woman” and accused her of being a plant from a rival campaign. Batchelder found herself deluged with so many death threats that she had to go into hiding. When you see benign criticism of Trump turn into violent vitriol towards a teenage girl, you may well think twice about making public your derogatory opinions of Potus. |
| That large corporations are punishing creative expression because it is critical of Trump is worrying. Even more worrying, however, is the insidious but understandable creep of self-censorship among everyday Americans. This week provides yet another example that, when it comes to Trump, exercising your right to free speech – that dearest of American values – can prove an expensive endeavour. | That large corporations are punishing creative expression because it is critical of Trump is worrying. Even more worrying, however, is the insidious but understandable creep of self-censorship among everyday Americans. This week provides yet another example that, when it comes to Trump, exercising your right to free speech – that dearest of American values – can prove an expensive endeavour. |
| Donald Trump | |
| Opinion | |
| Reza Aslan | |
| Theatre | |
| Kathy Griffin | |
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