The New Censorship Isn’t Coming From the Left—It’s Coming From Everyone
11th August 2026
One of the great ironies of American politics is that every movement swears it’s against censorship—right up until it has enough power to do some censoring of its own. It’s almost adorable.
For years, conservatives rightly criticized Big Tech, universities, corporate America, and legacy media for suppressing dissenting viewpoints. We argued that free speech wasn’t merely a constitutional protection; it was a moral principle. We insisted that bad ideas should be defeated in the marketplace of ideas rather than buried beneath bureaucratic decrees or algorithmic exile.
I agreed then. I still do. Which is why I’m beginning to ask a question that makes some people on my own side a little uncomfortable.
What happens when conservatives become just as tempted to use institutional power to silence people they don’t like? As a Black conservative, I’ve learned that free speech is one of those principles everybody loves until somebody they can’t stand starts talking. Then suddenly the Constitution comes with an asterisk.