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The first three estates of the realm are the executive, legislative and judiciary branches of U.S. government. The fourth estate is the media. As Edmund Burke observed, the fourth estate is more important than the first three.
It is the job of the fourth estate to keep an eye on the activities of the first three estates and to report back to the people. An informed body of citizens, armed with information, can provide a check on power, work to keep power balanced and help shape public opinion and policy through open and free discussion. An informed body of citizens is a powerful body.
So now you know why Donald Trump is intent on shutting down the fourth estate. Instead of following blindly without question, an informed body of citizens will ask the important question of “why?” Why did the government take this action?
The Nazis realized the importance of the media early on and purchased independent newspapers. Those that did not sell went out of business. Those that promoted the party line were allowed to stay in business. Jewish newspaper empires, many of which were liberal, were forced to sell. Without a fourth estate, it was much easier to take control of the other three estates. Ultimately, there were no questions.
Jimmy Kimmel, a comedian who also employs political commentary, observed after the killing of Charlie Kirk that MAGA was “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them” and that it sought to “score political points from it.” All of which was true (in my opinion). Kimmel in no way supported Kirk’s assassination.
However, Kirk supporters did not like Kimmel’s comments. So, playing to the base, Brendan Carr, chair of the Federal Communications Commission, stated on a conservative podcast that Kimmel’s statement might lead to an FCC investigation and that the network affiliates airing the show might face fines and license revocation. Within hours, Disney/ABC suspended Kimmel.
The key to Trump’s and MAGA’s success is bias confirmation. Bias confirmation occurs when a person is willing to accept as true a statement that supports the individual’s bias rather than facing the possibility that their bias is incorrect. People wrapped in a blanket of bias confirmation never ask “why?”, because the answer might be a contradictory truth they cannot escape. If you talk to a rabid Trump supporter (and I have talked with many to determine why), they hold a form of blind faith that believes without question. No doubt it’s a tough job, but it is the job of the fourth estate to get past MAGA’s blinders.
Kimmel is not the first comedian to employ political commentary, and, if the First Amendment and the fourth estate survive, he will not be the last. The fourth estate needs Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon and even “South Park” to get its job done. People might not like their jokes and might disagree with their commentary, but they do make one think. And maybe, just maybe, a Trump supporter will ask the genuine question—without blind assumptions—“Why are they saying this?”
The one heartening aspect of the Kimmel debacle is that people from both sides of the aisle came together to condemn the use of government power to abridge First Amendment rights. Disney/ABC backed off Kimmel’s suspension, while Carr now claims he never made a threat.
We came together to stand for the Constitution, and we won. It gave me hope—at least for now.•
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Celestino-Horseman is an Indianapolis attorney. Send comments to [email protected].
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