In the wake of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the Trump administration is pushing to criminalize hate speech and crack down on liberal groups it blames for his death.
Employers across the country, are suspending or firing employees for comments on social media condoning or celebrating Kirk’s death.
In Georgia there have been firings or suspension of employees from Delta and the Cobb County School District who spoke about Kirk’s death.
A civil rights lawyer who is on the board of the Georgia First Amendment Foundation said in Georgia employers can set those standards and make those decisions.
“In Georgia, for example, it’s absolutely part of being an at-will employee,” Nora Benavidez said on Tuesday’s edition of “Politically Georgia.”
Benavidez said she worried the political climate would chill dialogue.
“I feel that we’re at this point where we’re this close to risking people discontinuing all manner of conversation because they’re worried about the consequence.”
The debate took a turn on Monday as ABC announced late-night host Jimmy Kimmel would return to the air after being suspended in the wake of Kirk’s death.
Benavidez urged people to continue to speak out.
“It feels like speech is off limits. That’s really what it feels like,” she said. “Dissent is integral to democracy, that we should have the ability to question those in power.”
“I think we kind of imagine in a way that if we don’t get noticed, we won’t get penalized. And so people are speaking less, they’re posting less on social media, they’re getting together in person less. And that’s the opposite of what we need right now,” she said.
“We need everyone to feel like they have some level of power because ultimately,” she added. “I really believe our voices are our superpower.”
Credit: contributed
Credit: contributed
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