I'm No Stephen Colbert, I'm Just Like Most of You

But you and I could be next to lose our freedom of speech.

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As most people know by now, CBS and its parent company, Paramount, caved to Donald Trump’s demand to get rid of one of his staunchest critics, Stephen Colbert, in exchange for Trump permitting the sale of CBS to Skydance Media. Once again, American billionaires choose profits over the rights and freedoms of the American people.

I’m nothing but a gnat compared to the likes of Stephen Colbert, Stephen Schmidt, Rachael Maddow, Lawrence O’Donnell, etc. I am not a political journalist, a writer, or a political pundit who does this for a living. I don’t do political investigative journalism. I don’t interview politicians, and I have never published “breaking news”. I don’t get paid a cent for what I do.

I am just a person like you, the people who read and react to what I write. I am a senior citizen who, like many of you, is living in fear. Fear of losing the wonderful country I grew up in. Fear of losing my Social Security and my Medicare. Fear of losing my rights and freedoms, my same-sex marriage, and my freedom of speech.

I grew up watching Walter Cronkite and Huntley and Brinkley, who delivered the nightly news in an unbiased and factual manner. They were not beholden to a millionaire owner who cared more for making a profit than providing the American public with the truth. They informed us, not divided us.

What does the firing of Stephen Colbert have to do with me? His dismissal is a serious blow to the heart of the First Amendment, threatening both freedom of the press and freedom of speech. Colbert may be just the first of Trump’s critics to be silenced by media outlets owned by millionaires. This suppression of dissent will inevitably trickle down to everyday citizens who choose to voice their concerns on public platforms like Substack.

I may be low on the Substack ladder of political writers and will likely go unnoticed by Trump’s thought police, but Substack could still be pressured to bow to his demands and prohibit content that portrays him unfavorably—effectively silencing many political newsletters on the platform. What was once thought impossible in this country is now becoming reality.

To be honest, I'm a little worried about my future writing this type of newsletter. I could revamp it to focus on something less controversial or risky, but that just wouldn't be true to who I am. I could probably make money writing about other topics, but my rights and freedoms are more important than money.

Speaking of money, I’m going to be shameless and ask those who subscribe to and read my newsletter to consider supporting my work by upgrading to a paid subscription or making a donation. It would help cover the cost of my new laptop and electricity. I understand that, as inflation continues to strain our incomes, this may not be possible for everyone—and that’s okay.

I’ve previously promised that my newsletter will remain free to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay—and I intend to keep that promise. I want to continue sharing my opinions and feelings about what’s happening to our country and to us, its citizens. None of us is alone in this fight. We must all share our fears and concerns and resist Trump’s fascism in any way we can.

Please check out my YouTube Channel, Stephen Sovie’s World