Less than a hundred days have passed since the Donald Trump Administration took office, and significant impacts on civil liberties in the United States are already being observed, according to the ACLU. Mike Zamore, director of policy and government affairs at the ACLU, points out that the Trump Administration has introduced measures that go against democratic principles and the rule of law, even comparing its actions to those of authoritarian regimes.
Amid this controversy, Zamore highlights the concern that the Government may select which ideas deserve to be expressed, referring to Trump's attempts to dismiss students deemed hostile to American values and to reform curricula under accusations of antisemitism or ideological bias. The sending of a letter to Harvard laden with demands from the Government triggered these tensions.
Zamore warns of the grave danger of restricting views in favor of the Government, which threatens freedoms and the diversity of ideas. Moreover, he compares the current situation to McCarthyism, a period characterized by political persecution and ideological control in the 1940s and 50s in the United States.
In the absence of a unified response from universities, Zamore understands the difficulty of coordinating a joint stance, noting that it is a common tactic of authoritarian regimes to weaken institutions one by one to instill fear and prevent resistance. Despite the diversity of individual protests, he predicts that eventually a collective action will emerge in defense of the fundamental values of a just society.
In this context of uncertainty and fear, Zamore is optimistic about society's ability to unite around the protection of civil liberties and fundamental democratic principles. Despite the lack of widespread mobilization so far, he trusts that, over time, a joint effort will be made to defend freedom of expression and free thought.
