Simon, like so many others, compares Trump to David Duke and even Adolf Hitler. Yes, Trump has done and said things I consider racist. On the other hand, I have done and said things that other people consider racist, and even “The Wire” has been accused of racism. Obviously, we have to be very careful about using such condemnations as an excuse to ban people from television.
Gothamist provides an excellent example of how quickly righteous indignation can turn into censorship of ideas that are very much within the normal spectrum of discourse. In a scathing attack on Fallon, Rebecca Fishbein lists the following sins as reasons that viewers should be protected from the danger that is Trump…
Suddenly we have gone from banning Trump from TV because he is literally Hitler to banning him because he chose Mike Pence as a running mate. This is illiberal nonsense. Fallon’s job is to do silly skits with Justin Timberlake and ease us to bedtime with mild jokes and interviews. It is not to set the limits of the Overton window or grill a presidential candidate like some character in “Good Night and Good Luck.”
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