Solidarity with Ann Telnaes

Ann Telnaes, a Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist, quit her job at The Washington Post because she wasn’t allowed to publish a cartoon criticizing Donald Trump. Her cartoon pointed out something many people have noticed: billionaire oligarchs, including some who own big media companies like The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times, have been cozying up to Trump at Mar-a-Lago, giving him millions of dollars in bribes as if he’s a king. The cartoon wasn’t just clever—it was based on real events. And we’re seeing this kind of behavior all over. So, don’t call these outlets “liberal media.”

It started with shows like Morning Joe, where people went to kiss Trump’s ring. Now you have CNN and MSNBC bringing in more far-right wingers to the shows, and they are calling everything 50/50. For example, CNN even had a panel justifying Trump’s idea to invade Greenland. Meanwhile, right-wing media is going completely off the rails, and so-called “liberal media” is following along. The result is a distorted view of reality, with the Overton Window—the range of what’s considered normal or acceptable—pushed in a dangerous direction. It’s frightening that a cartoon like Telnaes’—which was smart, accurate, and not even extreme—was censored for being “too much.” That’s pathetic.

This should be scary for anyone who loves and values free speech. If a cartoon like this can be axed, what does that mean for how the media will handle important stories in the future? This isn’t a free press anymore—this is a press that has bent the knee.

Solidarity with Ann Telnaes