Punishing Thought, Not Just Action

In authoritarian regimes, expressing doubt, raising questions, or imagining alternatives is punished.

Historically, look to Russia or Germany where telling a joke, reading a banned book, or not reporting on members of your community can get you imprisoned (or worse). In recent years, political figures have called journalists “enemies of the people,” and their own citizens as “enemies within” and sought to criminalize protest or label ideological opponents as threats to “national security”.

Moves to criminalize speech, control educational content, or punish thought under “anti-woke” or “anti-extremism” laws echo authoritarian tactics. Sound familiar?