Dr. Scott Rifkin: A Reason for Hope

October 9, 2025 Scott Rifkin, MD

Jimmy Kimmel

For the intrepid few, lacking literary high standards, that have read my columns over the past few years, you have endured my constant whining about the risks to our democracy.

I’ve preached that democracy is fragile but worth fighting for. You’ve heard my opinion that democracy, and the fact that our votes matter, are what protect us from an increasingly antisemitic environment. I’ve warned of being seduced by folks who say they love Israel but also preach a white Christian political dominance. Recently, democracy took another assault and just barely survived.

The death of Charlie Kirk was a terrible tragedy. I found many of his comments about Jews to be abhorrent, but in a democracy free speech is to be allowed and encouraged even when we don’t like the content.

Mr. Kirk’s murder has been characterized by the president as part of a left-wing radical conspiracy. There is no evidence of that. The murderer appears to have been one individual acting out insane delusions.

In recent months, we’ve seen an attempt to kidnap the governor of Michigan, the firebombing of my longtime friend Josh Shapiro’s Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence, the murder of two Minnesota legislators, etc. Some have suggested these attacks were part of a right-wing conspiracy. But again, they were actually the work of a few delusional folks.

Our president has stated the “the radicals on the left are the problem,” but has failed to even mention the attacks on Josh Shapiro, etc. He has instead called for the arrest of George Soros, a prominent donor to liberal causes, and his prosecution. The president needs to be a leader. He needs to rail against political violence with motivation of any type.

The suspension of Jimmy Kimmel and the aftermath do give me a bit of hope. Mr. Kimmel made a joke. It wasn’t well structured or particularly understandable. He was trying to criticize the conservative media for expanding the actions of a delusional murderer to being part of the “left-wing conspiracy.” It was a bit of a dud joke.

Then something antithetical to our democracy occurred. The head of the Federal Communications Commission — whose job is to protect freedom of the airways and uphold the concept of freedom of speech — threatened ABC and encouraged an uprising of the network’s affiliates. These affiliates included Baltimore’s Sinclair Broadcast Group.

So much for the media being dominated by the left. Sinclair is one of the largest owners of TV stations in the U.S. and is solidly and evangelically conservative in its editorial bent.

ABC suspended Kimmel, but amazingly the U.S. populace rose up. Thousands of folks cancelled ABC- (Disney) related spending. Vacations at Disney properties were cancelled. ESPN+ subscriptions were ended. Tens of thousands of angry emails were launched at Disney executives. The affiliates heard the uproar. Money talked. Ratings talked. Kimmel is back on the air. The affiliates folded. Sinclair folded.

I hope readers on the right can at least agree that cancelling a TV show for having an opinion is dangerous. If you don’t like the message, then simply don’t listen or watch. They should also agree that the FCC chairman has no place threatening the licenses of TV affiliates for airing a show the president doesn’t like.

Fascist and autocratic states insist that all media support the “fearless leader.” Democracies let economics and ratings decide who is heard. Comedy has a role in making us think and consider the issues of our times.

To my conservative friends, be wary of those who will take away your freedoms to pursue policies that you believe in. This will bite all of us in the long run. Ben Franklin was prescient when he said, “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”

I wish you all peace, freedom, and health.

Scott Rifkin, MD

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