The Atlantic

Jimmy Kimmel’s refusal to capitulate to Donald Trump stands out because so many other well-situated people “have surrendered, withdrawn, or become Trump sycophants themselves,” Adam Serwer argues. theatln.tc/dHJP8bUc

“One by one, American leaders supposedly committed to principles of free speech, due process, democracy, and equality have abandoned those ideals when menaced by the Trump administration,” Serwer writes. “These cascading acts of cowardice from the people best positioned to resist Trump’s authoritarian power grabs have made Trump seem exponentially more powerful than he actually is, sapping strength from others who might have discovered the courage to stand up.”

“In many cases, those folding have had ample resources to resist Trump’s shakedowns but haven’t been brave enough to do so,” Serwer continues, “They are, in a word, chickenshit.”

There’s a difference between chickenshit and cowardice, Serwer argues: “When you’re chickenshit, you capitulate to avoid the mere possibility of discomfort, let alone something resembling real risk.”

“Big companies and their CEOs have cowered before Trumpist intimidation, trying to ease his temper by settling frivolous lawsuits over ‘bias’ or slathering the president in juche-style flattery. Media companies have settled First Amendment cases they were likely to win in order to curry favor or protect their parent company’s commercial interests. Newspaper owners have compromised the integrity of their own publications. Elite academic institutions have sacrificed their independence to try to preserve their federal funding. At least one has turned the names of its own students over to the government for potential political persecution. Major law firms with deep pockets and armies of lawyers have shrunk from defending the rule of law because they fear Trump’s wrath,” Serwer writes. "But even the opposition party has been less confrontational this time around."

“The sheer number of American elites willing to acquiesce to the destruction of democratic institutions is demoralizing,” Serwer continues. “But it’s worth noting that many ordinary people seem to be made of sterner stuff.”

🎨: Illustration by The Atlantic

1 day ago | [YT] | 879



@howequalspeace

Problem is these CEOs don’t even seem to understand they’re a part of the fight, whether they want to be or not

22 hours ago | 18

@corneliussqualls1544

These CEO'S have proven that they are fine with ending democracy in this country as long as the authoritarian allows them to continue to do business! Shame on them!!!!

19 hours ago | 11

@ckevorkianx

Nailed it!!! FIGHT BACK

1 day ago | 20

@montybannerman8978

I thank you for standing up will be renewing and gifting my subscription so more can take heart.

23 hours ago | 10

@fern10011

We the people need to make them pay a price for capitulation, like we did in supporting Jimmy Kimmel. Whatever is in our power, we need to do.

12 hours ago | 3

@craven5328

1000% this. Their cowardice is staggering.

15 hours ago | 3

@msim1967

It is not cowards who capitulate, it is accomplices who welcome the arrival of fascism.

3 hours ago | 1

@yoinkhaha

It’s time to admit that Trump is a symptom of a larger system of oppressive oligarchy, a war waged by the ultra wealthy on America. Many of these wealthy elites were always de facto in bed with Trump. It is a race by the wealthiest and most powerful to loot America for everything it may be worth and then consolidate that position as the country declines in power.

17 hours ago (edited) | 4

@countdebleauchamp

YouTube/Google/Alphabet being the very latest example of capitulation. Actually I'm not surprised with much of the acquiescence. At my ripe old age I have long realized that, in the private sector, principle often means nothing when push comes to shove. Except for the law firms and universities - the knee bending/ring kissing from those institutions, which should be firmly rooted in academic freedom and adherence to principle, has been deeply and surprisingly disappointing.

21 hours ago (edited) | 5

@Awesomes007

Whatever your excuse is for bending the knee, you’re wrong. We fight orange fascism.

1 day ago | 17

@jgborn

Jimmy is part of the elite establishment. They’re just at war with other elites that are trying to become the new establishment. The Atlantic is part of the propaganda machine

1 hour ago | 1

@msuperstein

Make Trump freak out. Give Jimmy Kimmel the Nobel Prize.

6 hours ago | 1

@BobMercado2

Psycopathy is NOT uncommon among CEOs. Few understand that their companies are only successful because of democracy and free speech. It's sad because greed is also driving many them into their decision making process

9 hours ago | 1

@Mt-ue9qz

Acquiesce now, laid off later. One's gonna hurt more than the other with fewer and fewer spending money unless much changes.

19 hours ago | 1

@BreadHamptonDynamite

Well put

18 hours ago | 1

@joekrebs964

America, it seems, has many cowards. Is it worthy of democracy?

3 hours ago | 0

@Jenaigirl1

I am!

18 hours ago | 0

@LadyOldandGray

The top ten occupations for PSYCHOPATHS (1 in 25 persons in the general population) includes CEO (See Trump and Eloon, for two.) and ATTORNEY/JUDGE (See the SCOTUS majority and PSYCHOPATH Trump's DOJ leadership, to start.), POLITICIAN (See the treasonous GOP CULT/CRIME SYNDICATE, a onetime political party), CLERGY, and POLICE OFFICER. These irredeemable "bad seeds" are the SADISTIC PERVERTS for whom fMRIs show the pleasure centers in their brains light up when shown pictures of people in agony or dead. For millennia, these common, controlling, highly manipulative, emotionally poisonous predators have masked their stupidity, fragility, cowardice, massive insecurity, and neediness behind their grandiosity.

9 hours ago | 0

@user-my2tg4wc4r

Trump doesn't give a shit about Kimmel.

2 hours ago | 0

@tupacamaruiv5804

B’nai Brith vs Chabad Lubavitch We all lose

39 minutes ago | 0