Kermit v Donald: Commencement
The End of Free Thought at US Universities because Donald Trump is insane. Enter Kermit the Brave.
U.S. colleges and universities are being systematically stripped of their ability to foster open dialogue, critical thinking, and cultural expression—all under the banner of “restoring order” and “fighting bias.” At the center of this effort is Donald, whose administration has aggressively targeted institutions of higher learning with legislation and executive actions designed to control what can be said, taught, or even imagined on campus.
Under Donald’s leadership, the federal government has turned free expression into a political weapon. State legislatures, encouraged by federal rhetoric and pressure, have introduced dozens of bills banning DEI offices, courses on race and gender, and public funding for programs that acknowledge systemic inequality. Professors face escalating surveillance, with some universities now required to report on faculty whose teachings are deemed “divisive.” Students have been doxxed, “disciplined”, or deported for their words and actions—especially those who speak out against U.S. foreign policy or white supremacy.
Meanwhile, federal funding has become a bargaining chip. Universities are being threatened with budget cuts or legal consequences if they do not comply with political directives about what ideas can be shared in classrooms or campus events. This isn’t just an ideological battle—it’s a material one, where administrators are forced to choose between intellectual honesty and institutional survival.
Donald has also appointed political operatives to key oversight roles, granting them power to investigate or punish universities for hosting speakers or organizing events that dissent from the administration’s narrative. Campuses that once served as laboratories for social progress are being recast as enemies of the state—portrayed as breeding grounds for un-American ideas simply because they encourage debate and difference.
The consequences are far-reaching. Black, brown, queer, immigrant, and Muslim students now navigate their education under the weight of suspicion. Academic departments—particularly those focused on the humanities—are being gutted, rebranded, or monitored. Entire disciplines are being reframed as threats.
In this environment, even symbolic acts—like inviting a guest speaker who affirms inclusion, or organizing a teach-in—carry risks. The goal is unmistakable: not just to control what is said, but to reshape what is thinkable.
