Hasan Piker, a prominent left-leaning streamer, was detained by US border control upon re-entry, highlighting severe political intimidation against dissenters. His interrogation about political views concerning Hamas, Hezbollah, and former President Trump signifies troubling authoritarian tendencies within the US. This incident reflects a broader escalation of assaults on free speech, similar to the McCarthy era, as fears grow over punitive measures against citizens expressing dissent, particularly regarding sensitive geopolitical issues like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
It is an instructive moment. Countries that behave like this towards political commentators and dissenting voices who are their own citizens are either nakedly authoritarian, or well on the way.
When foreign-born citizens—including green card holders—began to be detained by US authorities over their opposition to Israel's genocide, it should have been clear that this was just phase one: US citizens would be next.
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