JD Vance and senior White House aide Stephen Miller have argued that a crackdown on left-of-center groups is necessary to stop people from telling the truth about what a bigot and conspiracy theorist Kirk was.

The right’s attack on free speech isn’t something new that was prompted by Kirk’s death. For decades the conservative movement and the Republican Party have tried to suppress open expression.

To give cover to their war on speech, conservatives have declared nearly everything they oppose politically as “woke,” and then pushed for the removal of “woke” things— including speech and diversity—from public and private institutions and individuals.

Now, using the murder of a bigot as an excuse, conservatives and the Republican Party are determined to erase one of the key pillars of American society.