Cartoon by Adam Zyglis of The Buffalo News, distributed by Cagle Cartoons.

We have written this past week about a host of threats to one of the most important rights in the U.S. Constitution: freedom of speech.

We’ve talked about how that right is under fire from leaders in our own government — from President Donald J. Trump, the Federal Communications Commission, the Department of Defense and the ranks of Congress.

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This week, the Times Union editorial board is spotlighting recent efforts to chill, silence or even criminalize speech and actions protected by the First Amendment.

With mingled apprehension and celebration, we are certain this will not be the last time we will have to write on the subject. Apprehension, because we know that those in government who would restrict speech they don’t like will continue to use their power to try to silence it. Celebration, because we are by no means alone in our alarm and our outrage.

The exercise of free speech was on full display in the drama surrounding comedian and late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel, who was suspended by Disney and ABC following an uproar on the political right over a comment he made regarding the response to the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. That uproar included threats by FCC Chairman Brendan Carr that his agency would take action if Mr. Kimmel, a longtime critic of Mr. Trump, wasn’t shut up. Disney and ABC complied. But following a sharp backlash to the de........

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