In December 2023, Rupa Subramanya first testified in the House of Representatives. She noted that she was from Canada, and described herself as “a time traveler from the not-too-distant future coming back to the present to offer you a glimpse of what could lie ahead for America.” She cited social media platforms that suppress content, people with unpopular opinions losing their bank accounts, and judges doling out race-based justice. She had been reporting on all this for nearly two years for The Free Press, and she feared Americans didn’t appreciate the threat to their own civil liberties.
Today, Rupa returned to Capitol Hill to testify before the House Judiciary Committee. The purpose of the hearing was to investigate the “censorship-industrial complex” under former President Joe Biden, with the implication that we had turned a new page—that the censorship was over. Rupa’s testimony focused, once again, on developments outside the U.S.—in Canada, and in Europe and Australia. Her subtext was: If you think you’re impervious to the illiberal tide, you’re not.
And just as important a point: American leadership is needed now more than ever. “I want to emphasize that there is nothing wrongheaded about standing up for the liberties that you, the Americans, have so valiantly defended for so long,” Rupa told the committee.
You can scroll down to read Rupa’s remarks in full, or click to watch the video of her testimony above. It runs about six-and-a-half minutes, and it perfectly embodies the independent, nonpartisan journalism that we strive for every day at The Free Press. If you, too, value that kind of journalism, please consider becoming a paid subscriber today.
Rupa’s Testimony Before the House Judiciary Committee:
What if I were to ask you what are the most repressive governments around the world when it comes to freedom?
Who suppresses freedom of speech and enterprise the most?
You’d surely say North Korea. Iran. Russia.
But what if I told you Germany should be on that list? That France should be on that list—and many other EU countries? Oh, and that Canada, where I’m from, should be on that list, too?