Communists take silence as resistance.

The consequences of woke cultural authoritarianism are real, and they are devastating. They range from job loss to social ostracism. Americans live in fear of the moment when a personal enemy dredges up a Bad Old Tweet™ or members of the media “resurface” an impolitic comment in a text message. … Silence used to be possibility. Now silence is taken as resistance. Everyone must stand and applaud for Stalin–and he who sits down first is sent to the gulag.

The Authoritarian Moment, by Ben Shapiro, pp 19-20