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Heroes Fighting Cancel Culture
So many of you have inspired me with your posts of the people, companies, and organizations fighting back against cancel culture. In some ways, the number of people who speak out seems small; every time I see a new person, I keep wishing there were more; I’ve decided I want to have one place I can go and periodically review a list of them, to remind myself there are many more than I’ve realized.
Also, I’m sure there are some people whom we’ve missed, even people in our own personal universe, who’ve risked their lives, reputations, and jobs but speak out anyway. So, I’m going to list a few of those who have heartened me through their actions and courage. And I hope you’ll add to the list!
One of the most difficult institutions to call out are the universities. Several employees at universities have been singled out and are fighting back:
Cornell faculty and alumni are waging a campaign to fire law professor William Jacobson, founder of the Legal Insurrection blog, because he questioned the motives of the Black Lives Matter movement. UCLA business school fired a lecturer, Gordon Klein, for refusing to grant more time to, or change his grading system for, black students during the Floyd protests, though he apparently was following the school’s own rules. Professor Walter Block, a libertarian who serves as the Chair of the Economics Department at Loyola University in New Orleans, is facing student demands for his ouster over claims that he made racist comments published six years ago in the New York Times—though the Times settled the defamation suit he had brought against it for misconstruing his remarks. Berkeley’s public policy school summarily fired lecturer Steven Hayward, objecting to his allegedly racist and homophobic statements on the Powerline blog, among other conservative outlets. [bolding is mine]
Our own John Yoo is fearless and seems to brush away these threats like annoying flies buzzing around him.
Celebrities who have spoken out include John Cleese, Ricky Gervais, singer Kelly Rowland, and John Malkovich. And I’m sure there are many more.
One of the first companies who’s corporate leader pushed back was Robert Unanue who expressed support for Donald Trump. The left launched a boycott; in response, Mr. Unanue was shown overwhelming support by grocery customers, a “buy-cott,” who cleared out store shelves buying his products.
Red Bull, an energy drink company, was criticized in a letter by 300 employees for not adequately speaking out in support of Black Lives Matter. When the letter was leaked out, Red Bull’s Florian Klaas fired the employee who leaked it. In addition, two employees had been pushing for more diversity in the company for several months; they’ve both been fired.
Another corporate example is Trader Joe’s, who has refused to change the names of some of its food labels in order to be seen as politically correct.
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We need role models who remind us that we must fight for our country’s values, for our communities, and for our families. These people have put, in some cases, everything on the line. We should emulate them.
I know there must be plenty of “ordinary people” who have spoken out, but they are ignored by the media. So, if you know someone who has had the courage to push back, who has been fearless in his or her efforts to let others know that we can no longer tolerate this fascist and anti-American behavior, this is your chance to add them to the list.
Let’s demonstrate that we believe they make a difference.
Published in Culture
If they do attack him, he’ll put the shields up and fire phasers at full power . . .
Kirk: I want the shields up, now, Scottie!
Scott: I canna do it, Cap’n. The dilithium crystals are frambrulating the reciprocating torque baffles. If I put any more load on me bairns, they’ll explode!
Kirk: Now, Scottie.
William Shatner is the honey badger.
Dershowitz was effectively banned from a town beach – and other “fine” liberal company – in the town on Martha’s Vineyard where we have a house. Over the years we’ve had the house and been there, I never, ever, ever thought I’d agree with him. Reading his defenses of Israel and due process with respect to impeachment made me think I’d really underestimated him. He’s not just a mouthy liberal. He stuck to his (finely honed) legal guns.
Jon Voight.