The Cancel Culture Letter: Why Gloria Steinem, David Frum, Salmon Rushdie and Khaled Kalifa all in

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The free exchange of information and ideas, the lifeblood of a liberal society, is daily becoming more constricted. While we have come to expect this on the radical right, censoriousness is also spreading more widely in our culture: an intolerance of opposing views, a vogue for public shaming and ostracism, and the tendency to dissolve complex policy issues in a blinding moral certainty. We uphold the value of robust and even caustic counter-speech from all quarters. But it is now all too common to hear calls for swift and severe retribution in response to perceived transgressions of speech and thought. More troubling still, institutional leaders, in a spirit of panicked damage control, are delivering hasty and disproportionate punishments instead of considered reforms. Editors are fired for running controversial pieces; books are withdrawn for alleged inauthenticity; journalists are barred from writing on certain topics; professors are investigated for quoting works of literature in class; a researcher is fired for circulating a peer-reviewed academic study; and the heads of organizations are ousted for what are sometimes just clumsy mistakes. Whatever the arguments around each particular incident, the result has been to steadily narrow the boundaries of what can be said without the threat of reprisal. We are already paying the price in greater risk aversion among writers, artists, and journalists who fear for their livelihoods if they depart from the consensus, or even lack sufficient zeal in agreement.

This is an important letter, not just for its message, but also for the diverse voices that put their names to it.

Gloria Steinem signed it because she knows what it is like to have her voice canceled, she had to fight against powerful voices trying to stifle her message. David Frum is a conservative columnist. When these two voices agree, it means something.

Malcolm Gladwell (a great writer and brilliant mind) was called to task for signing his name to the same document signed by JK Rowling (now being canceled for comments considered transphobic). He replied...

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I signed the Harpers letter because there were lots of people who also signed the Harpers letter whose views I disagreed with. I thought that was the point of the Harpers letter.

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Type: Question • Score: 0 • Views: 366 • Replies: 17

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View best answer, chosen by maxdancona

I don't understand the argument defending cancel culture. The idea is letting people with power dole out punishment for other people expressing ideas they judge to be "wrong". Somehow this is supposed to give voice to the powerless.

I am not important enough to sign this letter. But I strongly support it and it means something that such a diverse group of brilliant people put their names to it.

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@maxdancona,

To some extent, it seems to be an extremist offshoot of political correctness.

It was so much better back when people just boycotted or shunned. Those are easier to later reverse course on as a personal belief system changes (and everything changes, unless you're dead...physically or mentally or emotionally). Cancel culture is too danged militant in nature to allow a good ending.

Where is Cesar Chavez when we need him?

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@maxdancona,

It's good that you recognize at least some of the threat posed by these lynch mobs.

Now if you could just recognize that they are lynching white people for trying to protect themselves from aggression from black people.

And then realize that it's progressives who are carrying out these lynchings. Reelecting Mr. Trump is the only way to put a stop to this.

1 Reply

@oralloy,

oralloy wrote:

It's good that you recognize at least some of the threat posed by these lynch mobs.

Now if you could just recognize that they are lynching white people for trying to protect themselves from aggression from black people.

And then realize that it's progressives who are carrying out these lynchings. Reelecting Mr. Trump is the only way to put a stop to this.

You are a perfect example Oralloy. Your arguments are simplistic, your reasoning is flawed, and your use of the word "lynching" to refer to to white people is offensive.

I don't want you to lose your job because of it. But that doesn't mean that I don't think your post is silly.

I support your right to make idiotic and offensive posts.

1 Reply

@maxdancona,

maxdancona wrote:

your reasoning is flawed

So why are you unable to challenge my reasoning?

1 Reply

@oralloy,

You are getting off topic Oralloy. But I would love to hear your answer to this question...

Would you "cancel" the leftists who want to allow Black people to rape and murder White people?

Should these people lose their jobs, or do agree with me that people should be protected when they hold offensive opinions.

2 Replies

@maxdancona,

maxdancona wrote:

You are getting off topic Oralloy.

And the dog ate your homework. There's always some excuse why you can't back up what you say about me or my arguments.

maxdancona wrote:

Would you "cancel" the leftists who want to allow Black people to rape and murder White people?
Should these people lose their jobs, or do agree with me that people should be protected when they hold offensive opinions.

That's an interesting question. Let me think about that and get back to you.

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@maxdancona,

OK. I thought about it. I didn't think it would be this quick. I was planning to mull it over for a few hours. But I know where I want to stand on the issue.

I think people should be legally protected from being fired for their ideas or membership in groups, no matter how offensive the ideas or groups are.

This means I can't keep supporting anti-BDS laws, even though the BDS movement itself is evil incarnate.

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@maxdancona,

So freedom of speech is a luxury only the right wing can have. They can be as offensive as they want, without any repercussions.

I can see why you gave your sock puppet the ribbon.

1 Reply

@izzythepush,

izzythepush wrote:

So freedom of speech is a luxury only the right wing can have. They can be as offensive as they want, without any repercussions.

I can see why you gave your sock puppet the ribbon.

Is Gloria Steinem right wing now? There are a lot of important voices on the left who see cancel culture as a problem. Many of them, including Gloria Steinem, have been personally hurt by "repercussions" for expressing unpopular opinions.

(Wow! you are on to my Oralloy sock puppet. I was wondering how long it was going to be before someone figured it out.)

1 Reply

@maxdancona,

People have been on to it for a long time.

I don’t know who Gloria Steinem is.

What are you going to do with those people calling for boycotts?

You’ve already talked of how you want to ban the Democratic Party.

What’s next, prison and detention camps for those who think for themselves?

2 Replies

@izzythepush,

I am defending the right of people to think for themselves. Not only do I not want them to be sent to prison and detention camps. I don't want them to lose their jobs for expressing an unpopular opinion. That's the point of this letter and the point of this post.

There is nothing wrong with anyone expressing their opinion. There is nothing wrong with other people disagreeing with that opinion. That is how freedom of expression works. The problem is that people are losing their jobs even when their opinion has nothing to do with their line of work. If your opinion isn't acceptable to people on Twitter, they will contact your employer and have you fired.

I think this outcry from academics, writers and thinkers is important. They are pointing out that threatening someone's livelihood because they disagree with you is frightening in a liberal democracy.

What I would do about it?

1. There should be a social backlash to this trend. The cries against cancel culture are an important part of the solution. Maybe we can counteract censorship simply with public awareness.

2. I may support labor protections. Maybe it should be illegal to fire someone for their opinions as long as their opinions have nothing to do with their job. I am not sure about this.

1 Reply

@izzythepush,

For the record, Izzy is lying. I have never talked about wanting to ban the Democratic Party. If he is not lying, he should be able to provide a link.

I am a member of the Democratic party, I have done volunteer work for Democratic candidates and I don't believe I have ever voted for anyone who wasn't a Democrat (I am trying to remember if I ever voted for our governor... but he isn't really a Republican anyway).

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@maxdancona,

Rubbish you’re trying to shut people down.

You’re not fooling anyone, except perhaps yourself.

1 Reply

@izzythepush,

You are being silly Izzy. The principles I am promoting are pretty straightforward.

1. Anyone should be allowed to express an opinion. This can include outrage at other people's opinions.

2. No one should lose their job because they express an opinion (unless it is directly related to their job).

I don't see where I am shutting anyone down. I disagree with some of your opinions here, and a few of them offend me. I would be horrified if you lost your job because of them, in fact I would defend you if I could.

You should be able to disagree with me without the fear of losing your job. That is the basic principle at stake here.

1 Reply

@maxdancona,

The only thing I know about you for certain is that you’re a liar.

You want to stop people being able to complain about the excesses of the far right.

You want to give the Nazis a megaphone and shut every one else up.

And give the ribbon back to your sock puppet.

That trick went stale years ago.

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It is not just the Right that is being canceled. Cancel culture has been used quite successfully to shut down pro-Palestinian voices.

The Pro-Israel side has been quite successful at labeling their opponents as anti-Semitic and using this to shut them out of venues or make the costs of having events prohibitive.

They are making it very difficult even to hold cultural events celebrating Palestinians.

Quote:

WINNIPEG – A University of Winnipeg investigation has concluded that antisemitism was expressed at a faculty-sponsored event earlier this year, which was first denounced by B’nai Brith Canada as “anti-Israel propaganda.”

On Thursday, after a review by its Human Rights and Diversity Officer, the university issued a statement acknowledging that comments made during a Feb. 28, 2018 panel discussion, My Jerusalem: Responding to the U.S. Embassy Announcement, promoted antisemitic tropes.

The disingenuous event, which took place during the Jewish holiday of Purim, was organized by Independent Jewish Voices – Winnipeg, the Canadian Arab Association of Manitoba, United Jewish Peoples Order – Winnipeg and others, and was co-sponsored by Global College, a subdivision of the university. Its purported goal was to canvass the Jewish, Christian and Muslim reactions to the historic U.S. decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

In its statement, the university said it “regrets the antisemitic statements made” at the My Jerusalem event. “In response to the recommendations contained within the report, the university will work with members of the Jewish community and other racialized groups to enhance our campus environment and promote safety and inclusivity.”

The report also noted several concerns raised with the university, including that Global College “rebuffed suggestions by B’nai Brith Canada to include an authentic Jewish perspective and move the event to a date on which the Jewish community could fully participate.”

Ran Ukashi, National Director of B'nai Brith's League for Human Rights, participated in the review process.

https://www.bnaibrith.ca/university_of_winnipeg_apologizes_for_antisemitism_at_anti_israel_event

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