# Cancel culture on the right **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 12, 2021, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-on-the-right/941912 "2021-05-12T14:25:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-on-the-right/941912/1 "2021-05-12T14:25:08Z")
I know that the whole idea of “cancel culture” is pretty much bullshit, but I tire of people complaining about “cancel culture of woke mobs” and talking about, for example, the owners of the Dr. Seuss books voluntarily stopping the publication of a couple of less popular books. So, I’m hoping to gather some examples from the other side of the political divide. I’m hoping for things from the last few years (so, nothing about the whole Hollywood blacklist or the Smothers Brothers cancellation. Even the banning of the Dixie Chicks from country stations is too far back for me). Of the top of my head: - Trump calling for a boycott of Coke (while being seen soon after with a Diet Coke in front of him) - The removal of Liz Cheney from her leadership position in the House for telling the truth about the election - The effort to [ban certain books](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/11/opinion/censorship-domestic-violence-book.html) from school libraries (paywalled, unless you know the magic of incognito browsing) - Calls to boycott the MLB for moving their All-Star game from Atlanta - Calls to boycott Citigroup and Delta for speaking out against the Georgia voting law Is this cancel culture? The Tennessee legislature blocked a resolution honoring a gay country star for the sin of being gay. Seems like an edge case, since he still has his music career, but I guess righties complained about the non-firing of a professor who may have said the N word, so maybe? ---
**Author:** ![TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thegunismightierthanthepen/32/2981_2.png) [@TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheGunIsMightierThanThePen)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-on-the-right/941912/2 "2021-05-12T16:52:51Z")
Colin Kaepernick being blacklisted from the NFL for protesting police brutality, comes to mind for me. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-on-the-right/941912/3 "2021-05-12T17:14:15Z")
The big ones for me are in the realm of academia. In my state, an academic center headed by an outspoken opponent of the Republican-led legislature was [shut down by the Republican-appointed Board of Governors](https://www.hcpress.com/news/director-of-poverty-center-shut-down-by-unc-board-to-speak-at-app-state-on-thursday.html), under flimsy excuses. A bank offered funding to public universities [as long as they agreed to teach Ayn Rand](https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/10/16/new-paper-details-extent-bbt-banks-ayn-rand-inspired-grant-program). Our Lieutenant Governor has added a form on his official government website where you can report on teachers if you think [they’re violating political right-think](https://ltgov.nc.gov/facts-submission-form). Our state superintendent may have given all our addresses to a Republican-led effort to undermine our educator union, because (in the words of their founder in a letter to the superintendent, paraphrased because I can’t find the link right now) the union was too helpful to Democrats in certain key elections and Republicans need to fight back. Academic freedom is definitely under attack. The thread doesn’t come from undergraduates, though: it comes from wealthy, powerful people. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-on-the-right/941912/4 "2021-05-12T17:22:23Z")
Right! That also reminds me of the Nike boycotts (and merchandise burning) after Nike picked up Kaepernick for branding. > [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Academic freedom is definitely under attack. Agreed – I should have mentioned all the [anti-1619 bills](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2021/02/10/slavery-and-history-states-threaten-funding-schools-teach-1619-project/4454195001/). It’s frustrating – I’m a fan of Steven Pinker but he’s always mentioning situations where students are protesting some racist coming to campus, worrying about academic freedom, but I’ve never seen him mention these other situations, which will have much more impact. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-on-the-right/941912/5 "2021-05-12T17:41:31Z")
There was a boycott of Ford because they were pro-LGBT. ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-on-the-right/941912/6 "2021-05-12T17:47:30Z")
I understand that The Centner Academy in Miami Florida won’t hire any staff or teachers to have taken an anti-Covid vaccine. that’s one of the sillier ones I’ve heard about. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-on-the-right/941912/7 "2021-05-12T17:55:15Z")
Planned parenthood Lots of gay/transgender things. Restrooms, wedding cakes, etc. Last year I heard a lot of “don’t buy Chinese things” ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-on-the-right/941912/8 "2021-05-12T18:37:26Z")
> [@Mallard](#): > > The Centner Academy in Miami Florida won’t hire any staff or teachers to have taken an anti-Covid vaccine. That one just seems whackjob to me, not really right or left (even though I understand the owners of that school are Trump supporters). > [@Author\_Balk](#): > > Planned parenthood > Lots of gay/transgender things. Restrooms, wedding cakes, etc. > Last year I heard a lot of “don’t buy Chinese things” I’m hoping to get more specific incidents. Cutting funding for Planned Parenthood doesn’t really qualify, since it’s not a culture war thing, more of an anti-abortion thing. I think of cancel culture as more of a culture war thing. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-on-the-right/941912/9 "2021-05-12T18:44:53Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > It’s frustrating – I’m a fan of Steven Pinker but he’s always mentioning situations where students are protesting some racist coming to campus, worrying about academic freedom, but I’ve never seen him mention these other situations, which will have much more impact. Yeah, over the years I’ve fallen out of love with Pinker over this and other things. He seems to be drifting slowly into Jordan Peterson territory, valuing himself as a maverick rather than looking at things with rigor. (Not saying he’s in full Lobster Responsibility territory yet, just slowly moving in that direction). ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-on-the-right/941912/10 "2021-05-12T19:00:19Z")
I have no idea what Lobster Responsibility refers to, but it sounds interesting! ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-on-the-right/941912/11 "2021-05-12T19:13:26Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > Calls to boycott the MLB for moving their All-Star game from Atlanta Similar calls to boycott NASCAR when they investigated the noose incident and banned confederate flags from raceways. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-on-the-right/941912/12 "2021-05-12T19:43:29Z")
Dixie Chicks were a Bush-era target. Just how far back are we going, because an entire thread could be had about Anita Bryant alone on this topic. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-on-the-right/941912/13 "2021-05-12T19:51:50Z")
As I mention in the OP, I think the Dixie Chicks are too far back. Let’s say the last 3 or 4 years? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-on-the-right/941912/14 "2021-05-12T19:53:25Z")
Lol, completely missed that. There are those who self-canceled like Jeff Flake and Paul Ryan. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-on-the-right/941912/15 "2021-05-12T22:54:55Z")
I don’t think of cancel culture as properly extending to corporations or products. That would just be a boycott. I mean, it makes sense but seems awkward to use it that way. You cancel a _person_ (from your life and dealings), just like an executive cancels a television show (from his/her network). But I don’t really use the term, myself. Aside from Mr. Kaepernick, President Trump &co attempted to cancel Arnon Mishkin, who called Arizona for Biden on Fox. They successfully cancelled Lt. Cn. Vindman who testified before Congress on the Ukraine scandal. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-on-the-right/941912/16 "2021-05-12T23:09:27Z")
I agree with your first one (Arnon Mishkin), but I think Vindman just got fired by his boss, essentially. I wouldn’t call that cancel culture. On your first point, people on this very board were bemoaning the cancel culture that led to the Seuss books getting pulled, so I think products and corporations work. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-on-the-right/941912/17 "2021-05-12T23:11:38Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > Vindman just got fired by his boss, essentially. I wouldn’t call that cancel culture. He ultimately felt the need to retire from the military due to pressure from the right. [https://edition.cnn.com/2020/07/08/politics/vindman-retiring-alleged-white-house-retaliation/index.html](https://edition.cnn.com/2020/07/08/politics/vindman-retiring-alleged-white-house-retaliation/index.html) > **[Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman retires, citing campaign of ‘bullying’ and...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/lt-col-alexander-vindman-retires-citing-campaign-of-bullying-intimidation-and-retaliation-by-trump/2020/07/08/934bc6ba-c12e-11ea-864a-0dd31b9d6917_story.html)** > > The Army officer served as a national security aide at the White House until earlier this year and was up for promotion. ETA: > [@RitterSport](#): > > On your first point, people on this very board were bemoaning the cancel culture that led to the Seuss books getting pulled, so I think products and corporations work. Call me old fashioned, that seems more like run-of-the-mill complaints about political correctness to me. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-on-the-right/941912/18 "2021-05-12T23:23:10Z")
They seem like two sides of the same coin. Things get “canceled” because they’re un-PC. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2021, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-on-the-right/941912/19 "2021-05-13T02:39:00Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > The effort to [ban certain books](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/11/opinion/censorship-domestic-violence-book.html) from school libraries (paywalled, unless you know the magic of incognito browsing) In my experience, incognito browsing isn’t enough to get around NYT’s paywall. They seem to use other ways of tracking and/or find ways to detect that you are in incognito mode. They don’t seem to use the “porous paywall” model. @Max_S I would agree with your definition of cancel culture if it weren’t for the fact that boycotts and companies being too PC are the exact things that the right calls “cancel culture.” If they were talking about, say, abuse and harassment, I wouldn’t object to much to the term. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2021, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-on-the-right/941912/20 "2021-05-13T02:46:11Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > The big ones for me are in the realm of academia. The right-wing project [Professor Watchlist](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professor_Watchlist) is probably a comparatively minor example, but it nonetheless results in harassment and death threats for professors on its list. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-on-the-right/941912.md?page=2)