# Have any cancel culture boycotts of laws / states been successful? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 8, 2021, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-cancel-culture-boycotts-of-laws-states-been-successful/950325 "2021-09-08T17:10:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-cancel-culture-boycotts-of-laws-states-been-successful/950325/1 "2021-09-08T17:10:42Z")
Inspired the thread on “cancelling” Texas. Have there been any successful boycotts or attempts to cancel a city, state, or other large organization due to a law opposed by liberals? Success means either the relevant officeholders being voted out of office or the law / policy in question being repealed. Let’s also limit this to recent times. No need to bring up MLK and the Civil Rights movement of the 60s. ETA: If none have succeeded yet, are there any that could be said to be coming close to succeeding? ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-cancel-culture-boycotts-of-laws-states-been-successful/950325/2 "2021-09-08T17:35:46Z")
The North Carolina bathroom bill ought to count: [HB2 Repeal: North Carolina Overturns Controversial 'Bathroom Bill'](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/hb2-repeal-north-carolina-legislature-votes-overturn-controversial-bathroom-bill-n740546) ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-cancel-culture-boycotts-of-laws-states-been-successful/950325/3 "2021-09-08T17:40:03Z")
I believe Arizona was finally shamed into adopting Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a holiday. The OP said no need to mention MLK, but this is not the civil-rights movement of the '60s but rather a recent example of a state being boycotted into doing something. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-cancel-culture-boycotts-of-laws-states-been-successful/950325/4 "2021-09-08T17:45:41Z")
> [@naita](#): > > The North Carolina bathroom bill ought to count This is just the sort of thing I’m looking for. Thank you. > [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I believe Arizona was finally shamed into adopting Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a holiday. The OP said no need to mention MLK, but this is not the civil-rights movement of the '60s but rather a recent example of a state being boycotted into doing something. I would count this as well. Thank you ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-cancel-culture-boycotts-of-laws-states-been-successful/950325/5 "2021-09-08T17:52:15Z")
Does the term “cancel culture” only apply to when _liberals_ attempt to influence laws? ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-cancel-culture-boycotts-of-laws-states-been-successful/950325/6 "2021-09-08T17:59:10Z")
No, it applies to both sides. My assumption, however, is that conservatives are generally the ones on the receiving end. I assume that attempts to cancel liberal laws by a conservative boycott are unlikely to be attempted. Not because conservatives don’t want liberals laws cancelled, but because conservatives are essentially one block, and don’t really have the broad base to make such attempts. ETA. IMHO this is part of what has precipitated the current situation. Conservatives, at least social conservatives, feel that they are backed into a corner and are doing anything they can to try to regain their previously held power. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-cancel-culture-boycotts-of-laws-states-been-successful/950325/7 "2021-09-08T18:03:30Z")
Since this involves politics, let’s move it to P&E. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-cancel-culture-boycotts-of-laws-states-been-successful/950325/8 "2021-09-08T18:26:20Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > Have there been any successful boycotts or attempts to cancel a city, state, or other large organization due to a law opposed by liberals? How can you tell the difference between successful “canceling” specifically due to boycotts by liberals, and successful “canceling” due simply to widespread public disapproval whose manifestations include boycotts by liberals? ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-cancel-culture-boycotts-of-laws-states-been-successful/950325/9 "2021-09-08T18:49:42Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > No, it applies to both sides. My assumption, however, is that conservatives are generally the ones on the receiving end. I assume that attempts to cancel liberal laws by a conservative boycott are unlikely to be attempted. The left has a habit of eating their own. I’ve seen them turn against people they largely agree with plenty of times. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-cancel-culture-boycotts-of-laws-states-been-successful/950325/10 "2021-09-08T19:02:26Z")
It sells ad revenue from clicks for sure. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-cancel-culture-boycotts-of-laws-states-been-successful/950325/11 "2021-09-08T19:20:17Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > No, it applies to both sides. My assumption, however, is that conservatives are generally the ones on the receiving end. I assume that attempts to cancel liberal laws by a conservative boycott are unlikely to be attempted. Not because conservatives don’t want liberals laws cancelled, but because conservatives are essentially one block, and don’t really have the broad base to make such attempts. [This article](https://www.thedailybeast.com/all-the-things-you-can-no-longer-buy-if-youre-a-true-maga-trump-fan?ref=home) might shed some light on conservative boycotts. I don’t know how any of them played out, though. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2021, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-cancel-culture-boycotts-of-laws-states-been-successful/950325/12 "2021-09-08T19:30:22Z")
> [@GreysonCarlisle](#): > > [This article](https://www.thedailybeast.com/all-the-things-you-can-no-longer-buy-if-youre-a-true-maga-trump-fan?ref=home) might shed some light on conservative boycotts. I don’t know how any of them played out, though. That article supports my hypothesis about my admittedly poorly worded belief about conservatives and boycotts of “liberal” policies and institutions. My interpretation of those boycotts by conservatives is that they’re nothing more than a bunch of MAGAs spouting off on the comments on Facebook articles and things of that sort. If they had all really stopped watching football, baseball, basketball, Netflix, Hulu, and so on, and stopped shopping at all the places listed, we probably would have noticed real world effects. ---
**Author:** ![UDS1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47774/32.png) [@UDS1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS1)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2021, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-cancel-culture-boycotts-of-laws-states-been-successful/950325/13 "2021-09-09T00:53:22Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > How can you tell the difference between successful “canceling” specifically due to boycotts by liberals, and successful “canceling” due simply to widespread public disapproval whose manifestations include boycotts by liberals? This. International boycotts and sanctions directed against apartheid South Africa are generally credited with playing a significant role in bringing about change, but obviously they weren’t the only factor at work. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2021, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-cancel-culture-boycotts-of-laws-states-been-successful/950325/14 "2021-09-09T15:35:07Z")
Kind of in Colorado with Amendment 2. While the Supreme Court ended up overturning it, it did cause a massive boycott of Colorado as well as the failure of many copycat laws that Colorado based Christian groups were holding to take nationwide. > **[Perspective | How Colorado did a 180 on gay rights](https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2018/12/17/how-colorado-did-gay-rights/)** > > The alliance between corporate America and LGBTQ rights ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2021, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-cancel-culture-boycotts-of-laws-states-been-successful/950325/15 "2021-09-10T00:10:34Z")
Let me just Godwinize this by mentioning the Night of the Long Knives