For most Americans, the “cancel culture” (in which progressive hordes on social media seek to persecute, humiliate and ostracize public figures for having opinions that these groups do not like) represents a risk to freedom of expression according to recent polls.
A new Harvard CAPS-Harris poll, published exclusively by The Hill, shows a majority opposition to the cancellation culture and a weariness against this new online modus operandi. Sixty-four percent of respondents said these mindless cultural boycotts pose a threat to freedom in the U.S.; 36 percent said the opposite. While conservatives were predominantly opposed to cancel culture (80% to 20%), the issue provoked notable polarization among Democrats.
Among Democrats, the margin is fairly close; on the one hand, 48 percent see cancel culture as a threat; 52 percent do not.
The poll found that more Republicans than Democrats view the cancel culture as a threat. Democrats currently hold the White House, the majority in the House, and the majority in the Senate.
“Tech companies need to be aware that the public sees them acting with biases tilted toward Democrats, and voters are calling for new regulations to ensure fairness and openness,” Penn noted. Of all the Big Tech, the specialist believes, “Amazon, in particular, still has a solid image compared to Facebook and Twitter, but that image may begin to erode if they expand the ban on books on their platform.”
Conservatives have borne the brunt of cancel culture, being targeted in massive purges on social media, and the term has practically become a brand name. CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, called its edition this year “America Uncanceled.”
The double standards of the cancel culture
For these mobs (aligned with progressive ideals), cancel only works for one side and not as a way to keep famous people with significant communication power accountable -as they want to pretend-.
The cancel mobs have devoted all their efforts to chasing actors, singers, politicians, bloggers, and political commentators who do not obey political correctness.
Gina Carano has been targeted for cancellation recently when she joked with pronouns by putting “beep/boop” in her Twitter bio, shared an image with the message “Jeffrey Epstein did not commit suicide” and a series of other harmless messages. Quickly these collectives set out to humiliate her, achieving her dismissal from The Mandalorian.
The 45th President, Donald Trump, has been one of the most important targets of the cancel culture. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube permanently censored him from their spaces (Flickr)
The cancel hordes have also gone against famed comedian Dave Chappelle, who, after joking about the LGBT community and receiving strong criticism from it, continued to make jokes about it and expose the cancel culture’s hysteria.
“It’s hard to entertain motherf*ckers who are so sensitive, everyone in the country is turning into bitches! Anything you say pisses somebody off,” he claimed in his Netflix special Sticks & Stones.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump was canceled by Big Tech after the assault on the Capitol, and even before, prior to last year’s election. The Twitter platform often silenced his denounces and, after January 6, he was permanently suspended from social media -while they continue to accept personalities such as comedian Kathy Griffin, who was photographed holding a decapitated and bloody head of Trump, while he was president-.
Commentator Bill Maher called for fighting cancel culture. “Stand your ground against the cancel culture so that when the woke mob comes after you for some ridiculous offense, you stand your ground. Stop apologizing.”
Rafael Valera, Venezuelan, student of Political Science, political exile in São Paulo, Brazil since 2017 // Rafael Valera, venezolano, es estudiante de Ciencias Políticas y exiliado político en São Paulo, Brasil desde 2017