The real problem people have with the so-called cancel culture.
In recent weeks, we have seen a slew of companies, authors, elites, cities, communities, sports, artists and many others, take a step back and reevaluate their image. This step has been falsely labelled “cancel culture”, because of the changes they have wrought and brought about.
From the removal of Aunt Jemima to the toppling of statues and banning of flags, it seems that everywhere in the United States, people have suddenly become aware of prejudices that have been in their faces for hundreds of years.
To call this movement “cancel culture” is to ignore the fact, that these changes, should have happened a long time ago, or at least after the last big civil rights movement, in the ear of Martin Luther King Jr. It is to say that we should let these things stand because they represent culture… but whose culture and more importantly what kind of culture?
Another impact of the BLM’s movement in the aftermath of George Floyds link, linked also to cancel culture, is the total and absolute rejection of anyone saying, condoning or doing things that in one form or another, perpetuates racism and prejudices. That is also the part of the movement that faces the most backlash even within the minority community, being likened to suppression of free speech, intolerance of difference of opinions, etc.…
Nothing could be further from the truth, minorities have long, for fear of losing their jobs or be labelled extremist, muzzled themselves when encountering such types of speech and actions, it was the era of let it be, let it slide, let it go, it’s not worth it. But that is also the era that has brought us to this place in time. Now we are saying no more, we will not let even the slightest slur pass, not the least of insults go by, we will not tolerate prejudices in any way shape or form.
The year is 2020, the time is the time of internet and social media, where information is at your fingertips, it is no longer acceptable to be ignorant, foolish, or stupid about issues of race and gender equality. And if you do say or do something foolish and ignorant you will be held accountable for your words and actions. You will be judged by them, because we will not return to the time when we accepted anything with a fake smile and a nod and agree to your so-called jokes or ignorance. You want to make jokes become a comedian, you are ignorant educate yourselves, but we refuse to make excuses for you because, when all is said and done there are no valid excuses.
It is not a cancel culture, but righting culture and righting wrongs! It is not about cancelling culture, it is a cleansing time, a time to remove impurities from our ideals, from the ideals that the US of A was founded on.
Before decrying the removal of any statue, do some research to see why minorities feel that statue is offensive, before bemoaning the banning or removal of a flag, educate yourself on what it represents, before wailing that you have been ‘harassed or cancelled” explore your words and actions to learn why they created a backlash against you.
Minorities have for decades, tried to tell you what was wrong with the system, that racism was alive and well, that they felt like second class citizens, and you have always for the most part preferred to offer platitudes and empty gestures to placate them.
Today you are seeing the results of YOUR inactions, your failure to right your wrongs, what is going on now is the consequence of your silence and complicity.
And while there have been unfortunate incidents in the wakes of anger, that is not really what your complaint is about now is it? You are now complaining that you are being held accountable for once! That is the core of your problem with the so called “cancel culture”. Your culture is fake, it has excluded, obliterated a major part of its history and now that it is coming out in the light, your shame is exposed for the world to see, and that is really what hurts you.
Muriel Vieux
July 9th, 2020