The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Collegian editorial board.
There’s been a lot of talks recently in conservative circles about “cancel culture.” Many right-leaning people argue that their free speech is being limited with the critiques of people like J.K. Rowling or Twitter’s choice to ban Donald Trump. The latest instance has been the uproar over the Dr. Seuss estate removing some of his older works from print because of their racist depictions of American racial minorities.
However, it is hard not to see the irony in these conversations when, at the very same time, the right is in an uproar over songs by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion or Lil Nas X’s music video for his recent song “Montero (Call Me By Your Name).” And it didn’t start here. Many remember the debacle over the red Starbucks cup in 2016, the reaction many conservatives had to the term “Happy Holidays,” or when a Disney movie featured a gay background character.
I’m not here to argue about whether any of those instances are justified. I list them only to point out the fact that this is a much more complicated issue than the sensitivity of so-called “liberal snowflakes.” The important distinction is between things that offend and things that cause harm.
Media that just offends us for our personal religious beliefs or our values is our responsibility. It is the individual’s job to regulate his or her own media consumption and that of their kids. I think we can all agree that censorship is a slippery slope in which we need to be careful. If we silence every voice that violates someone’s values, soon we would have nothing, not even the Bible. People must be trusted to think for themselves. This moral work is what makes us human.
There is a stark difference between something that is offensive to our values and something that causes actual harm. Hate speech is dangerous, especially when spoken by those with enormous social power. When celebrities and media personalities are canceled for their racist, homophobic or transphobic comments, it is not just because it offends the left. It is because it proliferates violence and systemic oppression against these groups.
With racially motivated hate crimes against Asian American people spiking, it is vital that we hold former President Donald Trump and others accountable for how they have spread rhetoric that blames the Chinese for the pandemic. With suicide rates among transgendered people on the rise and violence against them still rampant in our country, it is crucial that we hold J.K. Rowling (a self-proclaimed liberal) accountable for her writing that proliferates these issues.
It is about so much more than being offensive. This is about examining the sources of oppression and violence that are deeply embedded in the system. In order to help the least of these, we must attack at the root of the issue and hold people accountable for their words and actions.
