Butch Wants to Cancel ‘Cancel Culture!’

   OK, you old-timers, do you remember when you could express your opinions, state your beliefs, tell a joke or discuss politics without someone getting on your case? Great, wasn’t it? Well, no more. A new phenomenon has creeped into our society in the last few years. It has reached fever pitch thanks to the wonderful world of Facebook, Twitter (X), texting and E-mail. All of the “know-what’s-good-for-you” morons wake up every morning and try to find something that they find offensive . . . so that they can complain that some individual or group or society as a whole has been victimized or treated in an unacceptable manner. The “offender” will be boycotted, shunned, and ostracized, first though social media, and if necessary, in person. This new method of shutting people down is called “cancel culture.” Psychologists have a name for people who get a kick out of forcing their beliefs and subsequent rage on others. They’re called “nutcases.”

  If you dare express your true opinion about some person, group, or their beliefs, and it rubs the cancel culture mob the wrong way, then you are in big trouble, buddy!  You won’t be invited to any more parties. No one will talk to you. You might get fired from your job. And even worse . . . you will not receive any “likes” and may even be “de-friended.” Oh, the shame of it all. This can happen to anyone . . . normal everyday people, celebrities, politicians, athletes, and even the cancel culture agitators themselves. Some of the worst cancel culture nincompoops are TV and Hollywood celebrities, particularly when it comes to politics. These wealthy, self-righteous, and yes, 99 percent liberal, windbags who have about as much common sense as a possum crossing the interstate, want you to think and act like they do. They are paid millions to do two simple things . . . recite dialogue and look good. They are no smarter than anyone else, and people actually pay $10 for a ticket and $10 for popcorn to watch them!

   There are millions of losers who enjoy canceling anyone who disagrees with them. If you are against biological men playing women’s sports and dressing in women’s locker rooms, you are canceled. If you think there is nothing wrong with a picture of Aunt Jemima on a syrup bottle, you are canceled. If the Confederate flag on top of the Dukes of Hazzard car is great, you are canceled. If you were against the Washington pro football team changing their name of “Redskins” to “Commanders,” you are canceled. If you believe that “All Lives Matter,” instead of just “Black Lives Matter,” you are canceled. If you believe that “global warming” is a hoax proven by science to be wrong, you are canceled. If you refuse to take the COVID vaccine, you are canceled. If you think that a person should be hired based on their qualifications . . . not race, sex or nationality, you are canceled. Joe Biden a failed President? Canceled. Hunter Biden’s laptop fake? Canceled. And as everyone knows, if you have a “Vote for Trump” or “MAGA” bumper sticker on your car, you are not only canceled, but in some areas of the country your life may be in danger!

   No use watching late night “comedy” talk shows any longer. These are simply fronts for the Hollywood cancel-culture experts. Sorry, but Johnny Carson is no more. In fact, there are very few true comedians because they don’t want to be canceled and lose all of that money from their gigs. The pro-censorship folks will go after them with a vengeance if they say one wrong thing or make one “insensitive” joke.

   Yes, readers, all of this has become part of our culture. Not good. What happened to our Constitutional rights? Of course there are some crazy people who get carried away, break the law and pose an actual threat. Arrest them! But the cancel culture crazies have had a chilling effect on our ability to express our opinions. Their actions are intolerant, and amount to bullying, plain and simple . . . much of the time “cyberbullying.” I’m not on Facebook or Twitter, etc., but no matter. I am not falling for any attempt to cancel my actions or beliefs. I will speak my mind and give my opinion. No one has to agree with me. That’s fine and dandy. It’s called FREEDOM OF SPEECH. And we had all better realize this before it’s too late, or America will go down the tubes. We will become another China or Soviet Union where you cannot say what you believe . . . or else you’re a goner . . . unless you prefer to work in a salt mine.

   So . . . to all of you cancel culture crusaders, especially you Hollywood types, shut your mouth and keep your opinions to yourself. Perhaps, just perhaps, you now realize that as far as politics is concerned, your attack efforts backfired in the last election. Ha, Ha, Ha . . . Be brave, buttercup. Go back to your mansions and leave us alone.

John “Butch” Dale is a retired teacher and County Sheriff. He has also been the librarian at Darlington the past 36 years, and is a well-known artist and author of local history.