Harpers

One of the main instigators of the Harper's letter is a black intellectual, Thomas Chatterton Williams. My facebook is alive with people attacking it, though I am encouraged that not everyone is.

Of course, I agree that we can each have our own opinions about it, and I myself was irritated by its weak verbiage and the obligatory swipe at Trump. That is part of the point of the letter, that opinions will differ. There are irritating and hypocritical people who signed it, and I was struck by how some wanted to withdraw their support for it once they saw who else had signed! Well, that is like saying that I could not sign a letter saying the grass is green if X also thinks the grass is green and the sky is blue. Isn't the point of the letter that we should be able to talk to people we disagree with? 

My version of the letter would leave out the passive voice and say:

Cancel culture is dangerous bullshit. If you think they won't come for you because you are one of the good guys or gals, then you are wrong. If you don't defend people now, then nobody will be left to defend you when they come for you?  

On one of the facebook threads I read this comments and felt a chill to my bone: 

I think people should be given the opportunity to apologize and atone. If they don’t take that opportunity, then cancelling is a viable option.