Is Cancel Culture Really Just Long Overdue Accountability For The Privileged?
Credit: getty  In July 2010, former Georgia State Director of Rural Development for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Shirley Sherrod was abruptly and unceremoniously fired after a highly-edited video of portions of a speech she gave at a NAACP event began circulating on conservative media. The July 20 CBS News article Shirley Sherrod: White House Forced My Resignation reported her reflections about two calls she received from USDA deputy undersecretary Cheryl Cook while driving. "The last time they asked me to pull over the side of the road and submit my resignation on my Blackberry, and that's what I did," explained Sherrod. The next day, CBS News continued the story with an article entitled, Vilsack: I Will Have to Live with Shirley Sherrod Mistake. By then, President Obamas Agriculture Secretary whod made the decision to terminate her learned of the full video and the context that showed her speech was actually denouncing racial bias. Vilsack (and The White House) apologized to Sherrod admitting that the decision was made hastily, Vilsack adding I did not think before I acted and for that reason, this poor woman has gone through a very difficult time." While Sherrod was ultimately offered a different position at the USDA, her reputation was clearly sullied in the most public of spectacles. Tom Vilsack on the other hand was not terminated for his clear and consequential lapse in judgment, and instead years later was named Secretary of the USDA earlier this year by the Biden administration. While Sherrods firing is arguably one of the most egregious and public examples of someone being terminated prematurely and wrongly, there was little if any whining about cancel culture then as the term hadnt become common vernacular yet. Maybe its yet another example of the saying, When those with privilege are faced with equality, to them it often feels like oppression.  The truth is that while many high-profile (usually) White people are disgusted by this new one significant strike and youre out culture, many Black and Brown people are thinking Welcome to the party while even more are wondering how they can even attain these high-profile positions in the first place. Thats highly debatable. Yes, we have to create a space for people to make mistakes, have a bad day or just get it wrong occasionally. Lets face itif we were all judged by our worst moment, wed likely be unemployed (or worse). But on the other hand, much of what seems to be increasingly labeled as cancel culture may just be long overdue accountability for the elite and powerful who have grown accustomed to the tacit immunity that often accompanies wealth, power and celebrity. For people of color and other marginalized communities, our cancel culture was always in effect only then, the powers that be labeled it consequences. I cant help but think that nowin the age of ubiquitous video camers and lighting fast social mediathose consequences have crept into the ivory towers of those unaccustomed to them, and theyve been received as an invasion. Diversity, equity and inclusion practitioner Farzin Farzad insists, Cancel culture is a relatively new term developed to insulate the powerful from being held accountable for hateful language. It is a mere propaganda tool that has proliferated in our mainstream discourse. Anti-racism educator and author of Blaxhaustion: Karens & Other Threats to Black Lives and Well-Being Theresa M. Robinson also points out the subjectivity of what gets labeled cancel culture and what doesnt. Cancel culture is either unfair or justified based on the recipient and the alleged transgression, insists Robinson. Colin Kaepernick is one of the best examples of how the cancel culture double-standard operates. He is just one in a long line of Black folks whove been subject to canceling at the hands of a system that systemically marginalizes and oppresses others.  For those who may be quick to defend a politician compelled to resign after the publication of an incriminating video or a company executive resigning after being caught on a hot mike yelling racial slurs, lets consider the following. Actions have consequences and some infractions are indeed cancel worthy. Sometimes once is enough. Its just that simple. Just as there are no mulligans for teachers who molest children or airline pilots who drink and fly, there are some decisions, actions and behaviors that should require immediate separation from the organization, and that separation isnt necessarily the worst that could happen to them. For some, it actually might be the wake up call that helps them get it together and grow professionally. When it comes to issues of equity and inclusion, many advocates consider zero tolerance policies an important part of rooting out racism, bias and broader discrimination. Freedom of speech or freedom to act doesnt imply freedom from consequences, insists anti-racism educator and consultant Denise Branch. Consequence culture is needed to build safer, more inclusive, equitable and accountable workplaces.  We should expect more of our leaders, media personalities and government officials. Certainly, all the behaviors are wrong, but too often it seems that we excuse so much more from those at the top of the food chain but are ready to pounce on less serious infractions from those at the bottom. Arguably, our system of workplace justice is often anything but just. The high profile incident may very well have been just one in a pattern. The truth is that while it may seem like someone was terminated, forced to resign or otherwise cancelled immediately after one particularly public incident, it may very well have been one incident of manyparticularly if they exhibited extreme behavior. Consider situations like those where a politician is caught hurling a racial slur on a hot microphone, or a senior executives leaked emails are found to be riddled with offensive homophobic references. While its certainly possible that those incidents were completely out of character for them (and the first of their kind), arguably theyre more likely a reflection of simply who they are when no one is looking. After all, if a 60 year old gets caught speeding 90+ mph on the highway, its most likely not the first time shes sped. Remember that personnel issues are typically confidential so while someone may have had a very public incident that resulted in dismissal, that may have actually been one in a string of previous incidents that were not publicly known. Lets be clearhaving anyone be wrongly or prematurely terminated or otherwise cancelled is obviously a horrible, unfortunate injustice. It was wrong when it happened to Shirley Sherrod, and its wrong now, but its not necessarily cancel culture. It may just be good, old-fashioned poor management. But when high-profile leaders and personalities are denounced, fired or pressured to step down after bad behavior, we could just be witnessing swift, direct consequences. The accusation cancel culture seems to suggest that some outside force or societal aberration is actually to blame when the truth may be that it just feels overly harsh and shocking to those used to doling out consequences, not experiencing them.