The Bullies of Cancel Culture

Last week, Major League Baseball announced it was moving its annual All-Star game from Atlanta due to the passing of Georgia's recent election legislation. The decision is an effort to punish Georgia for exercising its right to amend its own laws where voting is concerned. Commissioner Robert Manford Jr.'s statement can be read here, and the full text of Georgia's election law can be read here.[1]

Setting aside for now the reasonableness of Georgia's election changes, what do we make of yet another commercial organization's effort to force it's "values," to use Commissioner Manford's words, on a free individual, organization, or government? How should we view these actions, and what is the best response to them?

Social "Justice": Bullying by Another Name

While proponents of this strategy would call it justice, I call it by its more appropriate title: bullying.

People, businesses, and organizations that do these kinds of things are nothing more than bullies. They don't like it when you exercise your freedom to disagree with them, so, instead of persuading you on the basis of their arguments, they choose the fist. "You do something I don't like, and I'll punch you as hard as I can in the face"--this is the real social justice mantra.

And, like in the school yard, unfortunately, it works far too often. Not wanting to be the focus of their ire, those targeted by these thugs give in to their destructive demands without so much as a word in reply.

Why do we really give in so easily?

One of the main reasons people give in today is for fear of losing income. When the social justice mob attacks, sales are sure to take a hit. I would not be surprised if no one at Major League Baseball actually read the Georgia law for themselves. Their decision was based purely on economics: "If we don't give in, we'll lose revenue. Nothing else matters."

But are we people of such low character that we will give in to a bully because of a dollar? The Bible encourages us not to. Proverbs 16:8 reminds us that "better is a little with righteousness, than vast revenues without justice." If you are doing the right thing, then, no matter what the masses say, or the short-term negative consequences, it is always best to stick to your guns. Why? Because the God of the Bible will back you up if you do.

How do we respond, then?

While with most bullies, the best way to deal with them is to punch back; in this case, the best response is to do what is right (and that is usually the opposite of what these people tell you to do) and let them hit you as hard as they can for so doing.

So what that they moved the All-Star game? Big deal. Take it somewhere else. You want to boycott my business? Knock yourself out. God will make up for that lost income. You want the tax exemption from my church? Have at it. We don't need a tax exemption to prosper. We'll gladly pay our taxes.

You see, they only have power over us because we give it to them. If we would stop giving in, after a while, they would see that their bully tactics don't work and try something else.

So, who will be the first to tell these bullies to stick it? I hope it will be you.

Notes:

[1] I recommend you always read the source material yourself and do not rely on published reports about them. Most often, published reports are biased and untrue. You will save yourself a lot of heartache if you do this.