The conservative crusade against so-called "cancel culture" has become a pillar of the Republican party's platform. Congressman Jim Jordan (R-OH) said that cancel culture was the "number one issue" facing the United States today. Earlier this year, he called for a congressional committee hearing to address the matter. At former President Donald Trump's second impeachment trial for inciting an insurrection, his defense team claimed the process was "constitutional cancel culture."
But all too often, the same conservatives who rail against cancel culture simultaneously perpetuate it themselves.
This most recently manifested in Surry County, North Carolina, where the Republican officials banned all Coca-Cola machines from government facilities, citing the Atlanta-based company's opposition to the recently passed voter suppression law in Georgia, nearly 400 miles away.
In a letter written to the company's CEO and reported by NBC News, Surry County Commissioner Ed Harris said:
"Our Board felt that was the best way to take a stand and express our disappointment in Coca-Cola's actions, which are not representative of most views of our citizens. Our Board hopes that other organizations across the country are taking similar stances against Coca-Cola and sincerely wishes that future marketing efforts and comments emanating from your company are more considerate of all your customers' viewpoints."
The letter was in response to comments from CEO James Quincey back in March, which called Georgia's new voting law "unacceptable" and "a step backwards."
Georgia saw backlash from a number of private companies after its Republican governor, Brian Kemp, signed into law the policy that limits ballot drop boxes, voter accessibility, and effectively bans giving food and water to voters in long lines.
Once again, the Republican party's hypocrisy on cancel culture reared its head.
Weren\u2019t these the same people who constantly complained about cancel culture and by voting to ban Coca-Cola isn\u2019t this cancel culture? https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/1400787677465788418\u00a0\u2026— Boyd J. Kills Back \u2744\ufe0f (@Boyd J. Kills Back \u2744\ufe0f) 1622826312
cancel culture strikes again smhhttps://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/1400787677465788418\u00a0\u2026— Adrian Garro (@Adrian Garro) 1622825095
Is this the "cancel culture" that I've been hearing so much about? https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/1400787677465788418\u00a0\u2026— Peter J. Gregory (@Peter J. Gregory) 1622821852
But cancel culture? https://twitter.com/nbcnews/status/1400787677465788418\u00a0\u2026— Adam Brown (@Adam Brown) 1622813578
The @GOP sure loves to cancel things.https://twitter.com/nbcnews/status/1400787677465788418\u00a0\u2026— Clancy DeSmet (@Clancy DeSmet) 1622814115
Cancel culture is a big thing out there on the right.https://twitter.com/nbcnews/status/1400787677465788418\u00a0\u2026— biernbikes (@biernbikes) 1622809755
The new ban wasn't well received.
I grew up about 30 minutes from Surry County. This is dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb.https://twitter.com/nbcnews/status/1400787677465788418\u00a0\u2026— Doug Heye (@Doug Heye) 1622809115
That'll show 'em. Never mind the fact that you are directly impacting the employment of your local beverage distributor and not the folks in Atlanta.https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/1400787677465788418\u00a0\u2026— Tony Cescon (@Tony Cescon) 1622809156
Children.\n\nWe are governed by petty pathetic old children.https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/1400787677465788418\u00a0\u2026— \ud83d\udc9aPro-Bird\ud83d\udc13\ud83c\udf33Anti-Capitalist\ud83d\udca5\u270a (@\ud83d\udc9aPro-Bird\ud83d\udc13\ud83c\udf33Anti-Capitalist\ud83d\udca5\u270a) 1622808865
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