For the past few years I have been reading about the cancel culture that exists on the left. I’ve read about how progressives have demanded that the names of slave holders be taken off of buildings, monuments and colleges. Even men like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson have been attacked because they owned slaves and in Jefferson’s case fathered many children with his slave, Sally Hemmings. Of course the right has pushed back, railing against the “cancel culture” of the left on almost every news media outlet they can. But now we see that the right has its own cancel culture and we find it right here in our own NH State House.
The main target of their cancel culture is Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, the NH born and bred rebel girl, who had a historical marker in her honor here in our city. Elizabeth helped found the ACLU, fought for civil liberties, women’s rights, and labor causes. She was a significant positive historical figure except for one flaw. She joined the Communist Party. Because of this fact the cancel culture of the right through the autocratic manipulation of the rules by our governor and Executive Council succeeded in having the marker taken down. What was lost in this decision was a piece of our real history and democratic principles. Cancel culture, however, won big.
Wayne Fuller
Concord