Home Cancel culture, you Democrats can go to hell, cute dogs: Thanks, social media!
Politics

Cancel culture, you Democrats can go to hell, cute dogs: Thanks, social media!

Chris Graham
mobile app
(© ra2 studio – stock.adobe.com)

My weekend started with me declaring my long-held view that cancel culture is bunk, then had me distancing myself from an acquaintance, then seeing my wife having to leave a social media group because of bullying.

Check, please.

No, I’m good.

No dessert, just the check.

First, to what brought cancel culture close to home for me. It was a friend who was making an issue of highlighting folks who had gone to D.C. last week to protest the Electoral College vote, the suggestion being that we shouldn’t do business with people who were there.

Which made me think: you know, I make my living running a center-left news website, do not hide the fact that I’m a former local Democratic Party chair, plenty of reasons for people to not want to do business with me.

And if you don’t, you don’t, and if you tell me, it’s not going to change what I think, or make me pull back in terms of being a voice for how I think things ought to be going.

So, I make this clear. Can we cut it with the cancel culture?

The world, at this point, laughs at me, in the form of an over-the-top social media post from the acquaintance.

The gist of it: you Democrats can go to hell.

Damn.

Seriously?

The tough thing is, this acquaintance, super nice guy, also someone I’ve done business with – gone out of my way to do business with, in fact, because I know him, and prefer to give my money to people that I know as opposed to faceless, nameless corporate entities.

It’s hard to reconcile that with: you Democrats can go to hell.

It’s one thing to be on different sides of government budgeting, the delivery of healthcare, foreign policy, social issues.

You think one thing, strongly, I think another, just as strongly, we discuss, agree to disagree.

Democrats can go to hell?

I can’t unknow that, unfortunately.

My wife writes about this, then, in a private social media group, set up by a friend for fellow liberals to be able to discuss life issues in a safe space.

Two people in this group call her out for not identifying the Republican friend in the story, apparently so they could trumpet boycotting the guy.

The term “white privilege” is used as a bludgeon.

So much for that safe space.

Weekend summary: broken relationships all over.

Thanks, social media.

It’s been several years since I pared my Facebook friend list down to about five, and only left it up because my wife wants to be able to tag me in photos.

Twitter, primarily, is cute dog pics and videos that I send to my wife, because I know she likes cute dog pics and videos.

I pine for the days when I didn’t know what people really, deep down, thought, when we could at least pretend to be nice to each other, pretend to be civil.

Even into the early days of social media, it was so innocent.

Hey, I like “Seinfeld” and DMB, too! And dogs!

Nice to know there are others out there like me!

Now that the toothpaste is out of the tube, we all know full well that we all suck royally at basic human decency, and don’t deserve the world that we thought we’d created for ourselves.

The only thing redeeming about any of it: dogs.

Story by Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham, the king of "fringe media," a zero-time Virginia Sportswriter of the Year, and a member of zero Halls of Fame, is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].

Latest News

Sports Betting

How To Bet Usyk vs. Dubois In California

Sports Betting

How To Bet On Usyk vs. Dubois In Texas

Usyk vs Dubois II takes place Saturday, July 19, 2025, and boxing fans in Texas are searching for the best ways to bet on the heavyweight title fight. With all four major belts on the line, the rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois is one of the biggest fights of the year. While Texas...

malcolm brogdon
Basketball, Go 'Hoos

Rumor mill: LA Clippers showing interest in UVA Basketball alum Malcom Brogdon

UVA Basketball alum Malcolm Brogdon, late of the Washington Wizards, is still a free agent, but there’s smoke about the Los Angeles Clippers having major interest.

wboro glow up tmobile solar
Arts, Local

Waynesboro light show aims to draw residents downtown for dining, shopping

Local, Politics

Shenandoah LGBTQ Center celebrates seven years serving as a safe space in Staunton

Sports Betting

How To Bet On Usyk vs. Dubois In Florida

henry godbout uva baseball
Baseball, Go 'Hoos

UVA Baseball: What if we get the good Harrison Didawick from 2024 back next season?