A protester holds a placard during a march and Juneteenth rally in Cedar Rapids, Friday, June 19, 2020. Social justice advocacy groups announced that they have reached an agreement with the City Council to work towards fulfilling seven demands they previously made. weekly meeting. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette)
Charlie Chaplin once said, “A day without laughter is a day wasted.” Life around his father, Lester Corbyn, was filled with jokes, teasing, and what was known as “Lesterism.” Having grown up around the humor of Red Skelton, Red Foxx, Jonathan Winters, Rodney Dangerfield, Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Laurel & Hardy and a subscription to MAD Magazine, I was programmed to seek out laughter. It had been.
If these comedians were alive, their take on the Republican Party’s “cancel wake culture” would make even Trump-bearing Republicans laugh. Questioning President Donald Trump’s leadership, racism, sexuality, gender, race, diversity, equity, inclusion, social injustice, health, and life balance that go against Republican values. Here are some examples.
United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines? Cancelled!
How about renting a car from Avis, Budget, Enterprise, or Hertz? Cancel!
McDonald’s, Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Cracker Barrel, Golden Corral, Taco Bell, IHOP, Red Lobster? Canceled!
Sports Enthusiasts: NFL, NBA, MLB? Cancel!
What about HBO and Netflix? cancel!
french fries? Yes, fries. cancel!
Harley-Davidson? That should not be. cancel!
Hershey, Procter & Gamble, Kellogg, Nabisco, Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola? Cancelled!
It’s ironic that Republicans claim to believe in free enterprise, yet oppose the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors that help businesses succeed. Additionally, Republican candidates must be unaware of the fact that the vast majority of registered Republicans support corporate ESG initiatives (Center for American Progress Action Fund).
Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “woke” as “aware of and actively paying attention to important facts and issues, especially issues of racial and social justice.” (2021). Being awake means being alert to racial prejudice and discrimination, being alert to social problems, and resisting oppression.
Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Our lives begin the day we become silent about important things.” Issues of race and social justice are important.
Young Americans (Millennials, ages 27-42 and Gen Z, ages 11-26) are America’s most culturally conscious, woke-minded group, and are passionate about social justice, equal rights, and equal opportunity. are fighting. Second, they are the most active social media users actively communicating the fight against injustice, intolerance, and discrimination. Finally, Millennials are the largest voting population, and Gen Z’s turnout in 2022 was higher than that of Gen X (ages 43-58) and Millennials.
Most Republican presidential candidates have addressed issues such as the gender pay gap, gender discrimination, racial inequality, racial injustice, LGBTQIA rights, sexual harassment, sexual assault, the environment and climate change, and the First Amendment. Not understanding issues like rights, book bans, fair voter registration, and open-ended issues. Opportunity to vote.
Americans must wake up sympathetically to issues of racial and social justice. Otherwise you must be asleep. Are you awake or asleep?
Steve Corbin is professor emeritus of marketing at the University of Northern Iowa.
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