Virginia LGBT Group Targets Muslim School Board Member For ‘Emotional Violence’
Pride Liberation Project is calling on Abrar Omeish to attend pride parades, vote for LGBT curriculum, and be a '100 percent ally' to queer students.
Conan O'Brien, leftist actor Sean Penn slam 'ludicrous' cancel culture as 'very Soviet'
Spawned in part from the progressive political correctness movement, cancel culture has become so broadly disfavored that even left-wing Hollywood elites are taking turns trashing it.
What happened?
During a July 5 episode of the podcast "Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend," former late-night host Conan O'Brien and actor Sean Penn agreed that the practice of collectively ostracizing people and destroying their careers over past politically incorrect statements is worrisome.
"Empathy is a very important word and also forgiveness," O'Brien noted. "This whole concept of cancel culture is ... We found that someone did something in 1979 that is now not appropriate. They're dead to us."
"It's ludicrous," Penn, famous for starring in hit movies such as "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" and "Mystic River," said.
"People can also be forgiven — if they even need forgiving. What happened to that?" O'Brien continued, adding, "It feels very Soviet sometimes."
At that point, Penn made reference to Alexi McCammond, the 27-year-old reporter who was pushed out of her role as editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue earlier this year after staff members unearthed and condemned offensive tweets about Asian people she posted as a teenager.
"When we're destroying careers like that, what are we really achieving?" Penn asked. "Or you look at politicians ... I give a big nod to anyone that's willing to enter the public arena who is doing so because they give a damn."
Sean Penn · Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend youtu.be
What else?
The conversation started with O'Brien heaping praise on Penn for his portrayal of San Francisco politician and gay rights activist Harvey Milk in the 2008 film "Milk." But Penn noted that a straight man portraying a gay character is likely not something that would be permitted in today's society.
"It brings up an interesting point," the actor said. "Another one I think a lot about these days. Today, almost certainly I would not be permitted to be cast in that role. We're living in a time when, if you're playing a gay lead character, you'd have to be a gay man, or a trans character. And there have been these casting issues."
He added: "When you have a period of evolution that certainly may [provide] an opportunity for people who have had less opportunities to move forward, that has to be supported. And yet in this pendulum swing society that we're in, you wonder at some point if only Danish Princes can play Hamlet. It is, I believe, too restrictive. People are looking for gotcha moments and to criticize."
Anything else?
While O'Brien's resistance to cancel culture may not be that surprising — comedians often make a living by telling controversial jokes — Penn's certainly is. The actor was quite literally a friend of communist strongman former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
It's fair to wonder if Penn bristled at O'Brien's description of cancel culture as "Soviet."
The actor also practiced his own version of public shaming not so long ago, when he attempted — but failed — to call out evangelical Christians.
Toyota tramples cancel mob after being targeted over donations to GOP 'election objectors'
Over the weekend, Toyota became the latest company to be targeted for donating to Republican "election objectors." But the automaker isn't taking the heat lying down.
What happened?
In an article published Sunday by Axios, reporter Lachlan Markay chastised the Japanese automaker for donating money to a range of Republican lawmakers who on Jan. 6. objected to certifying President Joe Bide's Electoral College victory.
The article pointed out that based on data compiled by the liberal watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Toyota "gave $55,000 to 37 GOP objectors this year," outspending other companies by a "substantial margin."
"Toyota gave more than twice as much — and to nearly five times as many members of Congress — as the No. 2 company on the list," Markay noted.
He was also keen to point out that the donations aided lawmakers who remain "deeply enmeshed in the pro-Trump conspiracy theories that fueled the Capitol attack."
While Markay's article represented itself as a simple listing of facts, in reality, it gave a voice to a partisan smear campaign against companies who dare to give to conservative legislators.
CREW's intention in publishing the data was clear. In the report, the group labeled the entire Republican Party as the "Sedition Caucus" and characterized the corporate donors to Republicans as "sacrificing democratic government for access and influence."
In a tweet, CREW bluntly stated: "Don't buy a Toyota."
Don't buy a Toyota. But they're not the only corporate funders of the Sedition Caucus. Find out who else to boyco… https://t.co/qEXWAE4OXI
— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) 1624903259.0
Sure enough, CREW's boycott message was immediately received and regurgitated by the cancel mob online.
What else?
But in response to the hit piece, Toyota has chosen to stand its ground and not cave to pressure — at least for now.
The company replied to Axios' request for comment, stating plainly, "We do not believe it is appropriate to judge members of Congress solely based on their votes on the electoral certification."
Besides, the auto company noted, it did in fact choose not to donate to certain lawmakers over concerns that they undermined the legitimacy of elections. Though Toyota did not specify as to which lawmakers were affected.
"Based on our thorough review, we decided against giving to some members who, through their statements and actions, undermine the legitimacy of our elections and institutions," the automaker stated.
Anything else?
Curiously, Axios failed to post Toyota's full statement in its coverage, including important context that frame's the company's purpose and perspective in donating to politicians.
In response to inquiries, a Toyota spokesperson sent TheBlaze a copy of the statement, which is posted below, in full:
Toyota's PAC, by design, is bipartisan in nature and we contribute equally to the Democratic and Republican parties. Toyota supports candidates based on their position on issues that are important to the auto industry and the company. We do not believe it is appropriate to judge members of Congress solely based on their votes on the electoral certification. Based on our thorough review, we decided against giving to some members who, through their statements and actions, undermine the legitimacy of our elections and institutions.
In the first portion, Toyota notes that it contributes "equally" to Democratic and Republican politicians and that it is primarily concerned with a lawmaker's stance on "issues that are important to the auto industry and the company."
Toyota is an auto company, after all, so it seems reasonable that its contributions would serve to advance company interests and not an unrelated social or political cause.
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