Read on Twitter
Let's talk about cancel culture. The other day, someone tweeted words of support and encouragement to a registered sex offender. When people called her out on it, she tried to say she's not defending them and is just against cancel culture. That's bs and here's why.
Cancel culture does not exist. It's a meaningless right-wing talking point meant to obfuscate accountability. When people do or say something that society deems unacceptable, it's in our nature to want accountability for the wrongness.
This is why we have laws, a justice system, and ethics & morals. We constantly seek balance and fairness. People have different ideas of what fairness is, but the end result is the same. We avoid things that we think are wrong or unfair.
Republicans use the term cancel culture to brainwash people into thinking that striving for balance, fairness, and accountability is a bad thing. They want people used to the idea that consequences should be avoided at all costs.
A convicted sex offender is exactly that. There was sufficient evidence to charge them with a crime, and the prosecutor met the burden of proof to convince a jury of their guilt beyond any reasonable doubt.
Sex crimes are not the type where a debt can be repaid to society. It's a heinous act of violence that strips the victim of agency and dignity. Furthermore, sex offenders have a high rate of recidivism. There's a good reason why they're placed on a registry.
They are a danger to society, and their victims wear scars for the rest of their lives. Therefore, if it's discovered that a registered sex offender is scamming people on social media, the natural instinct of humans is to shun them.
We do this out of disgust and outrage, and for good reason. We all agree it's a heinous act of violence, and anyone who does it is not only a danger to society, but has no place in it. This is not cancel culture - it's just ethics & morality.
So for anyone to tweet that they're against cancel culture and think it's wrong to "cancel" a registered sex offender, what they're really saying is that they identify with the abuser and don't think there should be consequences for abuse.
Don't fall for it. It's straight up gaslighting, and is abusive & manipulative behavior in itself. There's a lot of manipulators and abusers posing as resisters. Anyone who invokes the myth of cancel culture in relation to sexual violence is someone to view suspiciously.
Disclaimer: when I mentioned recidivism, I was referring to the type of sexual assaults that are especially violent, abusive, or habitual in nature. I wasn't referring to people urinating outdoors or anything. Abusers seldom stop abusing people. It's a pattern of behavior.
And while I'm thinking about it, even statutory rape can be a problem. A 20 year old and 17 year old is one thing. But an older adult who preys on teens is another. It's predatory and abusive behavior. There will always be a power imbalance between a grown adult and teenager.
