A hive mind. An obstruction of free speech. A controversial movement. Cancel culture has generated much dispute within pop culture, including Stockton students. “As an educator, parent, and community member, I have strong feelings against it. Cancel culture can be so damaging. Often, the pile-on of voices can be from people not even impacted by the person being canceled,” Professor Toby Rosenthal, Teaching Specialist at Stockton said. The stigma of cancel culture is a more recent development with much criticism towards its existence. It is argued who has the right to cancel and the grounds in which canceling is justified. Emily Spencer, a Health Science major said, “It depends on the case in terms of race, sexuality, culture, allegations, or minor circumstances. If it was a while ago, it often matters less. Some stuff needs to be brought to light, but it can be taken too far.”

Celebrities are primarily those under fire for their actions with the public eye watching every move. Any and all behavior from any point in their history is up for discussion. “It is good to expose people who deserve karma, but a lot of it is spiteful against celebrities. Any little thing that average everyday people do, celebrities can be canceled for. It’s like walking on eggshells,” Sophia Makowski, a General Business major said. When asked about the importance of free speech and cancel culture, Rosenthal said, “Free speech is an open definition. It is an ability to have an opinion, talk openly without repercussions, but there are limits when it comes to hate speech and causing harm.

In the U.S., we have free speech with checks and balances. If we limited it in regards of cancel culture, the game would change. There would be no democracy. Cancel culture’s relevancy is gradually increasing with society normalizing its existence. Social media has an immense impact on public opinion, often basing opinions on allegations without proof or preconceptions.

Giving a recent example of cancel culture within society, Spencer spoke of the football team formerly known as “The Redskins” now titled “The Commanders.” She does not see how the team name was offensive and does not agree with the change. “These teams have had these names for decades and it never was an issue until now,” Spencer said. The team changed their name due to mounting pressure from various groups, including Indigenous activists and organizations, who argued that the name was offensive and derogatory towards Native Americans. Critics said that the term “Redskins” was a racial slur and had no place as the name of a professional sports team.

An instance of canceling within Stockton occurred on July 16, 2020. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expressions (FIRE) reported on a Stockton disciplinary charge. Doctoral student Robert Dailyda was charged with student conduct violations for using a photograph of President Donald Trump as his Zoom background during an online class. Stockton later
withdrew all six charges by August 18 on the grounds of Dailyda exercising his First Amendment.

When questioned if there were any instances in which students or professors expressed their right to freedom of speech on the Stockton campus, Danielle Nelson, a Liberal Studies major, told of an experience from last semester. A religious group of protestors holding signs were shouting at students to “repent for your sins.” Nelson felt extremely uncomfortable about the situation, highlighting the concerns when free speech is harmful or inappropriate. Stockton is a public domain, permitting any to express their rights on the property. Yet, the question of whether free speech should be limited on campus is up for debate.