Elon Musk’s recent announcement on Twitter makes him probably the most significant player in America’s culture war. In fact, this past weekend may be remembered as the beginning of the end of cancel culture.
Musk offered to foot the legal bill for anyone who was “unfairly treated” by their employer for “posting or liking” something on Twitter. He said there would be “[n]o limit” to the funding, prompting a flood of conservative horror stories in the replies to the post. The generous offer comes in the wake of NASCAR driver Noah Gragson being suspended for “liking” a George Floyd meme. (RELATED: Elon Musk Says Twitter Will Pay Legal Fees For People Canceled For Likes, Posts)
If you were unfairly treated by your employer due to posting or liking something on this platform, we will fund your legal bill.
No limit.
Please let us know.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 6, 2023
While Musk did not directly reference the Gragson case, it’s likely that this is the type of “unfair treatment” he had in mind. Musk originally said he purchased Twitter to “help humanity” and restore a “common digital town square” that had come under control of undemocratic, left-wing speech codes. When external forces seek to re-impose “thought crime” strictures on people for using the platform the way he intended, it is understandable that he would want to help them fight back.
This is a notable foray into the culture war at a grassroots level. Buying Twitter was a major blow to the left’s institutional control. At the societal level, it restored a platform for open discourse, but it did not directly help the individual who faced retribution from the mob for exercising their free speech. If you are right of center, surely you or someone you know has been a victim of cancel culture — and there have always been scarce options for recourse.
The left has long had a monopoly on meddlesome billionaires willing to insert themselves — and their deep pockets — into the national political conservation. Perhaps most notoriously, George Soros has funded an army of progressive district attorneys to “reimagine” the way leaders handle violent crime at the local level. In the run up to the 2020 election, left wing non-profits received tens of millions of dollars which they used to bail rioters out of prison. A host of oligarchs and “business leaders” even teamed up to mobilize street activists across the country, later bragging in Time Magazine that they “saved” the election from Donald Trump.
By intervening at the local level, they were able to shape the national culture around these issues. When every major city in the country dedicates itself to left-wing “criminal justice reform,” crime turns from a local problem to an American problem. When cities burned in 2020, with Democrats’ tacit approval, it indicted the entire legal system and sent the message that the country was ungovernable under Trump. It’s unsurprising that now 80 percent of voters support criminal justice reform.
This is the Democrat nominee for VP instigating violent riots that have left multiple Americans dead:
“Everyone beware. They’re not gonna stop before election day in November, and they’re not gonna stop after election day… They’re not gonna let up and they should not.” pic.twitter.com/nhDAMc2c7c
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) August 30, 2020
Major conservative donors typically focus on winning elections. Even major philanthropy networks like the Koch Foundation largely stay out of the most hot button issues in the culture war. Some legal defense funds exist to defend Americans against the predations of cancel culture, but Musk will be the first conservative-adjacent billionaire ever to fight back in the cultural sphere using the left’s own tactics.
By fighting cancel culture head on, Musk can similarly shape the national conversation around it. As the richest man in the world, he has nearly unlimited resources to defend Americans unfairly persecuted for what they say or think. Virtually every move he makes becomes headline worthy, as the corporate media increasingly reveal their hostility to free speech.
While most Americans have heard of cancel culture, only one in four believe it could personally endanger their careers or education. According to a Pew poll, conservatives generally believe cancel culture is a “mean-spirited” attempt at “censorship,” while a majority of liberals believe it is a legitimate way to “hold others accountable.” By intervening at the individual level, Musk can help “reimagine” how Americans perceive the scourge of cancel culture. (RELATED: Elon Musk Says Cage Fight With Mark Zuckerberg Will Be Livestreamed On Twitter, Proceeds Will Be Donated To Veterans)
Highlighting individual cases of egregious cancellations will show the petty vindictiveness of those leading the charge, and the cowardice of the corporations that fall in line. Focusing on the everyman who otherwise could not afford a legal defense will put a face to the victims that is more relatable than the celebrity or business leader who more often makes headlines. The media will be forced to unfavorably cover cases that show cancel culture can happen to anyone, for nearly any reason — revealing their complicity in the process. Successful, high-profile legal battles will help deter companies from listening to the mob in the first place.
As Musk draws greater attention to what cancel culture truly is, he will show the average American that it’s possible to really fight back.