Cynics mock hashtags as virtue signaling on steroids. They’re only partly right.
Yes, efforts to free imprisoned Nigerian girls via the #BringBackOurGirls effort, championed by former First Lady Michelle Obama, failed miserably. So did Twitter campaigns to fire Stephen Colbert for telling Asian jokes and Tucker Carlson for … being a conservative on TV.
That doesn’t mean Twitter outrage goes unnoticed. Target recently yanked a title from its inventory due to a microscopic number of complaints. The retail giant quickly rescinded the decision, but it happened all the same.
Now, the woke mob is coming for MMA fighter turned actress Gina Carano. The star segued from feature films (“Haywire“) to a plum gig on “The Mandalorian,” arguably the most buzzworthy show on streaming TV. Carano plays Cara Dune on the series, a mercenary who teams up with the show’s title character.
Off screen, she shares provocative, right-leaning messages via Twitter and Parler.
— Gina Carano ? (@ginacarano) November 15, 2020
That sparked the show’s far-left fans to demand her firing via, what else, a hashtag campaign.
Here are seven reasons why we should take the #FireGinaCarano movement seriously.
It Might Work
Disney, like most mega corporations today, follows social media narratives. If the Mouse House fears a revolt against its most popular “Star Wars” title anything is possible. Plus, the company can sever ties with Carano without even suggesting it’s due to a particular Twitter campaign. “Her character’s arc is now complete, and we’re excited to introduce new players in the “Star Wars” universe…” said the press release for “The Mandalorian’s” third season.
It Confirms the Left’s Game Plan
The election of Donald Trump led many on the Left to abandon their liberal bona fides. Suddenly, supporting the GOP leader became a thought crime. Toward that end, far Left activists tried to chase conservative students off campus, punished professors for pro-Trump Tweets and otherwise made being a Trump supporter unacceptable in polite society.
That won’t end with Trump’s electoral defeat, assuming the various legal challenges confirm Joe Biden’s win. The cultural Left wants to stop anyone from publicly embracing right-of-center thoughts.
It Sends a Warning to Right-Leaning Stars
Imagine if Carano is sent packing from one of the most popular shows in the galaxy. The chilling effect would be immediate for any actor, famous or not, inclined to share conservative views on social media. A single Tweet could be their downfall. What actor wants to risk that? It won’t stop Nick Searcy, but most of his peers will think twice about Tweeting.
It Confirms Hollywood Activists Don’t Care About Free Expression
This should be obvious to anyone paying attention. The same stars who weigh in on virtually every hot-button issue can’t spare a syllable for free speech. The exceptions include Adam Carolla, Ricky Gervais, John Cleese, Rob Schneider and a few other brave souls willing to defend the First Amendment.
The rest? Crickets.
And where are Carano’s “Mandalorian” co-stars? Why aren’t they speaking up on her behalf?
It Shows the Trump Effect Could Be Waning
President Trump remains a flawed public figure, but his willingness to fight Cancel Culture is one of his presidency’s crowning achievements.
Really.
That pugnacious spirit ran right up until Election Day. Now, with his chances for a second term dwindling, his bully pulpit power may be shrinking, too. He can always Tweet in support of free speech, but doing so as a citizen, not the leader of the free world, is a sizable difference.
Without Trump, the free speech movement suffers a serious loss.
It Reveals Reporters Support Speech Suppression
It’s hard to believe that the media embraces censorship, but there’s little doubt about it today. When “No Safe Spaces” prepared for its debut news outlets mocked it for defending free speech. More recently, CNN slammed attempts by conservatives to rally behind pro-free speech social media as a threat to our democracy.
Reporters also cheered social media giants for suppressing the Hunter Biden laptop story.
Just watch how reporters frame the #FireGinaCarano debate. There’s little outrage about the matter. They’re quietly happy it might actually work.
It’s a Fight Worth Winning
It’s just one actress, one show and one career moment. Carano’s “Mandalorian” fate shouldn’t impact anyone but hardcore fans of the series.
Think again.
If Disney fires Carano for any reason it’ll be another defeat for free speech. Think that doesn’t matter? Remember how Carolla and Dennis Prager warned us — last year — that the free speech attacks on university campuses would soon trickle into our daily lives?
How prescient was that?
The same holds true for Carano. If a charismatic star can lose a gig based on Twitter mobs, what will that mean for your uncle, your neighbor, your spouse after they share messages deemed “problematic?”
Carano’s fight is our fight. Period.
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