Whatever happened to live and let live?

There was a time when people disagreed through civil conversation, either side arguing with facts and not emotions, trying to make the other see the logic in their position. When they couldn’t sway one way, they would agree to disagree, and be on their separate ways.

Nowadays, opinionated people have to watch their backs on Twitter, lest they be publicly lynched for sharing honest yet unpopular opinions on controversial issues.

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling knows this well enough.

As of writing, E! is reporting that hundreds of people are still coming at her for tweeting against prescribing medication and surgery for trans folk.

“Many, myself included, believe we are watching a new kind of conversion therapy for young gay people, who are being set on a lifelong patth of medicalisation that may result in the loss of their fertility and/or full sexual function,” she wrote.

Despite speaking out from a place of concern and worry, the backlash was immense.

Tipping Point

The replies -- from mockery to full on threats of death and rape -- got so bad, but the 54-year-old author and philanthrophist only snapped when one user suggested that Rowling thought people on “mental health medication” were “lazy.”

Joanne has always been capable of handling her own words, so she did not appreciate when people started putting some in her own mouth.

“I’ve ignored death and rape threats. I’m not going to ignore this,” she said in response to the malicious claim.

“When you lie about what I believe about mental health medication and when you misrepresent the views of a trans woman for whom I feel nothing but admiration and solidarity, you cross a line.”

The Essence of Plurality

Somewhere in the middle of a loud chorus calling for the guillotine of Rowling, her corporate partners are doing their best to appeal to logic, something that ‘woke’ Twitter doesn’t take kindly to. 

According to a Deadline report, Warner Brothers, Scholastic and Universal Parks & Resorts reaffirmed its commitment to foster empathy and oppose discrimination of all forms, while supporting the author’s “right to express her personal views and beliefs.”
Perhaps it’s hig time for ‘woke’ Twitter to cancel ‘cancel culture.’ All they have to do is revisit the timeless genius of Voltaire, who once said: “I may not agree with what you said, but I will defend to death your right to say it.”