Is ‘Cancel Culture’ Erasing Free Speech in America? A Braver Angels Debate ft. Andrew Sullivan & More

Braver Angels,
Thank you for this Forum on Cancel Culture. BA has become my most reliable source of shared perspectives on the political, civil and social scene. I appreciate the topics and the honest feedback from speakers, debaters and guests. Most of these debates are helping me to understand why I hold my perspective and if it has character flaws. Keep it up! I will continue to follow and promote your cause to my friends and peers.

Many of the issues we as citizens face are brought to the forefront during election years. And as someone who claims to be a fiscal conservative, a social moderate and a believer in Christianity as the moral foundation from which I posture, I have voted for democrats and republicans over the last 40 years noting they were the person/ party/issues who best represented my best interests, as well as the interest of others. So clearly, I’ve made some mistakes. But I am a fair-minded person and I embrace this life’s struggles even though I have about a 60/40 success rate.

This election year is the most polar and controversial of all for me. Even though there is such polarity among “the two-party system” I am still able to dialog (though sometimes arguing) with some opposing friends and family. I wish there was a legitimate third moderate party that I could support. We need great leaders! We need a third choice. Not just an alternative.

I blame the descension between opposing views on corruption in government and special interest, fueled by the media’s paid agendas and false narratives meant to divert Americans attentions away from the base obligations of our government. Also, excessive quantity of issues being presented, our access to instant information and lack of media’s truth in information. Our government system is doing injustice to all citizens by not sharing the most important fiscal information. Our fiscal solvency is the deciding factor to our success or failure as a country.

I believe Americans over the last fifty years are doing better as we include each other in this struggle. However, many of the problems we are facing as one people in a republic or democratic government are our individual issues that cannot be “equally” solved for all person at one time. That is just a fact that our human nature and individuality that we will not always agree on a single method of government. However, no single government system will ever be able to simultaneously solve all the problems for all the people. Not every will win and not everyone will get a trophy just for participating.

There are at least 30 major topics of concern that have become mainstream political issues in our American society. Not all of these should be considered solvable by a government system. My observation is that people who choose to live without hope for God to provide resources and answers for our human needs, have no other options than to place all their responsibilities on government. That forces the blame on people and we are all broken. That condition is unfair to me and to the interest of a free-society government. I do not expect the government to provide for me or solve my greatest human need issues. I do expect my own talents, hard work, kindness toward others and my hope for a savior to provide me some opportunity. There, so I don’t require so much government help.

I have worked forty-four years starting in unskilled to skilled labor, corporate management to private consulting, partnered or owned three private companies, bought and sold numerous properties. I am now unemployed, but not retired. Not all of those career ventures have been successful. I never blamed any of my outcomes on the government. Through some personal failures I’ve learned that my business issues were the same ones that government struggles with. Balancing the Fiscal Budget should be #1 responsibility of our government and they should be required to solve it for the benefit of all Americans.

Personal freedom to seek opportunity for one’s income, reasonable taxation, and maintained national infrastructure, national defense are among the common issues that all Americans share. They allow me me to pursue my own livelihood. If I could not keep my business solvent no one would bail me out and I would bankrupt. Fiscal responsibility often defines success or failure of any business including our government. Those are the main issues that mostly shape my vote for elected officials.

I’m asking Braver Angels to acknowledge the fact that no one is discussing fiscal responsibility or balancing the budget. This is a topic that affects everyone. Please consider holding a debate or gathering two + authorities from the education and government who can reveal our national crisis and shed light on how we are going to achieve all these 30+ issues and honestly provide a solution to how we are going to become a solvent nation. I still have hope in America and I need answers.
Again, thank you for your consideration.
Lewis Dorsey Cox