Erik Corbett: Woke

I’ve enjoyed reading recent letters in our local paper decrying "woke" and "cancel" culture. For those of you who haven’t heard those phrases, being "woke" started as a slang term to describe being aware of current events as well as the truth about our past. “Cancel" culture is simply the efforts by individuals or organizations who are offended or feel slighted by pop culture, media or political personalities and use market forces to hold them accountable for their actions or comments.

Now right-wing talking heads on cable news and online have taken the term "woke" to use as a not-so subtle dog whistle to gin up anger in their base of supporters in the suburbs and rural areas. They would have you think that anyone who acknowledges the truth about American and Western history is some kind of Marxist, Black Panther Party extremist who will collectivize your farms and use the power of the state to take over private industry, like, say, the liquor industry. That couldn’t be further from the truth.