ABSTRACT
Chapter five addresses the question: when and in what circumstances is cancelling people, emblems, and ideas warranted? I argue that there are at least four categories of cases that would warrant cancelling someone or something. The first case is when individuals, groups, or institutions are working to promote racism, bigotry, and hatred. Second, cancelling may be justified in instances in which people are betraying their mission and responsibility to tell the truth while spreading lies and conspiracy theories. The third category of cases in which it is acceptable to ban is when individuals, states, or communities advocate or take action that undermines voting rights. Finally, cancelling is justified when individuals or groups attempt to incite an insurrection or pose a physical danger to persons that hold different opinions than them. Each of these four categories is illustrated with the help of examples in which cancelling someone or something was justified. My analysis of the four categories suggests that cancelling should be considered only as a last-ditch effort to protect democracy.
