Ian I thank you for this. What is happening in Gaza is horrible, and as usual it is falling on mostly innocent civilians. No one really wins in war and generations will struggle with the aftermath. In my personal opinion, terms like "holocaust" and "genocide" are being employed to demonize the Jewish people, whether they live in Israel or with me in Canada. These are terms being used in bad faith, primarily by people who don't really care what is happening in the Middle East, or people who think that mischaracterizing what is happening will bring an end to the conflict quicker. In both cases, they are doing much more harm than good by using those terms. Of course, this is my personal opinion and I appreciate your thoughts on the matter and your perspective.
Thank you for your polite and civil reply. It is appreciated. I understand from your perspective that using the word genocide in an impassioned way may seem like a blanket indictment of anyone who supports Israel, or even, as you say, the demonization of Jewish people. While there may be some bad actors who use genocide in this way, they are a fringe group. The most prominent human rights experts and the most respected jurists of our time, including a large number of Jews, have concluded that the Israeli government under Netanyahu is pursuing a policy of killing and destruction designed to destroy the ability of a very large part of the Palestinian people to survive as a group. This meets the legal requirements of genocide, and no one should be shy about using the term in the context of Gaza. The shock and horror of both October 7 and the subsequent military response have polarized much of Canadian society, and this is understandable. Grief is a blinding force in the search for solutions. However, there are thousands, if not tens of thousands, of "good actors" in movements such as Independent Jewish Voices Canada, IfNotNow, Standing Together, and other Jewish organizations working for Palestinian human rights and peaceful coexistence. There are just as many Palestinian-Canadians who are willing to reach out to their Jewish brothers and sisters to seek a peaceful coexistence for Israel/Palestine. This is a time for dialogue among those who seek peace, but as long as US-supplied bombs and drones continue to attack civilians in Gaza, the prospects for that dialogue are non-existent. Everyone should now prioritize calling for a permanent cease-fire and the release of Israeli and Palestinian prisoners. That is my personal view.
I really appreciate you Hal and what you are doing here. I am a Jew in the US. I make indie comics (aaron-zvi-felder.com) and do improv (Audio Based Content: an Improv Comedy Podcast). Both of these spheres have become unwelcoming, hostile, and authoritarian.
The ironic authoritarianism of the far left is baffling and frightening. They have become what they used to warn about.
Your bravery and integrity have never been more vital.
As a new zinester and comic artist, I'm heartbroken I'll never have the opportunity to submit my work to Broken Pencil, a truly wonderful magazine. That said, I'm extremely heartened by your post and by your speaking out against the mono-culture that the art scene has become. I do hope to support other venues in which you seek to elevate small-press and self-published art and writing.
I agree with you about cancel culture, but I cannot agree with some of the views you expressed on X. As you know, Amnesty International just released a 396-page report on why the Israeli military actions against Palestinian civilians in Gaza should be considered genocide. It was a very thorough report. I would encourage you to re-evaluate your position on this issue in light of this report and the overwhelming evidence that the killing of civilians in Gaza is deliberate and directed by the highest levels of the Israeli government. That you have chosen to align your Jewish identity with Israel is your personal choice. I can understand that. Many members of the Diaspora community have done so for a variety of reasons. But let's get real. The Israeli government under Netanyahu, Smotrich and Ben-Gvir is something that open-minded people in the Diaspora and in Israel could never have imagined. The extremism of this government is driving the country to a moral and physical abyss. Recently, former Israeli Defense Minister and IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon publicly and repeatedly asserted that the Netanyahu government is committing ethnic cleansing and war crimes in Gaza. This is a man who once referred to the Palestinians as a "cancer." He is hardly a woke activist from a privileged family, but like Yitzhak Rabin and Ehud Olmert before him, Ya'alon has opened his eyes to see what is really happening. I encourage you to do the same. It could go a long way toward reestablishing common ground with others in the Canadian literary community who are authentically concerned about the loss of life in this tragic war and the impunity enjoyed by the current government in Israel, with the unwavering support of the U.S. government.
I’m not pro-Israel but I defend to the death *your* right to be, Hal.
My one caution here, for your sake, and because I still believe attribution and facts are still very important, especially on contentious topics, is you support with concrete examples mentions of things like people have taken their own lives because of the overwhelm brought about by cancelling tactics. I don’t doubt this to be true, but when you don’t back up such claims you start to paint yourself into the same loosey-goosey corner as your fast-and-loose-with-the-facts detractors. Scrupulous logic and evidence and reasoning are the only things that protect against the illogic of many blanket claims, from the left or right, and they must be present at every turn.
Hi Eddie. While I am just a stranger on the internet, I have a friend who took her life as a direct result of a cancellation spectacle. The powerful anti-cancel culture writer, Clementine Morrigan, has collected stories of those who have become suicidal or taken their lives due to this unethical practice. This podcast episode with Clementine is a great primer for cancel culture's effect on mental health: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd-Nj343xc0
Hi Eddie thanks for this there are too many examples of this sad phenomenon, perhaps one day I'll do a whole post on them. But one egregious example is the terrible case of Richard Bilkszto who committed suicide after being held up as an example of white supremacy or some nonsense for daring to ask questions at a DEI type school board mandatory reeducation.
Great article, Hal. Good on you for launching a substack about the problem of censorship and cancel culture, which is particularly bad in the Canadian arts & literary scene
As a fan of Broken Pencil, I’m glad to see you here on Substack, Hal. I tried to reach out via the BP email to express my admiration for your integrity in this moment, but got a bounce back, so I hope you see it here. You’ve got a ton of supporters around these parts, and I hope they can drown out some of the vitriol you’ve been experiencing.
These days, the Canadian arts scene feels like a place where creativity and joy go to die. Bleak. I can only hope for a better future where creative works and people aren’t judged solely by the standards of a few deranged people on social media.
I have mixed feelings about Israel and Gaza, but my feelings about cancel culture are pretty firm. I think it’s morally wrong to pressure institutions over these things. I find your opinions, as expressed above, reasonable. But even if I didn’t, I would object to the idea of pressuring your employer or your magazine to fire you because of your political views. I can’t pretend that there could never be an exception to my position, but your case is not even in the ballpark of an exception for me.
The end of Broken Pencil came as a real punch in the gut. I've been a subscriber for years, on and off: it's the only magazine subscription I had in the end, the only one worth reading. Sure, some editions were a little niche for me, but others I've kept to re-read when I need some encouragement. You did a great thing with your unique publication and its loss is another blow to Canadian culture. I completely understand why you refused to hand it over: it's like giving over your own child! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the years of insight and support you gave to zine culture, and by extention, to graphic novels. It's like we are trying to systematically destroy the entry level opportunities for artists in this country. Sorrowfully, without the platforms for creatives to send up our first trial ballooons, we will never get the flower of 'established culture'. There'll be no Canadian culture al all! It'll all be low-res posters of the same 20 old masters, cheap censored coppies of discount-bin children's books and AI fan-art. No one with an original thought in their head will dare to put pencil to paper and draw.
More strength to you, friend. Here in another corner of the Commonwealth (Australia), I've always been intrigued by 'Broken Pencil', an oddity in the literary and zine world that to my knowledge has no real peers, no other magazine that it can really be compared to. These are my worlds too. You've done good service and to me, both attempted cancellations seemed utterly ridiculous, vile and mean-spirited and petty.
On a personal level - the way the issue of Israel-Palestine seems to drive the left utterly crazy, forcing themselves into needless and absurd ideological extremes, and falling prey to the most far-fetched conspiracy theories, has reminded me again of why I simply cannot consider myself left wing. Many good and sensible people support that side of politics, but there is a collective insanity there that I want no part of.
You must be one of those believers in the preposterous thought-terminating cliché "cancel culture is just another word for consequences."
Yet when the consequences for merely having and expressing an opinion on one's personal social media are ongoing, ever-intensifying harassment, slander, and pressure on one's friends and colleagues to also join in that harassment and ostracization (lest they, too, are targeted by an online mob) — we have truly lost our way as an ostensibly liberal, intellectual society that believes in free speech and the marketplace of ideas.
Ian I thank you for this. What is happening in Gaza is horrible, and as usual it is falling on mostly innocent civilians. No one really wins in war and generations will struggle with the aftermath. In my personal opinion, terms like "holocaust" and "genocide" are being employed to demonize the Jewish people, whether they live in Israel or with me in Canada. These are terms being used in bad faith, primarily by people who don't really care what is happening in the Middle East, or people who think that mischaracterizing what is happening will bring an end to the conflict quicker. In both cases, they are doing much more harm than good by using those terms. Of course, this is my personal opinion and I appreciate your thoughts on the matter and your perspective.
Thank you for your polite and civil reply. It is appreciated. I understand from your perspective that using the word genocide in an impassioned way may seem like a blanket indictment of anyone who supports Israel, or even, as you say, the demonization of Jewish people. While there may be some bad actors who use genocide in this way, they are a fringe group. The most prominent human rights experts and the most respected jurists of our time, including a large number of Jews, have concluded that the Israeli government under Netanyahu is pursuing a policy of killing and destruction designed to destroy the ability of a very large part of the Palestinian people to survive as a group. This meets the legal requirements of genocide, and no one should be shy about using the term in the context of Gaza. The shock and horror of both October 7 and the subsequent military response have polarized much of Canadian society, and this is understandable. Grief is a blinding force in the search for solutions. However, there are thousands, if not tens of thousands, of "good actors" in movements such as Independent Jewish Voices Canada, IfNotNow, Standing Together, and other Jewish organizations working for Palestinian human rights and peaceful coexistence. There are just as many Palestinian-Canadians who are willing to reach out to their Jewish brothers and sisters to seek a peaceful coexistence for Israel/Palestine. This is a time for dialogue among those who seek peace, but as long as US-supplied bombs and drones continue to attack civilians in Gaza, the prospects for that dialogue are non-existent. Everyone should now prioritize calling for a permanent cease-fire and the release of Israeli and Palestinian prisoners. That is my personal view.
I really appreciate you Hal and what you are doing here. I am a Jew in the US. I make indie comics (aaron-zvi-felder.com) and do improv (Audio Based Content: an Improv Comedy Podcast). Both of these spheres have become unwelcoming, hostile, and authoritarian.
The ironic authoritarianism of the far left is baffling and frightening. They have become what they used to warn about.
Your bravery and integrity have never been more vital.
Thank you.
thank you aaron, i hope our paths cross in person one of these days! "the ironic authoritarianism of the far left" indeed!
Likewise.
As a new zinester and comic artist, I'm heartbroken I'll never have the opportunity to submit my work to Broken Pencil, a truly wonderful magazine. That said, I'm extremely heartened by your post and by your speaking out against the mono-culture that the art scene has become. I do hope to support other venues in which you seek to elevate small-press and self-published art and writing.
I'm heartbroken too. But I like your frogs so keep trying to get your work out there! People go check out the frogs in tutus.
I agree with you about cancel culture, but I cannot agree with some of the views you expressed on X. As you know, Amnesty International just released a 396-page report on why the Israeli military actions against Palestinian civilians in Gaza should be considered genocide. It was a very thorough report. I would encourage you to re-evaluate your position on this issue in light of this report and the overwhelming evidence that the killing of civilians in Gaza is deliberate and directed by the highest levels of the Israeli government. That you have chosen to align your Jewish identity with Israel is your personal choice. I can understand that. Many members of the Diaspora community have done so for a variety of reasons. But let's get real. The Israeli government under Netanyahu, Smotrich and Ben-Gvir is something that open-minded people in the Diaspora and in Israel could never have imagined. The extremism of this government is driving the country to a moral and physical abyss. Recently, former Israeli Defense Minister and IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon publicly and repeatedly asserted that the Netanyahu government is committing ethnic cleansing and war crimes in Gaza. This is a man who once referred to the Palestinians as a "cancer." He is hardly a woke activist from a privileged family, but like Yitzhak Rabin and Ehud Olmert before him, Ya'alon has opened his eyes to see what is really happening. I encourage you to do the same. It could go a long way toward reestablishing common ground with others in the Canadian literary community who are authentically concerned about the loss of life in this tragic war and the impunity enjoyed by the current government in Israel, with the unwavering support of the U.S. government.
Great article. Antisemitism is a longstanding problem in the arts here in Canada. I hope you'll cover it further.
I’m not pro-Israel but I defend to the death *your* right to be, Hal.
My one caution here, for your sake, and because I still believe attribution and facts are still very important, especially on contentious topics, is you support with concrete examples mentions of things like people have taken their own lives because of the overwhelm brought about by cancelling tactics. I don’t doubt this to be true, but when you don’t back up such claims you start to paint yourself into the same loosey-goosey corner as your fast-and-loose-with-the-facts detractors. Scrupulous logic and evidence and reasoning are the only things that protect against the illogic of many blanket claims, from the left or right, and they must be present at every turn.
Hi Eddie. While I am just a stranger on the internet, I have a friend who took her life as a direct result of a cancellation spectacle. The powerful anti-cancel culture writer, Clementine Morrigan, has collected stories of those who have become suicidal or taken their lives due to this unethical practice. This podcast episode with Clementine is a great primer for cancel culture's effect on mental health: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd-Nj343xc0
Thanks a ton, Kevin. Much appreciated.
Hi Eddie thanks for this there are too many examples of this sad phenomenon, perhaps one day I'll do a whole post on them. But one egregious example is the terrible case of Richard Bilkszto who committed suicide after being held up as an example of white supremacy or some nonsense for daring to ask questions at a DEI type school board mandatory reeducation.
Great article, Hal. Good on you for launching a substack about the problem of censorship and cancel culture, which is particularly bad in the Canadian arts & literary scene
Glad to find you here & looking forward to reading your posts.
As a fan of Broken Pencil, I’m glad to see you here on Substack, Hal. I tried to reach out via the BP email to express my admiration for your integrity in this moment, but got a bounce back, so I hope you see it here. You’ve got a ton of supporters around these parts, and I hope they can drown out some of the vitriol you’ve been experiencing.
These days, the Canadian arts scene feels like a place where creativity and joy go to die. Bleak. I can only hope for a better future where creative works and people aren’t judged solely by the standards of a few deranged people on social media.
I have mixed feelings about Israel and Gaza, but my feelings about cancel culture are pretty firm. I think it’s morally wrong to pressure institutions over these things. I find your opinions, as expressed above, reasonable. But even if I didn’t, I would object to the idea of pressuring your employer or your magazine to fire you because of your political views. I can’t pretend that there could never be an exception to my position, but your case is not even in the ballpark of an exception for me.
The end of Broken Pencil came as a real punch in the gut. I've been a subscriber for years, on and off: it's the only magazine subscription I had in the end, the only one worth reading. Sure, some editions were a little niche for me, but others I've kept to re-read when I need some encouragement. You did a great thing with your unique publication and its loss is another blow to Canadian culture. I completely understand why you refused to hand it over: it's like giving over your own child! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the years of insight and support you gave to zine culture, and by extention, to graphic novels. It's like we are trying to systematically destroy the entry level opportunities for artists in this country. Sorrowfully, without the platforms for creatives to send up our first trial ballooons, we will never get the flower of 'established culture'. There'll be no Canadian culture al all! It'll all be low-res posters of the same 20 old masters, cheap censored coppies of discount-bin children's books and AI fan-art. No one with an original thought in their head will dare to put pencil to paper and draw.
More strength to you, friend. Here in another corner of the Commonwealth (Australia), I've always been intrigued by 'Broken Pencil', an oddity in the literary and zine world that to my knowledge has no real peers, no other magazine that it can really be compared to. These are my worlds too. You've done good service and to me, both attempted cancellations seemed utterly ridiculous, vile and mean-spirited and petty.
On a personal level - the way the issue of Israel-Palestine seems to drive the left utterly crazy, forcing themselves into needless and absurd ideological extremes, and falling prey to the most far-fetched conspiracy theories, has reminded me again of why I simply cannot consider myself left wing. Many good and sensible people support that side of politics, but there is a collective insanity there that I want no part of.
Y’know what’s funny? Everyone likes fucking around, but nobody enjoys finding out. Poor muffin.
You must be one of those believers in the preposterous thought-terminating cliché "cancel culture is just another word for consequences."
Yet when the consequences for merely having and expressing an opinion on one's personal social media are ongoing, ever-intensifying harassment, slander, and pressure on one's friends and colleagues to also join in that harassment and ostracization (lest they, too, are targeted by an online mob) — we have truly lost our way as an ostensibly liberal, intellectual society that believes in free speech and the marketplace of ideas.
Oh, muffin.
Your snark reeks of superiority.
Excellent. It achieved its intent, then.