Recently, some of our more prominent federal politicians have demanded that certain late-night comedians get fired for telling jokes about those very politicians. Apparently, this “cancel culture” can come from both sides of the political spectrum.
Personally, I choose to focus on the way we as a nation have “canceled,” or eliminated that which is harmful to us as a thriving, growing, and successful country of freedom-loving citizens.
 First, we “canceled” the British monarchy by engaging in what really was our first civil war. Loyalists alongside British redcoats fought “patriots,” those who wanted to be free from colonial rule. We not only beat the English military elite but also the hired mercenaries, the Hessians. Our freedom was won with much bloodshed on both sides. African Americans and Native Americans also died in both factions.
 In our next war, we did our best to cancel slavery, but the Emancipation Proclamation did not cancel ignorance or prejudice. We are still developing as a nation in that regard, but most of us have come a long way in realizing that all humans have worth, deserve our respect, and have God-given dignity.
 Then, along into the 20th century we canceled male-only voting by giving women the right to vote at all levels of government. 
 As we were struggling through the Great Depression, FDR, Congress, and a little-known network of female social workers (led by Francis Perkins, as secretary of Labor) came up with work programs (TVA, CCCs, WPA, etc.) and other poverty-canceling, labor-protecting entities, including unemployment insurance (if laid off), workers’ compensation (if injured on the job), the right to unionize, and the crown jewel, Social Security, lifeline of senior citizens.
 Our next major cancellation effort was dealing death blows to the fascist triad of Nazi Germany, Japan, and Italy. One of my ancestors who fought in that war never quite recovered from that experience and dealt with PTSD his whole life.
 Congress stepped up to the plate to help cancel air and water pollution with various laws over the years, but many now want to undo those protections and let polluters police themselves. Not good.
 The Civil Rights Act attempted to cancel unfairness regarding race, religion, sex, etc. in the workplace and education. We are still working on that. At any rate, we should be thankful that not only our sons can be educated and have careers, but our daughters as well.
Title IX, I believe, made it possible for girls and young women to have their own competitive sports programs. I was not fast enough or tall enough for most sports, but for entertainment and appreciation of skill and teamwork, watching Caitlyn Clark rack up three pointers like Larry Bird tells me that we have come quite a way as a nation. (And she gets a paycheck.)
Mark Roalson
Hoyt Lakes