The lead guitarist and banjo player for the popular U.K. band Mumford & Sons seems to have been canceled for a now-deleted tweet in which he praised journalist Andy Ngo’s new book about Antifa, prompting Fox News Channel host Tucker Carlson to remark that “the assault on speech and thought is a global phenomenon.”
In the original tweet about Unmasked: Inside Antifa’s Radical Plan to Destroy Democracy, which prompted an online backlash from the woke contingent, musician Winston Marshall wrote “Congratulations @MrAndyNgo. Finally had the time to read your important book. You’re a brave man.”
Ngo is well-known for putting life and limb at risk for reporting on the far-left group.
Marshall subsequently changed his tune and says he is taking a sabbatical to examine his “blindspots.” According to The Sun in the U.K., however, the hiatus isn’t voluntary.
Marshall’s full apology (using British spelling of certain words) — which some have described as the textual equivalent of a hostage tape — reads that “Over the past few days I have come to better understand the pain caused by the book I endorsed. I have offended not only a lot of people I don’t know, but also those closest to me, including my bandmates and for that I am truly sorry. As a result of my actions I am taking time away from the band to examine my blindspots.
“For now, please know that I realise my endorsements have the potential to be viewed as approvals of hateful, divisive behaviour. I apologize, as this not my intention.”
— Winston Marshall (@MrWinMarshall) March 10, 2021
It’s unclear what aspects of Ngo’s book are hateful.
As alluded to above, The Sun claims that Marshall’s colleagues initiated his departure.
“His bandmates Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett and Ted Dwane, along with their management, decided it would be best to ask Winston to leave the group. A source close to the band said: ‘Winston’s staunchly right wing political views have been causing tension for some time now within the band. There has been a rift forming for the past four years with some people even going as far to say he has been ‘radicalised’…But his tweet on Sunday was the final straw and they said they couldn’t put up with it any longer because it massively impacts the band’s image. It has been hugely difficult but that was the decision they had to make.’”
Traditionally, one’s political views, if any, had little or no bearing on employment. That was then, and this is now, however.
In a tweet yesterday that did not specifically refer to Marshall, Ngo lamented the cancel culture in general. “I grieve for those who are made to suffer because they dare to read my work, or talk to me. The danger of Antifa & their allies is not only their willingness to carry out or support maiming, killing & terrorism—but also how they close curious minds from independent thought.”
I grieve for those who are made to suffer because they dare to read my work, or talk to me.
The danger of Antifa & their allies is not only their willingness to carry out or support maiming, killing & terrorism—but also how they close curious minds from independent thought.
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) March 10, 2021
In his monologue on Tucker Carlson Tonight, the host asserted that Marshall has been on “the fascist radar for quite some time” since saying something nice about Canadian clinical psychologist, author, and social media star Dr. Jordan Peterson.
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“That doesn’t mean that Winston Marshall is a right-winger, he probably isn’t, but it does suggest that he might be a freethinker which as we noted is a massive threat to the fraud industrial complex…So they decided to destroy Winston Marshall and today they just succeeded…So Winston Marshall is leaving his job, another victory for the fascists on the Internet. That’s one way to handle attacks on speech, just surrender, that’s what most famous people do,” Carlson explained.
Carlson went on to contrast Marshall’s response to the also-out-of-job Piers Morgan, the liberal ex-Good Morning Britain host and Meghan Markle critic, who is standing by his opinions about the Duchess of Sussex. “Unlike Winston Marshall, Morgan told the truth; he refused to let the mob make him lie, and that is an inspiration to all of us. He just reminded the world that some things are more important than having a job, like your dignity and your self respect,” Carlson concluded.
Watch:
(Source: Fox News)
Free-speech advocates on Twitter, and there still are some, insisted that Marshall need not apologize. Here is a sampling:
Reading books is fine. And it’s good to get different perspectives including those which may be unpopular
— Margaret Thatcher (@TheIronTory) March 10, 2021
Never ever apologize to the mob.
You read a book.
— Alexandra (@AlxandraBergson) March 10, 2021
Winston—if you are noticing the response to this tweet you can see that there is extraordinary support to fight for your own thoughts and beliefs.
Don’t join the side of the book burners. It’s only a matter of time before your work is next.
— Clay Space (@clay_space) March 10, 2021
Imagine just reading a book and nearly getting cancelled. Think about it. It really says something about today’s society, and it’s sad.
— c0mented (@c0mented) March 10, 2021
Lost all respect. Caving to the woke and now you have lost all your moral authority and they never even cared about a book. Their goal was to control you, make you lose face, and destroy your life. I don’t understand why people keep falling for it.
— zero (@realJesseZero) March 10, 2021
Are you apologizing for having your own values? Dude, don’t do this, don’t be weak. Never kneel to this cancel mob.
— Marcos Farias (@Mpafarias3) March 10, 2021
Never apologize to the mob. You don’t change your life or beliefs over the offense. Also – they’ll still hate you.
— 🦋 (@NDandHB) March 10, 2021
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Robert Jonathan is a staff writer for BizPac Review. He is a longtime writer/editor for news aggregation websites and has also developed content in the legal and financial publishing sectors as well as for online education. He earned a Juris Doctorate from the University of Connecticut School of Law, “a law school the basketball teams can be proud of.”
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