#511 Charlie Kirk: Free Speech or Cancel Culture?

Listen to this episode from The Niall Boylan Podcast (They Told Me To Shut Up) on Spotify. In this thought-provoking episode, host Niall sits down with Elanie Mullaly, former election candidate and outspoken social commentator and Laura Perrins from Gript Media to tackle a heated cultural flashpoint: the wave of educators, teachers, and professors in America who are losing their jobs after posting celebratory remarks online about the death of Charlie Kirk.Niall asks the tough questions: Is there a level of hypocrisy here? After all, Kirk himself built his brand as a fierce advocate of free speech and a critic of “cancel culture” on the left. Should his critics now be silenced—or is this a case where lines have to be drawn?The conversation takes on multiple layers as Niall opens the phone lines to callers who share sharply divided opinions:Arguments For Firing Them:Teachers and professors are role models, and celebrating someone’s death is incompatible with the professional and ethical standards of education.Such public statements can create a hostile environment for students and undermine trust in schools and universities.Free speech may protect someone from government censorship, but it doesn’t shield them from professional consequences.Arguments Against Firing Them:Free speech must include the right to express even distasteful or unpopular opinions without fear of losing one’s livelihood.If Kirk championed free expression, silencing critics after his death only validates claims of double standards.Canceling people for their online posts risks turning society into one where fear, not honesty, dictates public discourse.Elanie weighs in with her trademark sharpness and nuance, offering insight into whether America is moving further away from genuine free expression—or simply struggling to balance it with accountability.This episode dives deep into the clash between free speech, morality, and professional responsibility.