The Twitter hashtag #CancelYale started trending on Saturday amid demonstrators calling for and taking down statues across the US and abroad dedicated to historical figures, charging them with racism and pro-slavery views.
And while the statues have been taken down exclusively by members of the far-left who wish to erase American history, various conservatives decided to fire back by using the hashtag #CancelYale, calling for the country to cancel Yale University since it was founded after Elihu Yale—a known slaveowner and slave trader.
Jesse Kelly spearheaded the effort, taking to Twitter and sending out a flurry of tweets, demanding that Yale University be canceled since it was founded by a man who fits the far-left's criteria for cancellation.
One of his first tweets read: "Yale University was named for Elihu Yale. Not just a man who had slaves. An actual slave trader. I call on @Yale to change it’s name immediately and strip the name of Yale from every building, piece of paper, and merchandise. Otherwise, they hate black people. #CancelYale"
Yale University was named for Elihu Yale. Not just a man who had slaves. An actual slave trader. I call on @Yale to change it’s name immediately and strip the name of Yale from every building, piece of paper, and merchandise. Otherwise, they hate black people. #CancelYale
— Jesse Kelly (@JesseKellyDC) June 20, 2020
The hashtag exploded from there. The Twitter user @themadtaer responded to Kelly in suggesting that they just bulldoze Yale, but that was not enough for Kelly.
He responded with: "Absolutely not. If @Yale is going to to make right its racist history, it’s endowments must be seized and distributed to black people. Also, all campus buildings will serve as low income housing. Otherwise, @Yale hates black people. #CancelYale."
Absolutely not. If @Yale is going to to make right its racist history, it’s endowments must be seized and distributed to black people. Also, all campus buildings will serve as low income housing. Otherwise, @Yale hates black people. #CancelYale https://t.co/M84apUSZea
— Jesse Kelly (@JesseKellyDC) June 20, 2020
And he also addressed Hillary Clinton, who is a graduate from Yale University.
Why did you attend @Yale University when it’s named after a slave trader? You’ve even returned to Yale to give speeches. Why do you support the slave trade and treating black people like cattle? Renounce Yale immediately or you’re racist. #CancelYale https://t.co/rrWWiF2XQy
— Jesse Kelly (@JesseKellyDC) June 20, 2020
And again:
Paul, why did you attend Yale University when it’s named after a prominent slave trader? Do you now or have you ever believed black people are commodities? How many Black people have you apologized to for attending @Yale? Don’t be racist. #CancelYale https://t.co/KCxCWBIOWQ
— Jesse Kelly (@JesseKellyDC) June 20, 2020
The hashtag trended #1 for a large part of the day on Saturday, but Yale was not the only institution Kelly went after. He also brought in Rice University, Georgetown, and the entire city of New York, charging each with the same thing: being founded and operated by racists.
Why are you still named for a prominent racist? Why have you not stripped the name of William M. Rice from everything? We must remove any reference to “Rice” from the history books. #CancelRice https://t.co/9zXfoaH95r
— Jesse Kelly (@JesseKellyDC) June 20, 2020
And here:
The enslavement of black people began in New York as a the main hub of the slave trade. Anyone who uses the name “New York” is complicit in the enslavement of black people. Why do you support slavery @NYTmag? Change your name or you hate black people. #CancelNewYorkTimes
— Jesse Kelly (@JesseKellyDC) June 20, 2020
And again:
John Carroll owned over 100 slaves. He also founded @Georgetown. Georgetown University must change its name or disband altogether. Otherwise, it’s an institution that stands to honor the barbaric practice of slavery. Stop being racist. #CancelGeorgetown
— Jesse Kelly (@JesseKellyDC) June 20, 2020
No black person is going to burn their degrees from these prestigious institutions. And it is likely none of these major institutions are going to be taken down as Kelly is calling for, but it revealed that not all racists, slaveowners, and slave-traders are treated equally in the eyes of the far left.
#CancelYale was a trolling effort—and a superbly effective one.
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