Cancel Culture Isn’t Justice. Charlotte Should Pause.
Charlotte can condemn alleged crimes without abandoning due process or punishing people who are not accused of wrongdoing. That is the line this city needs to hold—now more than ever.
The allegations involving a Sycamore Brewing co-owner are serious. If proven, they should be met with the full force of the justice system. Nothing in this column defends the defendant. Nothing minimizes alleged harm.
But something else has happened alongside the legal process, and it deserves scrutiny.
According to law enforcement, the defendant’s spouse and business partner is not accused of wrongdoing. Yet within hours, a cascade of public disavowals, product removals, and social-media verdicts treated her—and the business itself—as guilty by association.
That is not accountability. It is collective punishment.
The Charlotte Mercury exists to slow moments like this down. We are deliberately last to breaking news because civic trust depends on context, not velocity. Justice is a process. It is not a hashtag.
It is possible—necessary, even—to hold two truths at once:
- Alleged crimes must be taken seriously.
- Innocent people should not be punished for proximity.
Employees are not defendants. Spouses are not suspects. Local institutions are not disposable simply because outrage moves faster than facts.
Sycamore Brewing did not become part of Charlotte’s fabric by accident. It employed Charlotteans, supported community events, and helped shape neighborhoods. Acknowledging that history does not excuse alleged wrongdoing by an individual. Adults can distinguish between the two.
Many Charlotteans are quietly uneasy right now—wanting accountability, but uncomfortable with how quickly certainty has replaced evidence. That discomfort is healthy. It means our civic instincts are still intact.
Which brings us to the retailers.
Lowe’s Foods and Whole Foods are entitled to manage reputational risk. But large corporations also have a responsibility to distinguish allegation from attribution. Decisions made at internet speed may satisfy public pressure, but they rarely reflect careful judgment. Prudence is not the same as performance.
A city that prides itself on fairness should resist turning corporate policy into a proxy court.
Due process is not a loophole. It is the foundation that protects everyone—including those we sympathize with today and those we may need to defend tomorrow.
If we discard it when it is inconvenient, we will miss it when it matters most.
For verified facts, brand responses, and ongoing reporting, read our full coverage here:
Sycamore Brewing Arrest Fallout: What We Know, Brand Responses, and Ongoing Coverage
About the Author
Peter Cellino is the publisher of The Charlotte Mercury. He believes local journalism works best when it slows down, tells the whole story, and protects reader trust.
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This article, “Cancel Culture Isn’t Justice. Charlotte Should Pause.” by Peter Cellino is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0. “Cancel Culture Isn’t Justice. Charlotte Should Pause.”
by Peter Cellino, Mercury Local (CC BY-ND 4.0)