Kerby Anderson

Two years ago, I did a commentary on how progressive activists were using the “cancel culture” to destroy the lives of individuals and drive small businesses into bankruptcy. One of the examples I cited was the plight of Gibson’s bakery. Although it has taken years, the bakery has finally won.

The Ninth District Court of Appeals ruled unanimously in favor of the bakery that accused Oberlin College of damaging its business and libeling it with false accusations of racism. The incident occurred in 2016, and the owners sued in 2017. A county judge ruled in their favor in 2019, and the appeal just came down in 2022. Sometimes the wheels of justice grind very slowly.

The son of the bakery owner stopped three black Oberlin students because one of them was stealing wine bottles from the store. Students started protesting the bakery after the arrest by handing out flyers outside the store calling it a racist establishment with a history of racial profiling. The student senate passed a resolution accusing the bakery owners of being racist and emailed that resolution to all the students. Oberlin College regularly purchased baked goods from the bakery for the dining hall, but suspended its purchasing for a month after the incident.

The Gibsons denied any wrongdoing and asked for a public apology from the college in order to repair the damage to their reputation. Apparently, they never received one.

When we discussed this case on my radio program, one of my guests applauded the bakery’s response. Too often, victims of “cancel culture” cower in fear even when they haven’t done anything wrong. The bakery illustrates what happens when you stand up for your rights and reputation.