This may be the week the SJWs lost it all, by Eric Raymond. At a moderately major technical conference in Colorado (on computer programming), the social justice warriors (SJWs) attempted to no-platform one of the speakers because he also (nothing to do with programming) had a political blog they did not like. No pretense of relevance, just demanded his talk be canceled. The conference organizers resisted their demands, so the SJWs pressured sponsors into withdrawing — and several withdrew.

So far, so wearily familiar – Marxist thugs versus free expression, with free expression’s chances not looking so hot. But there’s where the story gets good.

Anti-SJW’s organized a counterpunch, launching a crowdfunding campaign to replace the sponsorship money from the withdrawing sponsors. Eric Raymond asked his 20K followers to chip in, because

it was about opposing a power play by the political-correctness police.

A day later it was fully funded. SJWs defeated by the hackers. Well done.

Btw, I was unsuccessfully “no-platformed” in 2010, when I was asked to give a talk at a major mining conference in Capetown, on the case for climate skepticism. The world climate heavies demanded my talk be cancelled (conference organizers: “no”), then cut in half and the ex-head of the IPCC given the second half of the talk (“no”), then the warmist guy be given the speaker slot immediately after to undo the damage (“no”). I did the talk, for almost 2,000 people, and got a hugely positive reaction of whistles and applause after the talk — the best reception for any talk at the conference in seven years, said the organizers. Just got to stand up to these bullies.

hat-tip Matthew