Many pundits, including this one, have written off the state of California for some time. Its one party state, rubber stamp legislature, medieval public sanitation, high crime, higher taxes, PC cultural environment, socialist policies, airhead intellectual scene, and open door immigration stance make it an uninhabitable place for Americans interested in the liberty to freely pursue their lives.

But two recent developments, the Newsom recall effort and the proposed legislation below, could indicate there is fight left in those striving to bring California back to sanity.

FNC: “A Republican state lawmaker in California has unveiled two legislative proposals that are designed as counter-punches against ‘cancel culture.’ But at least one state Democrat has already fired back, accusing the Republican of trying to promote ‘racist, pro-domestic terrorism, xenophobic, misogynistic views.’ State Sen. Melissa Melendez, R-Lake Elsinore, claims a “climate of intolerance has been established” in the Golden State – so she says she political affiliation should be a protected class under state law so residents can’t face discrimination over their political beliefs.”

“Cancel culture and the efforts to silence differing opinions and voices should be a growing concern for all of us,” said Melendez, a Navy vet, business owner and mom of five.

But of course, a leftist shrew disagrees  “Your choice to hate & actively pursue hate does not make you part of a protected class,” Democrat state assembly member Lorena Gonzalez wrote on Twitter.

Just three months before, the gracious understated Gonzalez was seen on video shouting “F— Donald Trump!” at a Liz Warren campaign rally.

Melendez notes the viciousness of California’s addiction to authoritarian politics. “It is unfathomable to me that corporations and members of the public would ruin a person’s career, business and family because of their political ideology,” Melendez added, according to The Hill. “Free speech covers all speech, not just that with which you agree.”

Famed historian Victor Davis Hanson puts the question in wider context. “Every time a person apologizes or gives a reeducation type of confessional, then they get empowered and they say, ‘see, we did this.’ And it’s not really ideological entirely either. I think a lot of it’s personal. A lot of people come out of the woodwork in these times of Salem witch trials or reign of terror, French Revolution. They want that person’s job. Their ego gets enhanced. And under the cover of being woke, they do a lot of very dangerous things. But it won’t stop until we fight back and are explicit that we’re not afraid of it. We’re not going to apologize for who we are, what we believe.” Melendez and Hanson are right. We must fight. And perhaps as we do, remnants of free California will be at our side.