World news: Obelisk of Wokeness? Stop giving them ideas! Tom Cotton mocks cancel culture mob & inspires petition to rename Washington Monument

Senator Tom Cotton has accidentally kicked off an effort to rechristen the Washington Monument after mockingly dubbing it the “Obelisk of Wokeness.” Inspired netizens soon ran with the idea, however, even starting a petition.

The Republican lawmaker laid into what he called the “woke child mob” in a speech on the Senate floor on Thursday, taking aim at a “cancel culture” that seeks to tear down anything not in line with fashionable progressive attitudes, from movies to monuments.

“So, where does this cancel culture take us? What is the logical conclusion? What is the end of the cancel culture?” Cotton asked. “It is right here, in this city, Washington, District of Columbia. That's where it will end, if we don't put an end to the madness now.”

Just up the mall is the Washington Monument. Are we going to tear the Washington Monument down? Are we going to rename it the Obelisk of Wokeness?

Starting An Official Campaign to Rename the Washington Monument to the Obelisk of Wokeness

Thank Senator Tom Cotton for the Idea#ObeliskOfWokeness https://t.co/YkPB8AsvaA
— 🍦⚖️🥁 Radical Borb Dad™🆘 (@RogueOpsMobile) June 12, 2020

Though not his intention, the senator’s speech immediately prompted sarcastic (or not?) calls to rename the monument just that, inspiring a hashtag campaign, its own Twitter handle and even a Change.org petition to enact Cotton’s ‘proposal.’

Lightning struck the moment @SenTomCotton spoke me into existence.

I am the Obelisk of Wokeness.pic.twitter.com/A7GsdcXvMX
— Obelisk of Wokeness (@ObeliskOfWoke) June 12, 2020

#ObeliskOfWokeness #BlackLivesMatter
Please sign and pass on! 😊https://t.co/2dn0hlkfhB
— Severusly🏳️‍🌈 (@SeveruslySnarky) June 12, 2020

Wikipedia’s entry on the iconic monument was quickly changed to reflect the new moniker, while netizens also rushed to inform Google Maps of the name change.

Someone already changed the name of the Washington Monument on Wikipedia.#ObeliskOfWokeness pic.twitter.com/n5SPjy8toK
— Ralph. He/Him. Black lives matter! (@RPulner) June 12, 2020

Challenge Accepted. @TomCottonAR #ObeliskOfWokeness pic.twitter.com/qGyQwGJTSK
— KBO Baseball Hates Fuckin’ Racists (@KT_Wiz_Stan) June 12, 2020

Cashing in on the wave of interest, an entrepreneurial-minded netizen rolled out obelisk-themed merch, with willing customers already creeping out of the woodwork.

Woke AF Super Duper Obelisk of Wokeness gear, just for Tom Cotton (and you). https://t.co/kyWuNjKuJx #obeliskofwokeness #wokeaf pic.twitter.com/LhtcRJZ5Gn
— karutees (@karutees) June 12, 2020

We need #ObeliskOfWokeness shirts. Right. Now. pic.twitter.com/F69hX5hDPf
— Nerdy Curious? 🧐 #BLM #SocialDistance (@nerdycurious) June 12, 2020

Cotton’s suggestion kicked off a re-naming craze, with one commenter suggesting every monument in DC be given a new title.

#ObeliskofWokeness it is!

Let’s rename all the Washington monuments!

White House shall, henceforth, be known as #BunkHouse

(until a real president takes occupancy). https://t.co/2uX67yoLqo
— fiotheo (@onFueg) June 12, 2020