Opinion

DR BEN CARSON: The woke machine is lying in wait for a political comeback

The true believers remain inside corporate boards and HR departments, ready to reimpose 'Woke 2.0' if political power shifts

By Ben Carson, M.D. Fox News

Published September 7, 2026 5:00am EDT

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Murray: We Have ‘Woke 2’ Because Not Enough People Spoke Up To The AOC’s Of Yesteryear

Justine Brooke Murray joins guest host Paul Gleiser on Fox Across America to give her take on why the Democratic Party's embrace of socialist policies and ideas will ultimately hurt them in November's midterm elections. 

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We all remember how bad it got. Just a few short years ago, it felt like every major institution — from corporate America, to media, to universities, to Hollywood, to our own government — had decided that half the population was the enemy. Speech was policed, businesses were pressured, and ordinary Americans found themselves locked out of basic services for holding the wrong opinions.

A lot of people are now saying that chapter is closed. "Woke 1 was crazy," Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez said recently, laughing. Others have triumphantly declared that "woke" has been defeated. I understand the desire to move on. But those of us who lived through the mayhem shouldn’t be so quick to agree. Here’s what actually happened, and why the danger hasn’t disappeared.

The woke ideology that pervaded nearly every aspect of public life did not conquer American institutions by force of argument alone. Rather, it spread so rapidly because corporate America, in particular, became a willing and enthusiastic partner.

GOP FRESHMAN FIREBRAND TARGETS GLOBAL CONSULTING GIANT OVER 'PLAINLY ILLEGAL' DEI PRACTICES

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Technology companies censored ordinary citizens for what amounted to thought crimes, major financial institutions stopped doing business with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, de-banked Donald Trump, and refused to serve........

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