Will County Gazette

A boycott campaign targeting several Illinois businesses, restaurants, and charities for their support of conservative causes, including figures like President-elect Donald Trump, has drawn criticism from Homer Township Supervisor and Will County Board Member Steve Balich. 

The campaign, organized by Fox Valley Activists, compiled a list of businesses deemed “problematic” for their political affiliations, such as displaying Trump signs, hosting GOP events, or supporting conservative causes.

Balich, a vocal opponent of cancel culture, expressed his strong condemnation of the boycott.

“Boycott is used by Democrats all the time,” Balich told the Will County Gazette. “Whenever I do an event locally, the venue gets numerous phone calls and sometimes threats with loss of business. When conservatives did it for Bud Light it hurt the company so much the woke stuff was stopped. Democrats boycott and threaten so often that it is like the story of them crying wolf.”

Balich’s frustration with the rise of cancel culture is clear, as he believes such actions go beyond expressing political differences and aim to intimidate and silence opposing viewpoints.

“When Dems call a boycott, conservatives show up to show support,” he said. “Cancel culture is going away but fighting to stay alive. The problem is, if they only had a brain, they would understand the vast majority of Americans would never want the things they are pushing. They only get away with it because of the media that is taken over by woke Marxists.”

As an elected official, Balich has made it clear that he will not conform to the political correctness he sees sweeping the nation.

“I am a Supervisor of a Township and on the County Board,” Balich said. “I refuse to go along with any politically correct woke ideas, trends, or visions. I just say no! I tell people and businesses that if you give in to a blackmailer, they will only ask for more, so don’t even start down that street of no return.”

The boycott campaign in Fox Valley was spearheaded by Geneva Alderman Martha Paschke and political operative Paula Merrington.

Balich also criticized politicians who align themselves with the cancel culture movement.

“If an elected person goes along with entertaining or supporting woke and crazy nonsense they should be voted out of office,” he said.  

His comments align with those of radio host Dan Proft, who has also condemned the boycott campaign. Proft referred to Paschke’s actions as a form of political persecution, comparing it to the tactics of an authoritarian regime.

“The local Stasi in west suburban Chicago compiled a target list of local businesses, thanks to Gruppenführer Martha Paschke," Proft said on X. "This is about eliminating businesses with extreme prejudice for their thought and speech crimes."

Awake Illinois, a conservative advocacy group focused on local and state issues in Illinois, also weighed in on the controversy. 

“Martha Paschke-Geneva Alderwoman for 4th ward & Dir. of Innovation & Strategy at City of Aurora-admins the Facebook Fox Valley group that is actively discouraging patronage to the very businesses in her City,” Awake Illinois said on X. “Guess her innovative strategy is focused on cancel culture. Weird.”