Hateful Internet Comments About Mandela's Death Shocked Leaders
Nothing inspires venom like the death of a revered humanitarian.
After Nelson Mandela’s passing last week prompted condolences from leaders across the political spectrum, politicians on both sides of the aisle were buffeted by backlash.
Some conservative Republicans, for example, were mocked for their praise of Mandela by critics who called the South African a communist and a despot. Much of the ire was aimed at Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, a Tea Party Republican and the only senator to attend Mandela’s memorial service Tuesday.
Cruz’s condolence message on his Facebook page attracted more than a thousand comments in a bloody flame war between racist trolls and their opponents.
Take this disappointed follower:
Some reminded the name-callers about points of fact and history, questioning whether Mandela ever made such an admission (that unconfirmed allegation was nowhere to be found in our readings of The Rivonia Trial, where one might expect it) and noting that it was Mandela’s ex-wife, Winnie, who made major missteps while he was in prison. He later divorced her, before she was convicted of fraud and theft.
The backlash was not limited to conservatives. A Facebook post by the White House, for example, prompted its own deluge of comments:
Of course, that sort of historical revisionism—most, particularly black Africans, don't share Linda's above characterization of apartheid South Africa as a peaceful idyll—is just another sign of the United States’ extreme partisanship, said Duke University political scientist David Rohde.
“I guess it doesn’t surprise me at all in this environment,” Rohde said. “Everything is so polarized right now, so why shouldn’t this be?”
After conservative icon Newt Gingrich’s praise of Mandela brought criticism, he fired back in a follow-up post on his website:
“I was surprised by the hostility and vehemence of some of the people who reacted to me saying a kind word about a unique historic figure,” Gingrich wrote. “Before you criticize him, ask yourself, what would you have done in his circumstances?”
A Cruz spokesperson, Catherine Frazier, said the senator was proud to have attended Mandela’s memorial service.
The criticism, she said, “doesn’t change his opinion on the matter.”
But even a relatively minor ideological split with supporters could hurt Cruz, whose support lies on the far right of the Republican Party, Rohde said.
“These kinds of things can have an effect,” Rohde said, “especially if you think about Ted Cruz possibly running for president and going to the Iowa caucuses, which are considered a political litmus test.”
Related stories on TakePart:
• An Icon Passes: The Day I Dined With Nelson Mandela
• Mourning Nelson Mandela: Our 10 Favorite Photos From Around the World
• Nelson Mandela Gave 67 Years; Let's Commit to 67 Minutes
• GlobalGirl Journalists: South African and East L.A. Teens Given a Mic and a Voice
Original article from TakePart
