Hour 1: Liberals Respond to Antonin Scalia’s Death with Hatred, Mockery, Joy

Within one hour of news breaking that Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died in his sleep, progressives on Twitter put politics before basic human decency–both celebrating and mocking his death.

All tweets here come from users deemed consequential enough for a “Verified” account:

https://twitter.com/TheTomasRios/status/698636714487713792

Don't even try to enforce the inapplicable don't-speak-ill-of-the-dead "rule" for the highly polarizing, deeply consequential Antonin Scalia

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) February 13, 2016

Charles Manning is “Senior Style Editor for Cosmopolitan.com.”

https://twitter.com/CharlesEManning/status/698633683104882688

Hope Scalia is in a place as fucked up as he tried to make our country.

— 2HAYNEZ (@imandyhaynes) February 13, 2016

Adam Mansbach is author of the bestselling children’s book Go the F*** to Sleep.

I'm glad Scalia lived long enough to see gay marriage become the law of the land.

— Adam Mansbach (@adammansbach) February 13, 2016

https://twitter.com/adammansbach/status/698630390114717696

Funny. I actually support Scalia on this one.

— Anthony Jeselnik (@anthonyjeselnik) February 13, 2016

I hope Scalia died from gay sex

— Jensen Karp (@JensenClan88) February 13, 2016

Jarry Lee is Deputy Books Editor at BuzzFeed:

https://twitter.com/jarry/status/698636842296598529

Lee’s sentiment (now deleted) echoes the site’s Editor-in-Chief, Ben Smith, who told employees that it is all right to call Donald Trump a “mendacious racist” as it is considered a factual statement within the company.

One of Lee’s colleagues, Rachel Zarrell–who earlier got into hot water over a Twitter outburst on gun control–seemingly celebrated the news of Scalia’s death with a partying emoji.

Here's the now-deleted tweet where a @BuzzFeedNews employee seemingly celebrates Scalia's death pic.twitter.com/twzBIr8A4M

— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) February 13, 2016

Jess Dweck is a writer for the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon:

Now Scalia will know what it's like to have the government own his body.

— Jess Dweck (@TheDweck) February 13, 2016

Many others in the comedy world had hot takes:

If Anton Scalia had been merely an entertainer I wouldn't have any hate for him.

— Kurt Metzger (@kurtmetzger) February 13, 2016

Just to make sure I understand your argument: you want me to show respect for the death of a hateful man who disrespected so many lives?

— Moshe Kasher (@moshekasher) February 13, 2016

This editor at Digg gives a snapshot of how Brooklyn is reacting:

I can hear a neighbor dancing and singing that Scalia is dead

— David Weiner (@daweiner) February 13, 2016

While not Verified, these accounts are also prominent figures in media:

Silvia Killingsworth is managing editor of The New Yorker.

https://twitter.com/silviakillings/status/698633477101645824

https://twitter.com/silviakillings/status/698630033955561473

Mike Montero is a web designer, author, and public speaker:

https://twitter.com/monteiro/status/698638066328539136

Charles Finch is the author of a series of mystery novels and writes about books for several national publications.

I mean, if you don't want your death politicized, don't lead a repugnant and profoundly influential political life.

— Charles Finch (@CharlesFinch) February 13, 2016

Randi Mayem Singer is a screenwriter and producer for several family films, including Mrs. Doubtfire.

What will Scalia think when he gets to heaven and there are no corporations there?

— Randi Mayem Singer (@rmayemsinger) February 13, 2016

Connor Kilpatrick is an editor for the openly socialist Jacobin magazine.

Obi-Wan confirms Scalia's death: "I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in orgiastic joy…"

— Connor Kilpatrick (@ckilpatrick) February 13, 2016