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:
Scalia was a monster and no one's job entitles them to respect. https://t.co/q4v0Kk1ZFJ
— Tomás Ríos (@TheTomasRios) February 13, 2016
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.”
The devil is back in Hell! Yay! https://t.co/TdrQGpDx5m
— Charles Manning (@CharlesEManning) February 13, 2016
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
… and I hope that in his death throes, Scalia was cognizant enough to realize that Obama was going to be the one to replace him.
— Adam Mansbach (@adammansbach) February 13, 2016
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:
saying that a racist bigot is a racist bigot isn't "speaking ill" just facts tbh
— Jarry (@jarry) February 13, 2016
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.
Wish I could be a fly on the wall for Scalia's chat with the Devil
— Silvia Killingsworth (@silviakillings) February 13, 2016
Died in a ranch in Texas, God bless America
— Silvia Killingsworth (@silviakillings) February 13, 2016
Mike Montero is a web designer, author, and public speaker:
Please make sure to separate Scalia’s head from his body before burial.
— Mike Monteiro (@monteiro) February 13, 2016
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
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