Donald Trump Jr. called Time’s choice of teen environmental activist Greta Thunberg as the 2019 Person of the Year a “marketing gimmick” on Twitter. Then he mocked Greta, 16, who famously said, “How dare you?” in her remarks at the United Nations in September.
It never ceases to amaze how Republicans are triggered by the power of one teenage girl to change the world and to confront the reality of climate change; All while they enable Republican representatives to dismiss any responsibility for responding to climate change, going so far as to conveniently pretend it doesn’t exist.
Anyone with a conscience and any sense of empathy would find it absolutely appalling that Greta has been the focus of so much animosity from critics for passionately crusading on behalf of the whole planet.
Time described why they chose Thunberg for their cover, which explains why Republicans have such a hard time with her; She has shamed them for their refusal to accept reality and act.
“She has succeeded in creating a global attitudinal shift, transforming millions of vague, middle-of-the-night anxieties into a worldwide movement calling for urgent change. She has offered a moral clarion call to those who are willing to act, and hurled shame on those who are not.”
And here is Trump jr.s lame Tweet:
Time leaves out the Hong Kong Protesters fighting for their lives and freedoms to push a teen being used as a marketing gimmick.
How dare you? https://t.co/dnV9mESM6G
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) December 11, 2019
Twitter thankfully responded to Trump Jr. with a wave of sarcasm and wit. See some of the responses below:
The President of the United States is bullying a teenager on Twitter. It’s cruel, intimidating and just plain weird. Be better. https://t.co/vI9TH5xEhj
— Sheldon Whitehouse (@SenWhitehouse) December 12, 2019
Then, of course, there is the fact that Time’s Reader Poll did choose the Hong Kong protesters.
Hong Kong protesters win TIME's 2019 Person of the Year Reader Poll #TIMEPOY https://t.co/eIafsFkMGz
— TIME (@TIME) December 11, 2019
Of course, the subject of Time magazine may be a trigger for the Trumps. Among the other choices for Person of the Year were the Hong Kong protesters, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and President Trump.
Donald Jr. would have us think he was rooting for the protesters, which seems a bit disingenuous, to say the least. Why? Because President Trump has a long history of coveting the cover of Time, going so far as to fake Time covers at five of his golf clubs in 2009.
In 2012, Trump was outraged when the magazine chose German Prime Minister Angela Merkel for the Person of the Year. The next year he finally got his cover but by 2017, Trump made a strange claim about the magazine on Twitter. (see below)
Time Magazine called to say that I was PROBABLY going to be named “Man (Person) of the Year,” like last year, but I would have to agree to an interview and a major photo shoot. I said probably is no good and took a pass. Thanks anyway!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 24, 2017
But don’t worry about Greta Thunberg. She can handle herself just fine and has wisely noted that meeting with Trump would be a “waste of time” anyway.
“Why should I waste time talking to him when he, of course, is not going to listen to me?” she said.
The rest of the world, however, is listening, and that’s why it’s thrilling that she is the Person of the Year. Well deserved, Greta Thunberg! Hopefully, by this time next year, we’ll have a new president who will be worthy of your time…and ours.
Update: The President apparently couldn’t resist attacking a teenage girl himself, tweeting:
So ridiculous. Greta must work on her Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! Chill Greta, Chill! https://t.co/M8ZtS8okzE
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 12, 2019
Greta responded, changing her Twitter bio line to, “A teenager working on her anger management problem. Currently chilling and watching a good old fashioned movie with a friend.”
It’s not just Greta who should be angry at the failure of world leaders to respond to the environmental crisis. The time for those leaders to “chill” and ignore their responsibilities is long over. The time to work for the people and stop working for the fossil fuel industry and special interests is now.
Thanks to people like Greta Thunberg, the world is awakened and ready for change.
Every election is a climate election. Vote for your children. Vote for the planet. Vote for future generations. Vote for humanity. #GE2019 #UKElection
— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) December 12, 2019
Featured image: Featured image: Sreenshots via YouTube
It look like the hold family of trump are as crazy as he is. Something has to be done with the hold family that think they are above the law. I would welcome to see the hold family in orange jump suits in some prison. There is know place for these kinds of people,it really have us this country the laughing stock of the world. The said part about it his base is as corrupt has his family. Who knew we still have this many racist in our country ?
Later I saw that Trump actually attacked Greta on Twitter himself. Today, Trump’s impeachment moves forward.