While the nation mourns the death of US Representative John Lewis, conservative news readers used the opportunity to offer their thoughts on his passing. Lewis, a towering civil rights leader, served in Congress for over thirty years. Additionally, he was a chair of Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in the 1960s, and was the youngest speaker from the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. At the time his death, Lewis was the last surviving orator of the historic day.
Despite a long record of fighting for and defending civil rights, Lewis’ and his family were unable to earn any respect from conservative readers of Free Republic.
After (painfully) reading the comments, it was clear that not even one Freeper (as readers of the site are known) wrote anything respectful of the man or the fact that his family and country are mourning the life of a truly great leader.
Here’s a sample of some of the hateful posts, written less than one day after the Congressman’s passing.
User MeneMeneTekeUpharsin has an interesting perspective. He claims Rep. Lewis who rose to power because of racism and hate. In reality, Lewis faced racism and hate with dignity and grace. The Congressman spoke to CNN about the time his skull was fractured by police during a peaceful protest.
Toward the end of one of the discussions on the site, user PJ-Comix decided equal access to health is not important. Apparently, putting abortion clinics in non-diverse, “white” communities. Professionals have long recognized the disparity of healthcare in African-American communities.
In a particularly racist post (among many) user MeneMeneTekeUpharsin weighed in again. Claiming he was at a protest against the of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the law which has brought health care to millions of uninsured Americans. MeneMeneTekeUpharsin then went to take the ACA’s nickname, ObamaCare, and turn it into a racist meme. Instead of “Obama,” the author referred to the popular former president with a word that disparages people of color who live in the United States.
User Unclebankster wrote a two word post that sums up pretty much every other comment on the site related to the death of John Lews. The same John Lewis who is recognized by Democrats (and even some Republicans) as a man of integrity who led his life in an exemplary manner, despite the challenges he faced.
“Spot on!” is not usually the sentiment offered on the death of an 80-year old father and civil rights hero.