Barack Obama's record-breaking tweet about Charlottesville prompts widespread pining for former Pr

[riversedge]

Source: Independent



'People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love'


Tuesday 15 August 2017 10:37 BST



Barack Obama's message of unity after a far-right, white supremacist event in Virginia descended into deadly violence has become the third most ‘liked’ tweet in history - and prompted renewed pining for the former president.

Speaking after a car hit a crowd of anti-fascist protesters, killing one, Mr Obama chose to quote iconic South African leader Nelson Mandela.

His tweeted, posted alongside an image of the former US leader speaking to “No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, they can be taught to love. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love.

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With over 2.2 million likes, the quote follows Ariana Grande’s tweet about the Manchester bombing (first) and Ellen DeGeneres' iconic Bradley Cooper Oscars selfie (second) according to online service Favstar, which tracks Twitter and Twitter usage...........................

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/barack-obama-charlottesville-violence-neo-nazi-racist-nelson-mandela-white-supremacist-no-one-born-a7892131.html

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[hamsterjill]

1. I miss him every day.

I thought his tweet was an amazing choice, and I took a minute and missed him especially as I read it.

But I sincerely miss him every day.

[Angry Dragon]

13. Trump..........never to be missed

[J_William_Ryan]

2. President Obama

shows Trump and others on the reprehensible right how it's done.

[Metro135]

3. This made my eyes well up

How did we go from Obama to this shitgibbon?

[C Moon]

14. Because of Putin and cheating

[dalton99a]

24. Racists and Russians

[progressoid]

4. In just 7 months we have sunken so far.

It's staggering.

[Initech]

7. Obama has brought out the best in people. Trump has brought out the worst.

[Leith]

8. That's Worth a Tweet

If I tweeted, I would use that as a response.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

25. That's so true. Amazing how so many seem to not realize this simple fact of leadership

Every leader models behavior that their followers emulate, consciously or unconsciously.

I remember the beginning rise of self-righteous reality denial during W's tenure. The sparkle in the eyes of his fans when they talked about blowing up Arabs. The beginnings of normalization of snark and lies in media and daily life. The spread of false equivalences accepted as valid, "thoughtful" conceptualization.

The present train wreck developed over time with mix of numberless actions and attitudes.

[DBoon]

26. I remeber Reagan's leadership

"Greed is good" became a mantra. Financial speculation and inhaling your wealth up your nose was its reward.

Overt racism became OK, not a sign of ignorance

[Initech]

27. Yeah I saw an article a while back that still floors me.

It was about how kids are emulating Trump's worst behaviors and using it to bully their classmates, and teachers just simply don't know what to do. When you have a guy like that as your leader, how are you supposed to teach to your kids that his behavior is not OK? And remember the rise of the Tea Party Patriots? That was another example of America's worst behaviors multiplied and being brought out into the open.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

30. Yes, I remember that too, read that story and thought I'd explode.

The leader creates an atmosphere. I'm thinking an ugly dysfunctional leadership creates a more visibly dysfunctional society quite quickly.

That thought feels incomplete....but I'm thinking along the lines of Mark Twain's remark about "a lie travels around the world while the truth is still getting its shoes on."

[riversedge]

29. Trump does not comprehend that being the US President means being the moral leader also.

[BarbD]

5. We must use his words

to inspire us to teach love.

[krkaufman]

6. Obama's original tweet...

Link to tweet

Like away. (Now 2nd most liked tweet, passing Ellen; just 300,000 to go.)

[krkaufman]

19. closing in...

Obama: 2,656,735
Ariana: 2,703,421

Just 50,000 to go...

[MrModerate]

23. "You've Got to be Carefully Taught"

Rogers & Hammerstein, The King and I, 1951:

[phleshdef]

9. I think its time for him to make a speech. The country needs it.

[mainstreetonce]

10. Agreed

Please

[Javaman]

11. Now that's how you tweet!

couldn't we just make an exception this time and reelect him?

[riversedge]

18. I am with you on that one.

[gademocrat7]

12. Powerful words

Spoken by President Obama. How I miss his compassion, wisdom and decorum.

[bdamomma]

15. oh god,

I miss him what a wonderful person and President he was. Just very sad we are at this juncture.

[Gothmog]

16. Yeah for President Obama

[Tarheel_Dem]

17. K&R!

[krkaufman]

20. Now the top tweet

Obama: 2,763,482
Ariana: 2,703,494

[riversedge]

21. GEE. Trump might have to send out Huckabee to contest these numbers!!

[MrModerate]

22. An ounce of common decency in the Oval Office would go a long way about now. n/t

[defacto7]

28. 3,470,000 and rising