How is it OK to wish Donald Trump would die of Covid-19?
- Yonden Lhatoo is not surprised at the sheer volume of ridicule and hate on social media over the US president’s coronavirus diagnosis, but questions open calls and hopes for his death
Dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster reported a 30,500 per cent surge in searches for the meaning of “Schadenfreude”, which it defines as “enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others”.
The lack of sympathy is fully understandable, considering this is the man who, just days ago, was publicly declaring that the greatest health threat of our times “hardly affects anyone”. Until now he has taken no responsibility whatsoever for letting the coronavirus infect more than 7.3 million Americans and kill well over 208,000 on his watch so far.
Add to that his open contempt for those who take the disease more seriously than he does in a country that is now the global epicentre of Covid-19 – mocking arch-rival Joe Biden for wearing a mask at their recent presidential debate, for example – and it can be hard to empathise with Trump supporters now decrying the lack of compassion, decency and basic humanity in all the vicious comments, jokes and memes going around.
So it’s not surprising to see the deluge of derision on social media platforms, cesspools of spite and hate as they are already. Take a look at these samples on Twitter, Trump’s favourite messaging channel, ranging from gloating nastiness to unhinged malice.
“There’s a bottle of champagne in the fridge and it’s getting opened right now.”
“For once, I’m rooting for the virus.”
“I’m worried that this might interfere with my dream of seeing him die in prison.”
“I hope he suffers through this and dies as he’s losing on election night.”
You can argue it’s understandable, given how appallingly insensitive and downright mean Trump himself has been about other people’s illnesses, and the instrumental role he’s played in plunging the level of global discourse to such depths, but is it acceptable to actually wish him a horrible death?
Twitter has warned users of account suspensions if they openly call or hope for Trump to die – to which one observer quips: “Twitter now down to 10 active users.” Facebook has said it will take down such posts as well, and Tik Tok – as much as Trump has tried to kill the video-sharing service as part of his war on all things Chinese – has the same policy.
The fact is, whatever your feelings about the 45th US president, if you set aside his politics and personality, this is an elderly man who could lose his life to a terrible affliction. Would it be asking for too much, just this once, for everyone to set aside Trump’s obnoxious and irresponsible behaviour regarding the pandemic and be human enough to wish him a speedy recovery?
Actress and political activist Alyssa Milano, one of Trump’s vocal detractors, summed that up in her tweet: “As someone who has had #COVID19 and still suffers from post-Covid syndrome, I can honestly say with all that I am that I wouldn’t wish this virus on my worst enemy. Please wear a mask.”
Late-night comedian Stephen Colbert took a break from his usual savaging of Trump to declare: “I really think it’s important for all of us to separate the man from the office – and I hope on November 3 we literally do. But for now, I find it troubling, moving even, to see the president of the United States being taken to the hospital.”
As unpredictable as the outcome seems, Trump may well beat the disease, aided by the best of medical care and his own sheer force of will.
And you may well see him back with a bang, boasting of how “tremendously” he vanquished the “China plague” – in which case you can perhaps forgive yourself for laughing out loud today if someone tweets, “Trump drop-kicked by kung flu.”
Yonden Lhatoo is the chief news editor at the Post
