As Twitchy reported, former president George W. Bush and Ellen DeGeneres were spotted sitting next to each other at the Green Bay Packers vs. Dallas Cowboys game over the weekend, and the progressive backlash against DeGeneres was so great she made a video in which she explained, “Just because I don’t agree with someone on everything doesn’t mean that I’m not going to be friends with them.”
That didn’t fly with progressives either and on Tuesday, Vanity Fair published an article suggesting that DeGeneres’ “imagined utopia” in which people are kinder to each other seems “increasingly out of touch with reality.”
For decades, Ellen DeGeneres has been the sunny representative for a brighter world we might all live in if we were kinder to one another. But that imagined utopia seems increasingly out of touch with reality https://t.co/1URWgmJ6Sq
— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) October 8, 2019
Just again, a reality check: the two sat next to each other at an NFL game and were friendly.
It’s true that in the video clip that circulated over the weekend, both DeGeneres and Bush were smiling, having a good time, being kind. For some of DeGeneres’s fans—including one whose tweet she quoted in her monologue—the sight represented precisely the values she’s long espoused. In that clip, DeGeneres seems to hope we will see unity—a representation of what we could achieve if we put aside our differences and recognize our shared humanity. But how deep does this unity run? What are the parameters of the kindness we should all practice?
After running on a platform of “compassionate conservatism,” President Bush went on to oppose gay marriage, nominate Supreme Court justices who were instrumental in 2010’s disastrous Citizens United v. FEC ruling, and choose a FEMA head who allowed thousands of New Orleans residents to languish in the Superdome without adequate food or water. For millions of people, the Bush era was not one of compassion or kindness.
“Avengers” star Mark Ruffalo certainly agreed, saying kindness was out of the question until Bush was brought to justice. Turns out a whole lot of people like him when he’s angry.
Sorry, until George W. Bush is brought to justice for the crimes of the Iraq War, (including American-lead torture, Iraqi deaths & displacement, and the deep scars—emotional & otherwise—inflicted on our military that served his folly), we can’t even begin to talk about kindness. https://t.co/dpMwfck6su
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) October 9, 2019
"we"? Speak for yourself. https://t.co/EbPT9ZdyGp
— BT (@back_ttys) October 9, 2019
Also, a general reminder that their hate didn’t start with Trump. https://t.co/WpFhuKNw2z
— Kathleen McKinley (@KatMcKinley) October 9, 2019
No kidding. They hated Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush just as much; they just hadn’t taken over popular culture to the extent where their hatred won the day.
— Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) October 9, 2019
Pushing @TheEllenShow rightward:https://t.co/wtEwbUhbJS
— Adam Baldwin (@AdamBaldwin) October 9, 2019
This is why Trump won. https://t.co/OkmYpeEWAX
— Pradheep J. Shanker (@Neoavatara) October 9, 2019
Now do Obama. https://t.co/0AtEFpikUZ
— Chris Brown (@NingHong91) October 9, 2019
Didn’t you hear Joe Biden? There were zero scandals during the Obama administration.
Now do Obama droning and bombing countries without the consent of Congress. https://t.co/OaLSPQgaxM
— Jacob Airey (@realJacobAirey) October 9, 2019
Mark here only likes presidents that drone civilians and expands secret wars into peripheral countries. https://t.co/qxV2Xffbcv
— Ordy's Amish Doom Buggy (@OrdyPackard) October 9, 2019
Now do this:
Everybody’s giving Ellen s@!* but I don’t hear anyone saying a word about this. pic.twitter.com/m26BRPNyz2
— Kn33lb4z0d (@kn33lb4z0d) October 9, 2019
I love @MarkRuffalo's movies but I think he totally missed Ellen's point https://t.co/sdn3F465ND
— Spooky Adam (@AdamAmooremsu) October 9, 2019
Kindness is fundamental, and should always emanate from oneself, no matter who is in front. Don't think who deserves your kindness and who doesn't, the fact that the world is better if you are kind is reason enough to try and be kind whenever you can. https://t.co/0XbCgCUfYK
— DiGreatDestroyer (@valdivia_ja) October 9, 2019
Love thy enemy, brother. And be well. #ShareLove https://t.co/SG6kPFqDmF
— ErikToddDellums (@ErikToddDellums) October 9, 2019
We never, ever could have expected the backlash against Ellen DeGeneres because of this photo, but there you go:
What a crew pic.twitter.com/hsXxtfujKZ
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) October 6, 2019
Related:
Blue-check libs are not happy with Ellen DeGeneres’ video explaining her appearance with George W. Bush https://t.co/M8lpcdqfUo
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) October 8, 2019
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