Most people were inspired by the story of the World War II veterans who were undaunted by the barricades set up to keep them away from their memorial in Washington DC. But some, like Jonathan Chait of New York Magazine, just saw another opportunity to crack a joke.
Idea: fortify WWII memorial with tank traps and pillboxes manned by elderly Germans.
— Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) October 1, 2013
It didn’t take long for people to respond to what seems like a tasteless joke:
https://twitter.com/yesnicksearcy/status/385219375441010688
@jonathanchait that's a douche joke. My grandfather fought in WWII and was haunted by the thought of the people he killed. Dick move man.
— Will Upton (@wupton) October 2, 2013
.@jonathanchait On a scale of 1 to 10 on the "scumbag" scale, you're a 47.62. Also it's not fake outrage if we're ACTUALLY pissed off.
— Kelly Maher (@okmaher) October 2, 2013
Hey, @jonathanchait, you know those guys actually faced real Germans storming that beach, right? Fucking asshole. http://t.co/tTYfaMET2B
— RBe (@RBPundit) October 2, 2013
https://twitter.com/yesnicksearcy/status/385223995181641728
@jonathanchait I think my grandfather, WWII VET scraped shit like you from his boots on D Day. U aren't funny. U r just a small little man
— JohnPaulJones (@NYB2Fight) October 2, 2013
@jonathanchait Those folks you choose to mock are the ones that allow you to be an ignorant disrespectful ass. Be better for your kids sake.
— KarenG (@KgiardenKaren) October 2, 2013
@jonathanchait What's next? A joke about nuking Hiroshima & firebombing Dresden?
— Adam Hudson (@adamhudson5) October 2, 2013
After the Twitter backlash, Chait tried to exonerate himself by posting a remembrance of his grandfather, who had fought in World War II:
For conservatives tweeters upset at: https://t.co/TtSgbDazcL
It was a joke. My WWII stance is pro-allies, anti-Axis http://t.co/jGQlmQXOpV
— Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) October 2, 2013
And that might have helped, but he couldn’t stop there, of course:
Also, the joke was on the idea that the memorial would be blocked to tourists, not on the tourists.
— Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) October 2, 2013
https://twitter.com/CuffyMeh/status/385223803229700096
Great joke, keep explaining it. MT @jonathanchait joke was on the idea that the memorial would be blocked to tourists, not on the tourists.
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) October 2, 2013
And he does:
Left and right both whip up fake-outrage mobs online, but conservative fake-outrage-ists seem more taken with violent fantasies.
— Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) October 2, 2013
Just stop digging, Chait!
@jonathanchait Nah. You're just not funny.
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) October 2, 2013
https://twitter.com/instapundit/status/385224418944774144
@jonathanchait That's adorable. http://t.co/COGBVP2o6F
— Stephen Green (@VodkaPundit) October 2, 2013
Yes. Fake outrage. The real victim is you. MT @jonathanchait but conservative fake-outrage-ists seem more taken with violent fantasies.
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) October 2, 2013
Nothing like Iowahawk to illuminate the idiocy of a guy like Chait.
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