After the Monday night passing of billionaire philanthropist Sheldon Adelson — known for his contributions to conservative and pro-Israel causes — blue check leftists took to Twitter to bash, mock and rejoice.
“CASINO MAGNATE, TRAITOR, REPUBLICAN DONOR SHELDON ADELSON DEAD AT 87,” wrote author Eric Garland, in a mock headline.
“Warmonger Sheldon Adelson, billionaire donor to Trump and #Israel, is dead,” wrote political cartoonist Carlos Latuff, with attached depictions of Adelson which resemble historic antisemitic ones.
Several painted Adelson as “evil,” “destructive” and hellbound.
“See you in hell buddy,” wrote Vice staff writer Edward Ongweso Jr.
“If you don’t know who Sheldon Adelson was, here’s a good look at this evil shit,” wrote Holly Figueroa O’Reilly, founder of Blue Wave Crowdsource, an organization that supports Democratic candidates. “Er, RIP I guess.”
“Hard to think of a single more destructive force in American politics than Sheldon Adelson, who spent billions making the world a worst place before leaving it in ruins,” wrote American-Iranian scholar Dr. Reza Aslan.
“Sheldon Adelson was a bad man who made the world measureably, objectively worse – less just, less fair, more fearful, more hateful,” wrote Dame Magazine columnist Emily Hauser. “Good riddance to bad rubbish.”
“Not a wet eye in the whole casino we call life,” wrote Los Angeles Times columnist Virginia Heffernan.
“History will remember Sheldon Adelson as the man who did more than nearly anyone else to corrupt and debase two political systems, Israel’s and America’s,” wrote Anshel Pfeffer, a columnist for Israel’s left-wing Ha’aretz newspaper.
“Sheldon Adelson was the driving force behind right-wing politics of Republicans, Trump and Israel’s Bibi Netanyahu,” wrote author and radio host Grant Stern. “They’re all crooks of a feather, and we are left holding the bag from his decades of support for them.”
“Sheldon Adelson died doing what he loved…using gambling addicts’ money to make poor people suffer,” wrote actor David Futernick.
“[ADELSON] IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SUPPORTING A MONSTER,” wrote Hollywood filmmaker Judd Apatow. “HE SHOWED ZERO CONCERN FOR THE CRUELTY AND RACISM THAT RESULTED FROM HIS SUPPORT. YOU CANT TAKE THE $ WITH YOU.”
“Sheldon Adelson’s memory will be a curse,” wrote left-wing political organizer Max Berger.
“May his legacy be erased,” wrote the far-left IfNotNow group. “And may we do it together.”
“The terrible billionaire Sheldon Adelson has just died,” wrote radical anti-Israel activist Ali Abunimah. “This absolute monster funded Trump, Netanyahu and anti-Palestinian hate groups for one cause alone: Zionist terrorism, conquest and apartheid in Palestine.”
Others accused Adelson of promoting Islamophobia.
“If you’re writing obituaries of multibillionaire Trump/GOP donor Sheldon Adelson, who has died aged 87, please don’t just airbrush out his long history of anti-Arab racism, his funding of the Islamophobia industry, or his support for *nuking* Iran. Thanks,” wrote NBC’s Mehdi Hasan.
“Sheldon Adelson helped fan the flames of Islamophobia in this country with his vast wealth. This particularly didn’t age well: ‘All terrorists are Islamists,’” wrote Imraan Siddiqi, the executive director of CAIR Washington.
In a particularly tasteless tweet, former executive director of the Soros-backed anti-Israel Jewish Voice for Peace Rebecca Vilkomerson called Adelson’s death a personal birthday gift for her.
“A present for my birthday,” she wrote.
“Rebecca Vilkomerson, the Executive Director of the extreme fringe group ‘Jewish Voice for Peace’ is celebrating the death of a Jewish man,” replied StopAntisemitism.org. “Is it any surprise Vilkomerson has promoted and defended terrorist Rasmea Odeh (murdered 2 Jewish students)? EVIL.”
Others also called out leftists for expressing joy over Adelson’s death.
“My feed is full of Leftists celebrating Sheldon Adelson’s passing,” wrote Save Jersey founder Matt Rooney. “Said it long before recent events: the degradation of our national discourse began on the Left. Specifically, the Left’s refusal to acknowledge the humanity of anyone who dissents. Where are the brave Democrats?”
“I see the ‘good’ ‘benevolent’ ‘moral’ twitter are overjoyed because a jewish philanthropist died,” wrote writer Eve Barlow.
“Watching the left-wing almost gloat at #SheldonAdelson’s death is just sickening,” wrote international human rights lawyer Arsen Ostrovsky.
Since Twitter suspended President Trump’s account last week, prominent conservative voices on the platform have reported losing tens of thousands of followers, as Breitbart News reported.
While masses of conservative users have been “purged,” left-wing users have little reason to fear for writing inflammatory tweets such as those celebrating Adelson’s death.
Follow Joshua Klein on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
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