Opinion: The Astronaut, the Statesman, and the Twitter Trolls

Oct 11, 2018 at 10:00 am by clervin

Scott Kelly & Twitter trolls

A recent twitter rant and a Final Jeopardy question on the same individual produced some irony I thought would be interesting to share.

Astronaut Scott Kelly, on Saturday shared a quote from Winston Churchill on Twitter, which went on to spark controversy.

Kelly intended his quote as a comment on the current political situation in the US.

He tweeted: “One of the greatest leaders of modern times, Sir Winston Churchill said, 'in victory, magnanimity.' I guess those days are over.”

This praise for Churchill elicited an immediate negative response on Twitter by some who labeled Churchill a racist and Kelly ignorant for praising him.

Churchill evidently spoke derogatively of India and its culture.

On the same day, Kelly changed his mind and posted a tweet apologizing for quoting Churchill and vowed to educate himself more about the politician.

Kelly tweeted: “Did not mean to offend by quoting Churchill. My apologies. I will go and educate myself further on his atrocities, racist views which I do not support. My point was we need to come together as one nation. We are all Americans. That should transcend partisan politics.”

The Final Jeopardy question on Tuesday, Oct. 9 under the category “World Leaders” was, “He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize twice and the Literature Prize 7 times, winning for the latter in 1953.” The answer is Winston Churchill. To put it mildly, this is quite an accomplishment for anyone. Churchill, by the way, also helped save democracy in the world-maybe more so than any other world leader during one of humanity’s darkest times.

Twitter then buzzed with responses to Kelly’s apology.

Here are a few replies I find appropriate: “Good grief, you have nothing to apologize for. Churchill was by no means perfect and made some bad decisions but he was a great statesman and war leader without whom we probably wouldn't have free speech now. Please don't bow to these people who are just looking to find offence.”

“The fact that people are freaking out over his use of Churchill due to the fact that Churchill did some pretty unsavory things shouldn't preclude the fact he did some great things too. People are generally more complex, and the SJW need to chill.”  

“Scott Kelly, please read a good biography of Churchill before making pronouncements on his "atrocities" and "racist views". He committed no atrocities and his views on race 100-years ago cannot be judged by today's standards--generational chauvinism. Are you lost . . .in space?”

“Please don’t apologize. Winston Churchill, like all of us, had serious human failings. But unlike most of us—he possessed genuine greatness. And that greatness may have saved freedom & democracy. Ask the Twitter scolds to name a hero or heroine who didn’t have serious flaws.”

The use of one’s current values and mores to ascribe fault with people long dead, judging them unworthy by today’s standards, galls me.

Look at the totality of the man’s record, and don’t commit the historical fallacy of judging someone who lived in an earlier era by your cultural and moral standards today.

On balance, Churchill may have been the twentieth century’s greatest leader. He’s at least in the conversation; reference the Jeopardy clue.

Following British PM Neville Chamberlain’s appeasement of Hitler at Munich in 1938, Churchill was one of the very few voices cautioning giving away anything to the madman. Thus, some in his time-including Hitler himself, called Churchill a warmonger.

It's still politically incorrect today in some quarters to tell the truth that there were many people in Europe outside of Germany who were seduced by Hitler. But none of them included Winston Churchill. He was not impressed, would not roll over, and would not surrender.

I am a lot madder at Carpenter for wilting and apologizing than I am at the PC mob for voicing their criticism. I expect this from the snowflakes. Stand up for what you believe in man!

What people call White Supremacy today was looked upon as “civilized” nations’ benevolent duty. Times have undeniably changed, but Churchill (who died in 1964) cannot retract his statements.

Yes, Winston Churchill expressed attitudes about various people that were popularly held at the time. Being an intelligent politician, I believe that if he were alive today, he wouldn’t say those things. Alas Churchill didn’t have an I-phone or have to respond to the 24 hour media cycle.

Imposing current social values on history is the most worthless enterprise pseudo-intellectuals practice.

These twitter trolls probably wouldn’t know “magnanimity” if it bit ‘em in the butt.

I’ve heard similar criticism of Abraham Lincoln. Should we deny his contributions to freedom or label him a product of his time who was more forward-thinking than most?

There was more intellect and inspiration in Churchill than in all the trolls and dwarfs who find him inappropriate to quote today because his views clash with theirs.

Churchill wasn’t perfect, but what historical figure was, judged by the standards of a different time? Maybe these trolls honestly think the people of India would have been better off had Churchill never lived. We’re now at the point where one needs to apologize for quoting Churchill?!? He wasn’t perfect (hard to judge any historical figure by today’s standards). But do we really think we’d be better off if Churchill didn’t lead the charge against Nazi Germany?

Hitler claimed his Third Reich would last a thousand years, and yet it ultimately lasted about 12. Every human on earth since Hitler’s demise owes Churchill a debt of gratitude.

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