Twitter grapples with the mixed legacy of President George H.W. Bush
The nation, and the internet, are remembering President George H.W. Bush following his death just after midnight on Dec. 1. Some obituaries and remembrances are highlighting what writers describe as his "civility" — a hot button word that pundits and critics have variably longed for in both the actions of political protesters, and our word-diarrhea prone President.
Bush, Sr. was reportedly affable and diplomatic; he certainly did not use dehumanizing language in 280 characters to disparage his enemies while in office. He was also responsible for presiding over the end of the Cold War, strengthening environmental protections, and signing the Americans with Disabilities Act into law.
SEE ALSO:The underrated presidency of George H.W. BushBut many on Twitter pointed out his apparent superiority to President Trump shouldn't elide a clear-eyed look at his life in public office. And that his legacy is much more complicated, and even ugly, than some of the obituaries suggest.
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
Trump may make us long for a qualified and diplomatic president. But as many have pointed out, that doesn't mean we should gloss over the actual mark these conservatives of yore left on our country, and on people's lives.
Tweet may have been deleted
Here are some of the other parts of Bush's legacy that Twitter says we can't forget.
1. The AIDS Crisis
One of the harshest indictments of Bush's legacy came about thanks to the darkly ironic timing of his death. Bush, Sr. passed on World AIDS Day, the day memorializing the AIDS crisis and its victims, raising awareness, and showing support for those living with HIV.
Tweet may have been deleted
As President and, before that, Vice President under President Ronald Reagan, Bush led the country while AIDS took the lives of over 100,000 Americans in the 1980s and early 1990s. At the time, those fighting for action on AIDS criticized the two administrations' slowness to address the crisis, and Bush's conflating of the disease with irresponsible "behavior."
Organizations still fighting to de-stigmatize the disease, activists, historians, and others, did not let the timing of Bush's death go unnoticed.
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
2. Pardons for Iran-Contra
During President Reagan and Vice President Bush's second term, news broke that the government was secretly selling arms to Iran, which was under an arms embargo, and using the proceeds to support the anti-socialist Contras in Nicaragua. The scandal became known as The Iran-Contra Affair, and it laid bare the U.S.'s clandestine efforts to interfere in South American politics, often with bloody consequences.
But Bush was just the Veep — what did this have to do with him? The government ended up indicting 14 officials and convicting 11 for their role in Iran-Contra. But in the final days of his administration, Bush pardoned six of the indicted.
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
3. The War on Drugs
As president, Bush continued Reagan's "war on drugs" approach to combating drug use in America. This resulted in racist mandatory minimum laws which led to the disproportionate incarceration of minorities with harsh sentencing for minor drug offenses.
Historian Joshua Clark Davis shared a Twitter thread about the secret history behind an anti-drug Bush press conference that has gone viral. Essentially, Davis says that DEA agents set up a drug bust in front of the White House so that Bush could make a point about the pervasiveness of the drug problem in a televised address. Because of mandatory minimum laws, the high schooler who sold drugs to agents ended up serving a seven-year sentence.
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
4. Clarence Thomas and #MeToo
President Bush appointed Justice Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court, and stood by him in the wake of Anita HIll's accusations of sexual harassment and the subsequent congressional hearing.
Those memorializing Bush connected this part of his legacy to the recent Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford hearings. And, to the allegations of sexual harassment of Bush himself.
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
5. Racism
Alongside Bush's amped up War on Drugs, some are remembering the 41st president for promoting racism to help him get elected, and his failure to legislate civil rights. That's what references to "the Willie Horton ad" are talking about.
Bush used an ad that demonized a black criminal as a way to show that his opponent was weak on crime. He also vetoed the Civil Rights Act of 1990 which would have strengthened anti-discrimination laws.
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
Bush's one-term presidency clearly has reverberations today. While it's tempting to analyze history through the lens of Trump, it's important to remember the figures who came before him without the excuse that funhouse mirror retrospection provides.
Featured Video For You
Once again, the internet is trolling the White House Christmas decorations
(责任编辑:资讯)
-
Prime exclusive deal: $50 off Govee floor lamp
GET $50 OFF:As of July 19, the Govee floor lamp 2 is available at Amazon for $99.99, down from $149. ...[详细] -
銆€銆€涓浗灞变笢缃?2鏈?7鏃ヨ12鏈?7鏃ワ紝涓浗宸ュ晢閾惰鍦ㄥ寳浜妇鍔為灞?ldquo;宸ヨ灏忓井瀹㈡埛鑺?rdquo;锛屽彂甯?ldquo;涓囧灏忓井鎴愰暱璁″垝” ...[详细]
-
要看到山东新旧动能转换到了最艰难的阶段,同时也是高质量发展不断取得实效的时期,新动能正在加速成长,结构正在加速优化,市场动力活力正在加速增强,各类生态正在加速改善,国家战略平台正在加速集聚。今年前三季 ...[详细]
-
中国山东网1月6日讯1月6日中午,在青岛市香港中路的一家大型酒店宴会厅,来自北京、天津、内蒙古、香港地区等全国各地的200余名嘉宾汇集一堂,青岛乾德实业科技有限公司在这里隆重举行百万基金冠名捐赠暨年终 ...[详细]
-
[LLG] When compassion meets law: Lawyer defends goats, dogs, other helpless animals
Lawyer Park Joo-yeon has an interview with The Korea Herald at law firm Apart in Seoul. (Lee Sang-su ...[详细] -
12月中旬,波尼亚集团获悉青岛市血站O型血小板库存紧缺,在集团董事会的支持下,火速展开波尼亚集团O型血征集行动,众多波尼亚人纷纷响应。12月22日,恰逢冬至,早晨还不到六点,20余名波尼亚员工在集团领 ...[详细]
-
“雷霆3号”行动,是继“雷霆1号”“雷霆2号”行动的又一次集中打击整治违法犯罪行为的收网行动,是莱西警方掀起的又一轮新的强大攻势 ...[详细]
-
本报讯 日前,记者从市公安局交警支队获悉,自10月23日,机动车电子驾驶证登陆雅安以来,截至10月31日,全市已签发63295个电子驾驶证。为做好机动车电子驾驶证的申领工作,市公安局交通警察支队车辆管 ...[详细]
-
Upgrade Your Monitor, Not Your GPU
Stop! If you're thinking of upgrading your gaming PC setup, don't buy that overpriced graphics card ...[详细] -
“世界高香红茶就是香!”英德红茶畅销2023深圳食博会_南方+_南方plus“给我也来一杯试试。”“有金毛毫卖吗?”……12月1日到3日,2023全球高端食品及优质农产品深圳)博览会以下称“深圳食博会 ...[详细]