The following article by Mike Molly was posted on the London Telegraph website July 5, 2017:
The Declaration of Independence has caused confusion on Twitter after some Donald Trump supporters appeared to interpret the text as an attack on the president.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
America’s National Public Radio (NPR)faced a public backlash after sharing the famous document in a series of tweets to celebrate Independence Day.
A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
It’s an annual NPR tradition to read out the Declaration of Independence line-by-line on-air for the past 29 years, but their tweets were apparently misinterpreted by some.
it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government,
“So, NPR is calling for a revolution. Interesting way to condone the violence while trying to sound ‘patriotic’. Your implications are clear,” wrote one.
Another responded: “Propaganda is that all you know? Try supporting a man who wants to do something about the injustice in this country.”
@NPR How long till a Republican assumes this is against Trump and starts complaining about the media?
@PhillyTurtleGuy @NPR Already happening in the comments.
“Glad you are being defunded,” tweeted another. “You have never been balanced on your show.”
“Seriously, this is the dumbest idea I have ever seen on Twitter,” said another comment. “Literally no one is going to read 5000 tweets about this trash.”
Some tried to clear up the confusion
I can’t get enough of people getting mad online because @NPR tweeted the Declaration of Independence pic.twitter.com/D7MpparS5g
@jbillinson @grantstern @NPR It’s the damn Declaration of Independence…and EVERYONE should read it.
Incredible. You may be on the wrong side of history if you think the #DeclarationofIndependence is describing #Trump & then call it “trash”. pic.twitter.com/lB2aO5sCbx
If you think NPR tweeting out the Declaration of Independence is a slam against Trump, what does that say about how you view Trump?
@spookperson replied: “There’s nothing more American than getting p—-d because you think the Declaration of Independence is s——g on the president.”
@thistlekitty @NattyBo @cavecreekdeb @NPR It’s so incredibly telling that this person sees “Tyrant…unfit to be a ruler of a free people” and immediately assumes it refers to Trump.
@spookperson I’m sorry but I can’t stop laughing at this. USA! USA!
While others loved the tweets
@NPR Thank you for the reminder, @NPR. #Independanceday
