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The American Civil Liberties Union began a political firestorm earlier in the week over just one tweet. And when they were appraised of the situation, they made it even worse.
Here's the offending tweet:
This is the future that ACLU members want. pic.twitter.com/bAIwuheEco
— ACLU National (@ACLU) August 23, 2017
The missive echoes a common phrase used for jokes on Twitter, "this is the future liberals want." But instead of a negative connotation, they offer a glimpse of the future they are striving for.
The smiling child bears a shirt reading "free speech," and holds an American flag.
Unfortunately for many, associating "the future" with a blonde-haired white child was too much. They took to Twitter to register their outrage, and quickly caught the attention of conservatives.
I mean, so do the Nazis. A bit tone deaf, @ACLU. https://t.co/Q1yGQz4s4v— 1 Million Dickawatts (@1 Million Dickawatts)1503521803.0
The future you want is a hate flag in the hands' of children? https://t.co/wBOILFtl6O— #NativeLivesMatter, too (@#NativeLivesMatter, too)1503521473.0
What? All blond folk! I don't get this silly post. The future ACLU wants is a little blond kid???
— SavageFem (@SavageNancy) August 23, 2017
I'd rather have this future. pic.twitter.com/LeLIgfvEJG
— Michael (@OmanReagan) August 23, 2017
Now I see why you worked so hard for the neo Nazis in Charlottesville
— Kokoa (@kokoa96)August 23, 2017
The overreaction prompted a quick self-denunciation from the ACLU, who posted a tweet affirming the idea that merely posting an image of a white child was in support of "white supremacy."
When your Twitter followers keep you in check and remind you that white supremacy is everywhere. pic.twitter.com/Qx5D5hbKWy
— ACLU National (@ACLU) August 23, 2017
And that's when even more outrage and scorn was heaped on the tweet, this time from those coming from the rightward point of view.
Little kid with flag = white supremacy
— austin de la joya (@austindelafrog) August 23, 2017
Got it @ACLU good to know where you guys stand
You can't even defend your own right to free speech.
— Gman1960 (@gyashko) August 25, 2017
The thread on this tweet is insane. Somebody objects to the child in the picture being white, ACLU agrees it's some… https://t.co/R7MAjS2swE— Stephen Gutowski (@Stephen Gutowski)1503528080.0
The ACLU agrees that they are white supremacists because they tweeted a picture of a small child holding an American flag. pic.twitter.com/Y2mdcKbp8n
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) August 23, 2017
Apparently a White Toddler with an American flag the ACLU tweeted has triggered Antifa & BLM there's only one group who keeps talking race..— Matt Couch 🎙 (@Matt Couch 🎙)1503615830.0
Conservative Katie Pavlich assailed the ACLU's absurd social media capitulation on Fox News:
Apparently the #ACLU thinks innocent white babies can be put into same category as white supremacists. Who is racist pic.twitter.com/tqRjDCIOGE
— Kevin W. (@kwilli1046) August 25, 2017
"The thing that it does it trivializes real racism and it trivializes real problem," she said.
"I mean Charlottesville is nothing compared to an innocent baby holding an American flag that is put out by an organization that claims to represent everyone," she added, "but apparently they think that innocent white babies can be put into same category as white supremacists and that is dehumanizing, and abhorrent and disgusting."
