NPR tweets the Declaration of Independence, and people freak out about a ‘revolution’
To commemorate the Fourth of July and what the holiday represents, National Public Radio filled its Twitter feed with the words of the Declaration of Independence on Tuesday.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
— NPR (@NPR) July 4, 2017
When in the Course of human events,
— NPR (@NPR) July 4, 2017
it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another,
— NPR (@NPR) July 4, 2017
and to assume among the powers of the earth,
— NPR (@NPR) July 4, 2017
the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them,
— NPR (@NPR) July 4, 2017
a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
— NPR (@NPR) July 4, 2017
The tweets went unrecognized as containing the text of one of our nation’s most important documents by some on Twitter. People tweeted that NPR’s thread was trash, that it was inciting revolution and was a reason the public organization should be defunded.
Some seemed to imply that the thread was directed at President Donald Trump.
So, NPR is calling for revolution.
— D.G.Davies (@JustEsrafel) July 4, 2017
Interesting way to condone the violence while trying to sound "patriotic".
Your implications are clear.
Bwhaha. I loved the guy who said NPR should having funding pulled for threatening revolt. KING GEORGE III NOT TRUMP.
— Rosemary Hart (@Rosemar91328525) July 5, 2017
A few of the replies to @NPR’s tweeting the Declaration of Independence on this, the 4th of July. pic.twitter.com/v56DGg57Nt
— Brent Jones (@brentajones) July 4, 2017
Horsechit
— Terry (@xebec78) July 4, 2017
Seriously, this is the dumbest idea I have ever seen on twitter. Literally no one is going to read 5000 tweets about this trash.
— Darren Mills (@darren_mills) July 4, 2017
DEFUND #NPR let the Hollywood Elites pay for your biased propaganda
— Diesel (@ScandalSheet) July 4, 2017
One of the most popular tweets in the thread from NPR was this one:
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.
— NPR (@NPR) July 4, 2017
To his credit, Twitter user D.G. Davies apologized for not recognizing the tweets as the Declaration of Independence. “I Tweeted a VERY dumb comment,” he wrote. “But ask yourselves; if read to the average American, would they know that you were reading the DOI? I do now.”
You're absolutely right, C.A.
— D.G.Davies (@JustEsrafel) July 5, 2017
I also hope this serves as a lesson to any and all of us to stop and think. I have learned mine.
Max Londberg: 816-234-4378, @MaxLondberg
This story was originally published July 5, 2017 at 9:22 AM with the headline "NPR tweets the Declaration of Independence, and people freak out about a ‘revolution’."