A history professor in New York — a self-avowed Democratic socialist — is facing intense backlash because she admitted she wants to hug former President George W. Bush following his father’s death.
Just days after former President George H.W. Bush passed away last Friday, professor Claire Potter of the New School in New York City wrote, “I opposed George W. Bush in all things for eight years. Now, all I can think about is that he has lost both parents in one year, and I just want to hug him.”
I opposed George W. Bush in all things for eight years. Now, all I can think about is that he has lost both parents in one year, and I just want to hug him.
— Claire Potter (@TenuredRadical) December 5, 2018
Potter was swiftly rebuked for daring to post a tweet with human emotions, relating to a former president — in a completely non-political way — following the deaths of both of his parents.
One Twitter user wrote, “The fact that you are a professor of history is very, very distressing.”
“All I can think about,” another tweeted, “are all of the children who lost their parents in Bush’s senseless wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
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Someone else wrote, “Now he only has to lose 999,998 other loved ones to understand the impact of his war crimes.”
After responding directly to numerous tweets criticizing her kind-hearted words, Potter encouraged naysayers to look to Luke 6:31, which reads, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
And seriously — who would you prefer to be loved by, God or Twitter?
— Claire Potter (@TenuredRadical) December 6, 2018
Former President George H.W. Bush died last Friday at 94 years old. Former first lady Barbara Bush passed away at the age of 92 in mid-April.
The elder Bush had funeral services this week in Washington, D.C., and Houston.