Switch to the mobile version of this page.

San Antonio Current

        
Tweet

Email

Print
Share

Monday, November 23, 2020

Twitter users blast Sen. Ted Cruz for sharing 'war on Thanksgiving' meme as Texas COVID deaths rise

Posted By Sanford Nowlin on Mon, Nov 23, 2020 at 10:55 AM

click to enlarge

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz - GAGE SKIDMORE / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas drew harsh criticism this weekend for tweeting a "war on Thanksgiving" meme while the national guard helped El Paso deal with overflowing morgues and Dallas residents flocked for emergency food aid.

Cruz, a Republican known for his frequent Twitter brawls with celebrities, tweeted out the meme Saturday. Its imagery plays on the "Come and Take It" flag flown during Texas' war for independence.

pic.twitter.com/HSCSdXkst9
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) November 22, 2020

Right-wing figures ranging from fellow Texas Republican U.S. Rep. Chip Roy to talk radio hosts have embraced the "war on Thanksgiving" culture-war narrative to falsely claim government officials are forcing Americans not to celebrate the holiday amid the pandemic.

In reality, the Centers for Disease Control and others have recommended people avoid large gatherings and travel, celebrating instead with their immediate households to avoid worsening already escalating COVID-19 numbers.

Twitter users dogpiled Cruz over the callous tweet, pointing out that his own state has been hit particularly hard as coronavirus cases balloon. U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minnesota, shared an article about thousands lining up for an emergency food distribution in Dallas, while others retweeted articles about the alarming COVID-19 death toll in El Paso.

"Twitter isn’t real life. Memes aren’t legislation," one user tweeted in response to Cruz's meme. "Americans are suffering & too many — too far removed from our struggle — are thinking about re-election."

https://t.co/favs1CDrDq pic.twitter.com/oWC3HEQXjs
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) November 22, 2020

This is the Senator’s home state *this weekend* as the National Guard & jail trustees load tractor trailers with bodies.

Twitter isn’t real life. Memes aren’t legislation.

Americans are suffering & too many - too far removed from our struggle - are thinking about re-election. https://t.co/F1D7MLxDC3 pic.twitter.com/8xA49Jsgdv
— Gregg Favre (@GreggFavre) November 22, 2020

Predictably, new anti-Ted Cruz memes also appeared. (In addition to the myriad already created during his more than seven years in the Senate.)

pic.twitter.com/Mi9SBXchhc
— Andrew Lawrence (@ndrew_lawrence) November 22, 2020

While it's easy to understand the outrage, arguing with Cruz on Twitter is kind of pointless. To a large degree, he's made his name as a politician taking to social media to bait progressives and play to his base.

It's increasingly clear Cruz has little interest in truth or working to find any middle ground. After all, this is guy who said with the fucking cameras rolling that he "guaranteed" COVID-19 restrictions would evaporate a week after Joe Biden won the election.

Sen. @tedcruz: "We are paying a whole lot of people a lot more money to stay home and not work than they made on their jobs -- and that is terrible." pic.twitter.com/EfqTJERkNt
— The Hill (@thehill) July 22, 2020

Stay on top of San Antonio news and views. Sign up for our Weekly Headlines Newsletter.

Tags: Ted Cruz, war on thanksgiving, Come and Take it meme, El Paso national guard, Dallas food distribution, culture war, twitter, meme, Texas, Texas politics, pandemic, covid-19, covid 19, coronavirus, corona virus, Centers for Disease Control, Image

San Antonio Current works for you, and your support is essential.

Our small but mighty local team works tirelessly to bring you high-quality, uncensored news and cultural coverage of San Antonio and beyond.

Unlike many newspapers, ours is free – and we'd like to keep it that way, because we believe, now more than ever, everyone deserves access to accurate, independent coverage of their community.

Whether it's a one-time acknowledgement of this article or an ongoing pledge, your support helps keep San Antonio's true free press free.