Online leftists are taking issue with the use of the phrase “rest in power” to commemorate the death of the self-immolating airman because, apparently, that phrase is exclusively to be used for black people.
25-year-old Air Force Airman Aaron Bushnell lit himself on fire in front of Israel’s U.S. embassy Sunday afternoon in protest of U.S. support for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, according to officials. Many took to Twitter to praise what they saw as a sacrifice.
Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein quoted Bushnell in a tweet praising his “sacrifice,” writing “Rest in power Aaron Bushnell. ‘I will no longer be complicit in genocide. Free Palestine!’ May his sacrifice deepen our commitment to stop genocide now.”
Rest in power Aaron Bushnell.
“I will no longer be complicit in genocide. Free Palestine!”
May his sacrifice deepen our commitment to stop genocide now. pic.twitter.com/AmXUfz1SLG
— Dr. Jill Stein🌻 (@DrJillStein) February 26, 2024
But apparently even self-immolation is not enough of a sacrifice for leftist causes if you’re white. A number of online leftists bashed the use of the phrase “rest in power” as it is, according to these absolutely insane people, reserved exclusively for black people. (RELATED: ‘Monster’: Trump Reacts To Murder Of Laken Riley, Reiterates Pledge To Set Up Largest Deportation In US History)
“Can we not use this phrase on white men please. I get the sentiment but rest in power is historically used to mourn black people who were killed by hate crimes and police,” Twitter user @VeronicaLucya wrote, before changing her profile to private to, presumably, avoid seeing legitimate criticisms of the crippling stupidity she just unleashed upon the world.
lmfaooooooooo pic.twitter.com/ktLxGZN1Fh
— Ben Shapiro’s Biceps 💪🍋🔆 (@conro) February 26, 2024
Another user, @LaylaMagdalene, wrote “Rest in power is for BLACK people. Black people have asked time and time again not to use this outside of the community. And every single time you do.”
rest in power is for BLACK people. black people have asked time and time again not to use this outside of the community. and every single time you do.
— layla (@laymagdalene) February 26, 2024
Besides the fact that it’s just objectively not true that this phrase was originally used to mourn black people who suffered from police brutality, what does tweeting something like this do for you? Score you woke points with like 19 people on Twitter?
I truly don’t understand these people. They would sacrifice a caucus-unifying moment for a cause they supposedly care about in Palestine to build a monument to their own narcissism and let everyone know “look, I have a nuanced take that proves I’m intellectually distinct AND morally superior!” Get over yourselves, weirdos.