Greta Thunberg Wins ‘TIME Person Of The Year,’ Leftists Celebrate, Don Jr. Smacks Them

Sixteen-year-old climate change activist Greta Thunberg was named TIME “Person of the Year” on Wednesday, becoming the youngest person in history to receive such a high honor.

.@GretaThunberg is TIME's 2019 Person of the Year #TIMEPOY https://t.co/YZ7U6Up76v pic.twitter.com/SWALBfeGl6

— TIME (@TIME) December 11, 2019

“Thunberg is not a leader of any political party or advocacy group,” TIME said in the article. “She is neither the first to sound the alarm about the climate crisis nor the most qualified to fix it. She is not a scientist or a politician. She has no access to traditional levers of influence: she’s not a billionaire or a princess, a pop star or even an adult. She is an ordinary teenage girl who, in summoning the courage to speak truth to power, became the icon of a generation. By clarifying an abstract danger with piercing outrage, Thunberg became the most compelling voice on the most important issue facing the planet.”

Predictably, leftists have been celebrating the news, seemingly unbothered by the fact she won over the Hong Kong Protesters.

“I couldn’t think of a better Person of the Year than [Greta Thunberg],” tweeted none other than failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. “I am grateful for all she’s done to raise awareness of the climate crisis and her willingness to tell hard, motivating truths. As she said today: ‘Change is coming, whether you like it or not.'”

I couldn't think of a better Person of the Year than @GretaThunberg. I am grateful for all she's done to raise awareness of the climate crisis and her willingness to tell hard, motivating truths.

As she said today: "Change is coming, whether you like it or not." #gutsywomen pic.twitter.com/ltCoo9NbS2

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) December 11, 2019

“Deserved. Also, I want to rub it in the smug faces of the bitter men who are intimidated by her power,” tweeted author Kimberly Johnson. “All the angry mantrolls are very upset Greta Thunberg is Time’s person of the year. When I point out their petty insecurity, they swarm and say I’m smug, angry, bloated (period reference) and bitter. They are so sad and predictable.”

Deserved.

Also, I want to rub it in the smug faces of the bitter men who are intimidated by her power. https://t.co/QpMsyWOmuI

— Kimberley Johnson (@AuthorKimberley) December 11, 2019

“Even though I was rooting for the Hong Kong protestors, I am overjoyed for Greta Thunberg and her well deserved Time Magazine Person of the Year award,” tweeted Dr. Eugene Gu. “Rather than snubbing Donald Trump, this is about having faith in the power of youth to save our world. Go Greta!”

Even though I was rooting for the Hong Kong protestors, I am overjoyed for Greta Thunberg and her well deserved Time Magazine Person of the Year award. Rather than snubbing Donald Trump, this is about having faith in the power of youth to save our world. Go Greta! pic.twitter.com/IbXDwB6dyL

— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) December 11, 2019

“Greta Thunberg wins #TimeMagazine 2019 Person of the Year. She simultaneously awakens the spirit of our collective childhood along with the wisdom of Mother Earth. Greta gives us hope, inspiration, wisdom, and a profound sense of urgency,” tweeted Dr. Jack Brown.

Greta Thunberg wins #TimeMagazine 2019 Person of the Year. She simultaneously awakens the spirit of our collective childhood along with the wisdom of Mother Earth. Greta gives us hope, inspiration, wisdom, and a profound sense of urgency.#GretaThunberg #TIMEPersonoftheYear2019 pic.twitter.com/oxzYn9F7Wr

— DrJackBrown 🌊 (@DrGJackBrown) December 11, 2019

“Among the powerful things about this choice of [Thunberg] is that she doesn’t believe in the fantasy of the ‘win-win,'” tweeted TIME editor-at-large Anand Giridharadas. “She is telling us that real change is costly, real change requires giving things up, the loss of power and privilege, new systems, new ways of life. She isn’t just inspirational, and she isn’t just talking about the planet, as big as that is! She is indicting an entire way of life, and a way of telling ourselves we are making a difference when we are not.”

https://twitter.com/AnandWrites/status/1204780346438488066?s=20

Conservatives had a different reaction to the news in light of the fact that the protesters in Hong Kong were made to take a backseat to a teenaged climate change activist. Among those unimpressed with Time’s choice was Donald Trump Jr., who worked in a reference to Thunberg’s U.N. speech:

“Time leaves out the Hong Kong Protesters fighting for their lives and freedoms to push a teen being used as a marketing gimmick. How dare you?” tweeted Trump Jr.

Time leaves out the Hong Kong Protesters fighting for their lives and freedoms to push a teen being used as a marketing gimmick.

How dare you? https://t.co/dnV9mESM6G

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) December 11, 2019

“Wow cisgendered white girl as person of the year. Time Magazine reinforcing white heteronormativity once again. Outrageous,” tweeted Matt Walsh.

Wow cisgendered white girl as person of the year. Time Magazine reinforcing white heteronormativity once again. Outrageous. https://t.co/pb4zgeDUFp

— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) December 11, 2019

https://twitter.com/SebGorka/status/1204779785408458752?s=20

In an appearance on NBC’s “Today,” TIME’s editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal said that Thunberg represents the cultural shift in which the protests of young people are changing the world, from Hong Kong to Parkland.

“She also represents a broader generational shift in the culture that we’re seeing from the campuses of Hong Kong to the protests in Chile to Parkland, Florida, where the students marched against gun violence where young people are demanding change urgently,” said Felsenthal.

“She became the biggest voice on the biggest issue facing the planet this year.” TIME Editor-in-Chief @efelsenthal talks about why TIME chose @GretaThunberg to be Person of the Year.

Thunberg, 16, is also the youngest person to ever receive the honor. pic.twitter.com/eTvLAiRtFW

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) December 11, 2019

Last year, TIME selected “The Guardians and the War on Truth” as the “Person of the Year,” represented by journalists who have either been jailed or killed in their line of work.