On Monday night, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel joined the chorus of comedians and media figures bashing the anti-lockdown protesters, even going so far to suggest they were “suicidal.”
After Kimmel relayed several highlights to illustrate the extremeness of some protesters, including one in which a woman yelled “go to China if you want communism” at an angry healthcare worker, he then suggested that President Trump was fueling the protests.
“Well you know what they say: it ain’t over until the fat lady screams crazy rightwing talking points at a medical professional who’s trying to save their family’s lives,” said Kimmel, as reported by The Guardian.
“A big reason why these protests are gaining steam is because our president is encouraging them,” he continued. “Despite everyone who works for him telling people to stay at home, despite the official White House mandate being shelter in place, over the weekend the guy who runs the White House tweeted ‘LIBERATE MICHIGAN,’ ‘LIBERATE MINNESOTA’ and ‘LIBERATE VIRGINIA’. This from a man who refuses to even liberate Melania.”
Kimmel then alleged that the pro-Trump protesters might be suicidal for fighting so strongly for the things that “will kill them.”
“It really is irresponsible to the most unbelievable degree to be saying these things,” said Kimmel. “I’m starting to think these characters who support Trump might be suicidal – they seem to fight hardest for the things that will kill them. They want freedom to gather in large groups during an epidemic, they want guns, they want pollution. I figured it out – they want to die and they’re taking us down with them. It’s like if the Titanic were headed for the iceberg and half of the passengers were like ‘could you please speed this thing up?’”
Kimmel’s comments about the protesters echo those of “The View” co-host Joy Behar, who said last week that protesters in Michigan should waive their right to treatment if they get the coronavirus.
“Well, I’d like to ask them if they’re willing to sign away their right to treatment if and when they get infected,” Behar said. “Are you gonna say, ‘OK, I don’t need a ventilator because I thought I should go out and defy the governor’s order?’”
Behar also expressed concern that people of in affected states might move to other states and spread the infection.
“OK, and I’d like to know if people in states that are following the guidelines, like people like us in New York, can be sure that these people don’t come here,” she said. “I understand the fact that they’re upset they can’t get their veggies. But hello, we’re talking about this disease being way more infecting and worse than they even thought.”
On Saturday, comedian Patton Oswalt mocked protesters angered by the economic hardships brought on by the prolonged lockdowns, comparing them to famed Holocaust victim Anne Frank.
“Anne Frank spent 2 years hiding in an attic and we’ve been home for just over a month with Netflix, food delivery & video games and there are people risking viral death by storming state capital buildings & screaming, ‘Open Fuddruckers!’” the comedian tweeted.
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