As we’ve seen all too often during the campaign, any reporter who dares write anything the least bit critical about Donald Trump risks all manner of attacks from pro-Trump alt-right trolls on Twitter–including graphic death threats.
Well, on Friday we learned just how far these thugs are willing to go. They’re even willing to bombard a reporter with threats when he or she calls out something that no one with any iota of decency can defend–like Trump’s hateful and potentially criminal comments in 2005 that he could grab women and do anything he wanted with them.
Hours after the now-infamous tape went live, Mic’s Melanie Ehrenkranz took to Twitter with her thoughts on what this tape says about the Donald’s supporters.
At the polls if you vote for Trump you should get an "I <3 misogyny" sticker instead of an "I voted" sticker
— Melanie Ehrenkranz (@MelanieHannah) October 7, 2016
In response, a Trump supporter with the Twitter handle “LawlessPirate” screengrabbed Ehrenkranz’ tweet and added this.
I wonder how long it took @MelanieHannah to come up with this, "clever" and "original" tweet! ? Such talent! pic.twitter.com/dyLNjk0fON
— Hutch (@EladHutch) October 7, 2016
According to Ehrenkranz, the pro-Trump brownshirts took this as a signal to attack. After all, by screengrabbing the tweet, LawlessPirate was “dog-whistling my face and name to conservative trolls.”
It didn’t take long for the trolls to roll in. One user suggested that Ehrenkranz ought to be committed.
https://twitter.com/actu_reality/status/784498997272641536
So calling out a guy who thinks it’s even remotely okay to degrade women is a sign that you aren’t sane. Yeah, OK.
That same person thought anyone who votes for Hillary should be killed where he or she stands at the polls.
https://twitter.com/actu_reality/status/784498765667438595
A member of a very exclusive club–women who support Trump–actually hoped that Ehrenkranz would get raped at some point.
https://twitter.com/bmoore9468/status/784520000870768640
She was also bombarded with tweets calling her “f*cking s**thead,” “c**t,” “dumb b*tch,” and “fagit.” But some of the most chilling tweets of all came in the form of graphic death threats, such as this one from a Norwegian nationalist and Trump supporter.
https://twitter.com/TorOdinssonn/status/784493035270901761
As the threats piled in, Ehrenkranz decided to have a little fun with them.
https://twitter.com/MelanieHannah/status/784504783579279361
Apparently this got under one Trump troll’s skin.
https://twitter.com/TheStootSlap/status/784524043282214912
She also spent the day watching women who made even stronger statements condemning Trump’s degrading comments get hit with “misogynistic comments and death threats galore.” To her mind, it’s not only evidence that Trump’s debauched behavior “validates and empowers his fanbase,” but creates an atmosphere on social media “where women who have an opinion can’t feel safe.”
I’d go one better. It should send a chill down anyone’s spine that anyone should have to fear being trashed and threatened when they speak out against behavior that cannot be defended.
(featured image courtesy Ehrenkranz’ Facebook)
