House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., holds up a copy of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress that she tore up on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020. At left Rep. Billy Long, R-Mo. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Last night, after President Donald Trump was done giving his State of the Union speech, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi promptly held it up and tore the document in half for all the world to see. The Democrats, who spent quite a bit of time sitting stock still in anger and resentment, finally took to their feet to applaud Pelosi’s petty move.
And it was petty. It was thoughtless. It was cruel.
It wasn’t all those things because she ripped up a speech in a dramatic effort to show dissent against a man that she hates with every bone in her body. It was all those things because of what the speech represented.
In that speech was news that unemployment across many different races and age groups was at an all-time low. It had plans to help the environment, news that crime was on the decline and that the opioid epidemic was starting to ebb. It had hope for the future of medicine and good words for those in need.
What Pelosi ripped up was more than just a speech, it was the celebration of America on the rise. It was a celebration of you and your success.
(READ: Remember That the Democrats Sat While You Were Celebrated Last Night)
But more than that, it was the stories and emotional moments that unfolded last night that Pelosi ripped up. The GOP posted to Twitter the various people who were in the gallery that Trump brought attention to. These aren’t nameless people or generalities, these were people with real stories. Representatives of humanity of every shape and size.
Jody Jones’ brother Rocky was slain by an illegal immigrant in California. This criminal had a long list of crimes to his name but thanks to California’s sanctuary city laws, he was still able to roam freely. Trump promised Jones justice and to put a stop to these laws that allow these kinds of murders to happen.
✔️Jody is from Farmersville, CA, & the brother of Rocky—who was killed by an illegal immigrant
✔️Rocky leaves behind a precious daughter
✔️@realDonaldTrump’s #SOTU guestThe criminal alien had previously been arrested for violent crimes & deported twice.
Meet Jody Jones⬇️ pic.twitter.com/ICeg312DpI
— GOP (@GOP) February 5, 2020
Pelosi ripped Jones up.
Janiya is a brilliant child who is stuck in a low performing school, but thanks to Republican efforts will now be able to go to a much better school of her choice. Her mother, Stephanie, is a single mother wants the best for her child and will now get the best.
✔️Janiyah is a 4th grader who loves art & math
✔️Stephanie is Janiyah's hardworking single mom
✔️@realDonaldTrump’s #SOTU guestsJaniyah is assigned to low-performing schools—due to PA’s school choice legislation, she's on a ~50K student waitlist.
Meet Stephanie & Janiyah⬇️ pic.twitter.com/8wh5tMDi4J
— GOP (@GOP) February 4, 2020
Pelosi ripped them up.
Tony Rankins is a veteran who suffered from PTSD and fell into drug addiction. He clawed his way from the bottom and is now on stable ground with his job and his family. His story is an example for many that even at rock bottom, you can still come back.
✔️Army Veteran
✔️Works in an Opportunity Zone in OH
✔️@realDonaldTrump’s #SOTU guestTony suffered from PTSD, became homeless & addicted to drugs, & served prison sentences. But thanks to his job, he overcame his addiction & has been reunited w/ his family.
Meet Tony Rankins⬇️ pic.twitter.com/YDqWxGFFKG
— GOP (@GOP) February 5, 2020
Pelosi ripped him up.
Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Hake was killed overseas by a bomb. That bomb was supplied by one of our greatest enemies, Iran’s terrorist general Qasem Soleimani. His widow Kelli and her son Gage got justice when Trump ordered the killing of Soleimani.
✔️Gage is the son of Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Hake
✔️Kelli is the brave mother of Gage & widow of Christopher
✔️@realDonaldTrump’s #SOTU guestsChristopher was killed by a bomb supplied by Soleimani. Last month, POTUS ordered the killing of Soleimani.
Meet Kelli & Gage⬇️ pic.twitter.com/zzPWuXRBa8
— GOP (@GOP) February 5, 2020
Pelosi ripped them up.
Charles McGee is a 100-year-old military legend. He was a member of the Tuskegee Airmen and has inspired the careers of many people.
Meet Brig. Gen. Charles McGee.
You may have seen him during the #SuperBowl coin toss or last night's #SOTU address. Today, you can hear him discuss his trailblazing career with Alvin Drew of @NASA_Astronauts.
Tune in to NASA TV at 11:30am ET: https://t.co/n67b2Ty5Nt pic.twitter.com/PV397fhl2t
— NASA (@NASA) February 5, 2020
Pelosi ripped him up.
Last night, Amy Williams and her family were honored by Trump. She is the wife of a military man and she works to help military families like hers while raising two children.
Last night, during the State of the Union, she was reunited with her husband in a momentously touching moment.
Amy Williams is a military spouse and mother of two young children.
She works full time and devotes hundreds of hours to helping military families, all while raising her two children as her husband serves his fourth deployment.
Their family was reunited tonight at #SOTU. pic.twitter.com/UQQAVUXHto
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 5, 2020
Pelosi ripped them all up.
There were more than even these stories, but as the White House tweeted, Pelosi’s ripping wasn’t just Trump’s speech, it was people.
Speaker Pelosi just ripped up:
One of our last surviving Tuskegee Airmen.
The survival of a child born at 21 weeks.
The mourning families of Rocky Jones and Kayla Mueller.
A service member's reunion with his family.
That's her legacy.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 5, 2020
This is the state of the Democratic Party. The party that tells you it’s your friend, but refuses to stand to celebrate you and is so shallow that its leaders and members don’t put forth the foresight when acting out their anger and hatred.
Remember, the Democrats rose excitedly and applauded Pelosi ripping up that speech. What they really did was rise up and applaud the destruction of you.