The social media platform was alight with hashtags honoring the president’s birthday, as well as those castigating him for his handling of current events or simply praising former President Obama instead.
Twitter trolling was alive and well on Sunday as President Donald Trump celebrated his 74th birthday.
While there were plenty of hashtags in full support of Trump from his fans and followers, there were just as many taking jabs at the president in one way or another.
In what is likely an effort to goad Trump, who has criticized him constantly, former President Barack Obama was the subject of many of the various barbs slung Trump’s way through the social media platform, including trending topics for “REAL President” and “Best President Ever.”
In fact, the top trend through much of the morning was one declaring June 14, “Obama Day.” “Happy Birthday Trump” had to settle for second, but the twin placements serve well to emphasize the divide in this nation over the president.
But perhaps the most politically poignant hashtag to emerge as America celebrates the birthday of its president is “All Birthdays Matter,” which hit number one in trending topics on Saturday night in anticipation of Trump’s big day, and continued trending into Sunday.
A clear nod to the current protests against police brutality and systemic racism, it’s a not-so-subtle way to show how “All Lives Matter” is at best a complete and total misunderstanding of the intent behind “Black Lives Matter.” At worst, it’s just super racist.
As activists have tried to explain, “Black Lives Matter” does not mean that white lives don’t matter or that black lives matter more. It means that black lives are not being valued or are actively under attack, so we need to emphasize and shine a spotlight on black lives right now to right this wrong.
Sunday is Donald Trump’s birthday. By sharing “All Birthdays Matter” during his birthday, it’s a way of creating a parallel so that people can see how unnecessary it is to say “All Lives Matter” in response to a call that “Black Lives Matter.”
Or perhaps they believe no one should wish the president happy birthday today because while today may be his birthday, “All Birthdays Matter!” Why single out this birthday when everyone has one and their birthdays are just as important and valuable as Trump’s.
Or maybe it’s okay to single out anyone who’s birthday is today because right now it is their moment. And telling them happy birthday doesn’t mean you don’t care about someone else’s birthday. It just means that right now, at this moment in time, you’re going to focus on this birthday.
“Black Lives Matter” is at the heart of the current and ongoing protests in the wake of George Floyd’s killing while in the custody of four Minneapolis police officers.
He died under the knee of former officer Derek Chauvin, who knelt on him for 8 minutes and 46 seconds as he pleaded for his life, called for his dead mother and ultimately passed. Chauvin has been charged with 2nd degree murder and manslaughter, while the other three officers have been charged with aiding and abetting that murder.
As just the latest in a string of incidents of police brutality — disproportionately against black people — George Floyd’s death and name became the symbol of these protests, as “Black Lives Matter” emerged again as a battle cry against systemic racism in law enforcement and beyond.
And as happens every time the phrase emerges, counter phrases like “Blue Lives Matter” and “All Lives Matter” emerged from those who don’t get what “Black Lives Matter” is saying.
Always they seem to think the call is that only black lives matter or that somehow black lives matter more. Instead, they just want people to acknowledge that black lives matter at all in a country that doesn’t appear to value them — and maybe start to prove it.
You can check out some of the takes under the “All Birthdays Matter” trending topic below as Twitter tries to use it to educate the masses about the “BLM” movement and its true meaning — and maybe take (more than) a few jabs at Trump along the way
