Cruelty after an inspiring family moment

Opinion editor’s note: Editorials represent the opinions of the Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom.

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Gus Walz loves his dad and is proud of him. It’s not OK to mock him or his family for that.

It’s a sad reflection on our nation that some people need to be told this after a heartwarming moment during the Democratic National Convention this week. As Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz formally accepted his party’s vice presidential nomination in Chicago on Wednesday, TV cameras turned toward his wife Gwen and his two kids, Gus and Hope, hoping to capture their reaction.

Gus, who is 17, didn’t hold back. He stood up in his seat, enthusiastically pointing toward the podium. He had tears in his eyes as he appeared to say, “That’s my dad.” The love was reciprocated from the stage, as Walz told his family that they are his “entire world.”

Gus’s exuberance has understandably gone viral on social media, mostly for the right reasons. The teen’s pride speaks volumes about his relationship with his father. A bond like this can’t be manufactured for a political spectacle like the DNC. Instead, it’s been nurtured over Gus’ lifetime. Walz is clearly a loving father, one of the most important character references of all.

Lamentably, this lovely moment brought out some people’s worst instincts on social media. Emotionally bankrupt trolls had to inject their own inner ugliness into Gus’s happiness, trying to pop it like a child’s birthday party balloon.

Among them: Ann Coulter, a conservative political commentator, who tweeted “Talk about weird...” over a picture of Gus at the convention.

Another: a Wisconsin radio host whose comments about Gus crossed into cruelty. Jay Weber, of WISN, tweeted an attack on Gus, saying that he was “blubbering,” adding an expletive as well, and then said the country is “screwed” if the Walz family represents American men. Weber has since apologized, saying he didn’t know that Gus has a learning disorder.

As apologies go, this is a weak and self-serving. Would it have been OK if Gus didn’t have a learning disorder? The answer, which is obvious to decent people, is no. It’s fine to take issue with a candidate’s substance and policies. But an attack on a candidate’s child, one who did nothing more than cry with joy, crosses bright clear lines of acceptable behavior.

Coulter and Weber have faced backlash for their remarks. They should. Their comments revealed more than just poor judgment. This put an unflattering spotlight on their character, revealing them to be nothing more than playground bullies. That should give pause well into the future to those who either listen to them or must deal with them in person.

The incident raises other broader questions about political discourse in the United States. Politics has always been a blood sport. But technology and social media has unfortunately taken it to the next level.

Those who hide behind anonymous social media usernames can give in to their worst impulses, saying things that likely would have been kept under wraps in a different era. And some who use their name, like Coulter or former President Donald Trump, have made a career out of personal attacks. Alex Jones, who once might have been confined to a carnival barker career or selling snake oil decades ago, has instead made millions peddling conspiracy theories hosting InfoWars.

Traditional accountability mechanisms, such as the court system and legacy media, have struggled to keep up. It’s an unsettling place to be, one that calls for introspection on all our parts. What kind of information consumers are we? Do we know how to differentiate between credible and noncredible sources of information? Are we teaching our children that valuable skill?

Thankfully, moments of humanity have long graced political campaigns and will continue to do so, even if we don’t collectively deserve or appreciate them. One happened in the south metro in 2008, when John McCain, who was the Republican candidate for president that year, defended his opponent Barack Obama as a “decent family man” after a woman in the Lakeville audience accused Obama of being an untrustworthy “Arab.” President Joe Biden’s befriending a youngster with a stutter is another example.

Gus Walz’s pure, unfiltered love for his dad was another such inspiring moment and will be remembered long after the DNC departs Chicago. It ought to be celebrated. This is what being “pro-family” looks like in real life.

If your instinct is to deride the boy or his parents for that, you’re the problem.

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To our readers: Editorials are signed by their authors when they align with the general views and longstanding principles of the board but are based on the reporting and expertise of the writer. They will be unsigned when they reflect a strong consensus of the board.