To schadenfreud or not to schadenfreud — that is the question

"Schadenfreud" is obviously a verb, possibly one I have invented. Its meaning should be obvious.

What it addresses, if not already obvious, will be soon.

Back in Trump 1.0, this was also an issue. Occasionally, like with Markos Moulitsas, founder of Daily Kos, on the Kentucky coal ash floods, it was taken too far.

Already this administration, though, many individual librulz, and certainly centrists and Never Trumper Rethuglicans, are saying "don't schadenfreud."

Wrong!

Per Markos? About anything short of death is OK to schadenfreud.

After all, these are people who are actually rejoicing in their own family members being fired.

Schadenfreud away.

If the NOAA/NWS cuts stay in place and a major hurricane hits the Gulf Coast with less warning than before on intensification? One can feel sorrow for the other victims, yet schadenfreude for these. Ditto for western wildfires. Ditto for being scammed on bitcoins. Fill in other things you can think of.

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That said, this isn't just about MAGAts, even if the people I am about to mention are ardent Trumpers.

Take the Mennonites in Gaines County, Texas. The Atlantic interviewed the family of the first measles death there. The father is apparently leader of its church.

I don't take pleasure in her death. I do understand Mennonites traditionally have a complicated relationship to governing agencies. But, I don't really extend sympathy to them either, at least not the parents.

That's especially since, per NBC, the family cooperated with Brainworm Bobby's Children's Health Defense and, AFTER the child's death, did an antivaxxer video.