Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie was criticized for tweeting a meme showing an image of a person’s wrist tattooed with a concentration camp identification number as a way to oppose coronavirus vaccine mandates.
The tweet was later removed by Twitter or deleted by Massie himself, but screenshots were widely shared by users on Twitter.
Republican Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie deleted a tweet Wednesday night comparing vaccine mandates to the Holocaust. pic.twitter.com/QTSSH7eqpY
— Andy Kaczynski (@KFILE) August 26, 2021
An intern in Massie’s office later quit, stating on Twitter that the offensive tweet was a red line.
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The tweet seems to follow comments made by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a conspiracy theorist and fierce QAnon supporter, who has previously equated COVID-19 safety measures, like mask mandates, to the treatment of Jews during the Holocaust.
Although Greene later apologized, her remarks led to condemnation across the political spectrum, which included members of her own party. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy openly rejected the Georgia Republican’s “appalling” rhetoric in May.
Many further condemned Massie on Twitter:
Wait until Rep Massive reads the ID requirements to vote that his party wants to enforce. https://t.co/T7I451R884
— Aleksei Ilídio Valentín (he/they) ✡️♿🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ (@ai_valentin) August 26, 2021
This is screenshot Massie’s removed tweet. As a Jewish American, I am seriously disturbed by Republican use of Holocaust comparisons to vaccine mandate! pic.twitter.com/gJoKQaL0rB
— abastello2 Call me Andi 🇺🇦 🌊🌊#DemocracyWarrior (@abastello2) August 26, 2021
Comparing the vaccine cards to the numbers tattooed into the arms of Hitler’s victims is both ignorant and disgusting. Rep. Massie must delete his tweet and apologize to those who suffered the crimes of the Nazis, and all those who honor the memories of the victims.
— Rep. Brad Schneider (@RepSchneider) August 26, 2021
It's not just that @RepThomasMassie knows nothing about the Holocaust. He also apparently has never heard of credit cards. https://t.co/yTmn1JCpvE
— David Frum (@davidfrum) August 26, 2021
It's a fundamental right that any person off the street can enter a Republican national convention with no fussy demand to show so-called "credentials" pic.twitter.com/BAFFwnfXnD
— David Frum (@davidfrum) August 26, 2021
