GOP Claims Racism Is Over In Misguided Rosa Parks Tribute (UPDATED)

GOP Claims Racism Is Over In Misguided Rosa Parks Tribute

Managing Editor, Breaking News, HuffPost

On Sunday, the Republican National Committee tweeted out an ill-advised tribute to civil rights icon Rosa Parks, praising the late activist for "her role in ending racism."

Today we remember Rosa Parks’ bold stand and her role in ending racism. pic.twitter.com/uxIj1QmtkU
— GOP (@GOP) December 1, 2013

The message was widely mocked by Twitter users who pointed out that the end of racism was news to them:

BREAKING: GOP says racism is over. In related news: "We were joking about that Kenyan-Muslim-socialist-dictator-Madrassa-foodstamp thing."
— Goldie Taylor (@goldietaylor) December 1, 2013

Hey guys, remember racism? RT @GOP: Today we remember Rosa Parks’ bold stand and her role in ending racism. pic.twitter.com/M6D8ixRjet
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) December 1, 2013

.@GOP Why is this upsetting people? Racism IS over; I've never suffered from it in my life.
— rob delaney (@robdelaney) December 1, 2013

It also sparked a hashtag: #RacismEndedWhen:

#RacismEndedWhen The Jeffersons "moved on up."
— Lizz “65 women like me too" Winstead (@lizzwinstead) December 1, 2013

& I thot #RacismEndedWhen Michelle Pfeiffer taught a ragtag bunch of ethnic teens to express themselves thru poetry https://t.co/hBVJUntBm8
— Spencer Ackerman (@attackerman) December 1, 2013

UPDATE: 2:01 p.m. ET -- The RNC responded to criticism later Sunday and said the earlier tweet was misworded.