As stronger, deadlier variants of the virus that's killed over 600 thousand Americans continue to emerge, Republicans across the country continue to push back against the Biden administration's efforts to ramp up vaccinations.
The White House recently announced an initiative in which volunteers would go door-to-door in under-vaccinated communities to give their neighbors information on where and how to get vaccinated.
Republicans immediately characterized this as federal overreach, falsely claiming government workers would be going door-to-door demanding proof of vaccination. Some Congressional Republicans, like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, compared the effort to Nazi Brown Shirts policing communities.
And on Wednesday, Republican Congressman Chip Roy of Texas shared an anti-vaccine meme.
"Come and take it" is a popular sentiment from gun rights activists as a challenge to the United States government—which boasts a $700 billion defense budget—to try and take their firearms without a fight.
Borrowing from this template, Roy shared a picture of a syringe with the caption "Come inject it."
Hey @POTUS - coming soon to https://chiproy.com\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/LzCSJt2qd7— Chip Roy (@Chip Roy) 1625672505
Roy also posted a link to his website, suggesting the image would soon be on merchandise in his store, which also boasts a tee shirt with an oil rig reading "Come and take it."
Once again, a Republican elected official was encouraging the refusal of lifesaving vaccines.
Keep rooting for COVID, Chip.https://twitter.com/chiproytx/status/1412799003020910603\u00a0\u2026— Brian Tyler Cohen (@Brian Tyler Cohen) 1625680009
In addition to the general asininity & health risks that come with creating vax culture wars, as a political matter this is moronic. COVID vaccination is like a 75/25 issue. Why do the Republicans want to just hand this to Biden?https://twitter.com/chiproytx/status/1412799003020910603\u00a0\u2026— Tim Miller (@Tim Miller) 1625683572
He thinks this is bad ass. \n\nThese guys are freaking cartoon morons at this point.https://twitter.com/chiproytx/status/1412799003020910603\u00a0\u2026— Fred Wellman (@Fred Wellman) 1625686056
Really hate the fuckin fact this guy is my district rep https://twitter.com/chiproytx/status/1412799003020910603\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/r26PaUq83v— Louie (@Louie) 1625765949
COVID First Congressman Chip Royhttps://twitter.com/chiproytx/status/1412799003020910603\u00a0\u2026— The Next Day (@The Next Day) 1625684995
This guy will still argue that Trump doesn\u2019t get enough credit for Operation Warp Speed toohttps://twitter.com/chiproytx/status/1412799003020910603\u00a0\u2026— Derek Caron (@Derek Caron) 1625679427
People soon responded with images of their own.
https://twitter.com/chiproytx/status/1412799003020910603\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/58wlNRDnke— Patrick Fenelon \ud83c\udf39 (@Patrick Fenelon \ud83c\udf39) 1625695437
coming soon to a graveyard near you https://twitter.com/chiproytx/status/1412799003020910603\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/iKn8XUpbZP— Brendan Karet \ud83d\udeae (@Brendan Karet \ud83d\udeae) 1625710728
https://twitter.com/chiproytx/status/1412799003020910603\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/mxipEhBT90— The Ghost of Thaddeus Stevens (@The Ghost of Thaddeus Stevens) 1625693125
At least one poll has found that most Americans approve of the door-to-door initiative.