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Anyone who's surfed the internet for a while has probably seen the "Success Kid" meme: an image of a toddler on the beach with his fist clenched and a look that's the stuff of an inspirational poster.
In case you need a refresher, here's the image:
The image launched a thousand memes and it remains one of the most recognizable images on the internet.
So recognizable is the picture that Congressman Steve King (R-IA) used it in a fundraising status on Facebook.
White nationalist Rep. Steve King (R-IA) is asking for money "to make sure the memes keep flowing and the Lefties s… https://t.co/wPPnXyrjMO— Eric Hananoki (@Eric Hananoki)1579798357.0
The post read:
"QUESTION: Do you enjoy our memes?? 🤔 If so, please click the link below and throw us a few dollars to make sure the memes keep flowing and the Lefties stay triggered 🤯 Thank you! 👍🇺🇸"
You may remember King as the Congressman who asked why White supremacy is offensive, compared immigrants to dirt and asked where civilization would be without rape and incest.
King was stripped of his committee positions in the House by his own party because of his statements.
His latest meme-paign using Success Kid has been anything but a success, because the child's mother, Laney Griner, just sent him a cease and desist, along with a Twitter thread explaining her decision.
1/5 I recently learned that Iowa Representative Steve King is using my copyrighted photograph of my minor son Samue… https://t.co/9ixW4GadMo— Laney Griner (@Laney Griner)1580158188.0
2/5 Representative King and his campaign staff appropriated “Success Kid” without my permission. “Success Kid’s” i… https://t.co/nX6GoGLbEA— Laney Griner (@Laney Griner)1580158218.0
3/5 nor would we have ever agreed to this use. I do not endorse Representative King and, like most people, I stron… https://t.co/sKd9gyaVTb— Laney Griner (@Laney Griner)1580158242.0
4/5 was taken without our permission and endorsement, and refund the money his campaign received from misusing ‘Success Kid”.— Laney Griner (@Laney Griner)1580158275.0
5/5 For any further inquiries, please contact my legal counsel Stephen D. Rothschild of King, Holmes, Paterno & Sor… https://t.co/jYK34rHipI— Laney Griner (@Laney Griner)1580158297.0
Griner made it clear that not only does she not approve of King's use of the image, but she strongly disagrees with what he stands for. King's team has taken the photo off of the page, but the Congressman has yet to comment on the removal of it or Griner's rebuke.
Twitter is living for Griner's takedown.
Drag his ass https://t.co/viFiIJDVBn— Super Nintendo Chalmers (@Super Nintendo Chalmers)1580233921.0
Using intellectual property law for the power of good: to support the rights of citizens against the wealthy and po… https://t.co/bUq5gnhglV— Tim Pierce (@Tim Pierce)1580230292.0
Always fun to see Steve King called out for the trash he is. https://t.co/tG3JqgWdpG— Geewhipped (@Geewhipped)1580222472.0
YES! THIS THREAD! https://t.co/pvhPcEOaHa— Bobby (@Bobby)1580220798.0
Mom of “Success Kid” meme forbids GOP Rep Steve King to use her copyrighted photograph of the toddler in his campai… https://t.co/Hw0hhd5N6m— 🇺🇸 𝘗𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘗𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘺 🇳🇱 (@🇺🇸 𝘗𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘗𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘺 🇳🇱)1580229967.0
Griner said in another reply:
"The baby in the meme he posted is my son, who is now 13 and smart enough to be a Trump hating liberal."
Success kids are clearly raised by success parents.