Democratic New Jersey Congresswoman Paula Gilligan is under fire after posting a meme on social media, the New York Post reported Wednesday.
Gilligan caused controversy after sharing a meme on Instagram that described an Easter egg in a way that some people found offensive. Critics found the post offensive, while others accused the lawmaker of being anti-Christian. according to to the New York Post.
“Easter eggs are aborted baby chickens painted in drag for young children to worship,” the council member’s post said, according to the New York Post.
New Jersey politician comes under fire for sharing a meme calling Easter eggs ‘drug-painted aborted baby chickens’ https://t.co/Tk30Ugjmg5 pic.twitter.com/UbI5qzNOzE
— New York Post (@nypost) March 27, 2024
The newspaper said Gilligan’s political comments did not sit well with the Glen Rock community, which has about 12,000 residents. Critics on social media accused her post of disrespecting Christian traditions and questioned whether she would target other faiths as well. One Instagram user directly questioned whether Gilligan held a particular grudge against Catholics.
Gilligan said in a statement posted on the town’s website that the goal was to lampoon certain laws supported by some pro-life groups. She said her intention was not to ridicule Easter traditions, but rather to criticize the idea that fertilized eggs should have full constitutional rights due to fertilization, which she disagrees with. she said. (Related article: “Unfit to lead”: Pro-life group criticizes President Trump for saying abortion should be left to the state)
“I have become aware that there are residents in Glen Rock who are concerned about a meme on my personal Instagram story. This meme takes aim at the absurdity of the law of ‘personality’.” Ta. statement Said. “Currently, 40 bills with personhood language have been proposed in 16 states. Personhood language means that from the moment of fertilization, the egg should be legally recognized as a human being with full constitutional rights. This law refers to the legal language that codifies the dangerous concept that a person has the right to control their own body and life. This law supports the extremist political position that I oppose. My personal opinion is that there is.”
The entire City Council also posted an apology on Facebook for the Gilligan meme. “We have been made aware of a post on one of our city council members’ personal Instagram stories,” the statement said. read. “This post referenced Easter, the holiest day of the year in the Christian calendar, and addressed two issues unrelated to Easter. As the mayor and borough councilor, this post makes me feel bad. We apologize to everyone who was harmed.”
