Mitt Romney Shares Photo of Dad George in Civil Rights March, But the Reaction Isn’t All Positive

All across the country (and in many other parts of the world), protests continue to take place in honor of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and the many other African American citizens who have lost their lives at the hands of the police. While some have criticized the protests (specifically, the fact that some have led to rioting and looting), on Saturday, Utah Senator Mitt Romney took to Twitter to write a message that touched upon the recent unrest in this country. However, the reactions to his post weren't exactly all positive in nature.

On Saturday, Romney posted a photo of his father, George Romney, participating in a Civil Rights march in the 1960s. He then included a quote from his father that expressed that force will not "eliminate riots" and that the issue at hand needs to be addressed before change can take place. Not only is this a big statement regarding these anti-racism protests, but it also ties back to what President Donald Trump said recently regarding quelling any riots that take place in the country. (The president previously said that he would use the military to break up any demonstrations if governors are not able to take control of them.)

This is my father, George Romney, participating in a Civil Rights march in the Detroit suburbs during the late 1960s—“Force alone will not eliminate riots,” he said. “We must eliminate the problems from which they stem.” pic.twitter.com/SzrcAyfPD8

— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) June 6, 2020

Many users noted that this was a big statement coming from Romney, given that he is a major figurehead in the Republican party. However, there were just as many individuals on Twitter who related that Romney's tweet seemed like an empty gesture due to his very connection to the Republican party and Trump, himself.