Social media was not kind to the Williamson County Republican Party after they shared a racist meme featuring U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D- N.Y.

The image, included at the bottom of a newsletter sent by Debbie Deaver, chair of the Williamson County Republican Party, shows a woman interviewing Ocasio-Cortez and her opinion on the 1973 Supreme Court decisions Roe v. Wade, which affired a women's right to have an abortion.

The lawmaker is shown responding, "Thats (sic) the only two ways Mexicans can cross the river."

Deaver has defended the decision to includ the image in an official party newsletter.

"Allowing a few people on the left to whip up media outrage over political satire is just another example of the left manipulating the press to present their narrative as truth and all other views as wrong or worse racist," Deaver said in an email to the Tennessean on Tuesday.

"The Republican Party of Williamson County will not let those outside our organization tell us what we can or can't say.

"While the Williamson County Republican Party respects the rights of all individuals and we stand united by the Republican Party platform as a big tent where all are welcome, we do grant our members the platitude to decide for themselves what offends them," Deaver said.

Those that took to Twitter didn't share the same view. Though there was a smattering of those who agreed the image was political satire, most of the reaction was a swift and loud condemnation of the image and the fact that the party thought it was appropriate to share in an official capacity.

Gov. Bill Lee spokeswoman Laine Arnold declined to comment on the matter.

Elaina Sauber and Emily West contributed to this report.

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THE IMAGE:Meme of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called racist, shared in Williamson County Republican Party email