CNN’s tweet honoring Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy on Monday was met with backlash for stating that the civil rights icon was a socialist “before it was cool.”

CNN’s remarks were met with silence by prominent liberals, but generated a swift backlash from conservative voices.

“Is CNN suggesting it wasn’t cool to starve to death in China circa 1960 because THAT was an amazing party,” said FoxNews.com contributor Stephen Miller.

“And here’s CNN using Martin Luther King Jr for a chance to call socialism cool. Take a bow, CNN,” wrote Josh Jordan.

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The tweet linked to an article by CNN writer/producer John Blake, which explained King’s ties to socialism at length.

“There was a time in American politics when calling someone a socialist was a slur. Not anymore, at least for many younger Americans who are developing a distrust of capitalism,” wrote Blake. “Many historians describe him as a ‘democratic socialist,’ someone who, according to the Democratic Socialists of America, believes the economy should be shaped “‘to meet public needs’ and ‘not to make profits for a few.'”

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The article then approvingly cites fawning remarks made by King about socialism in the 1960s, a time when socialist regimes in China and the Soviet Union starved millions of people.

Below is the original tweet along with reactions.

- He's an environmental hero - He was a socialist before it was cool - He never let a political disagreement turn nasty Many Americans have turned MLK into a safe holiday mascot, but some say King still speaks in ways that go beyond civil rights https://t.co/zMBtSBfPIm pic.twitter.com/Y8gl4Kx7lP — CNN (@CNN) January 15, 2018

Is CNN suggesting it wasn't cool to starve to death in China circa 1960, because THAT was an amazing party https://t.co/r5DH2qoj0W — Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) January 15, 2018

And here's CNN using Martin Luther King Jr for a chance to call socialism cool. Take a bow, CNN. https://t.co/1la80VynT7 — Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) January 15, 2018

When, exactly, did socialism become “cool”? https://t.co/XYBQowDmwH — David French (@DavidAFrench) January 15, 2018

CNN openly shilling for socialism is disgusting. Socialism never has been cool and never will be cool https://t.co/yaal7uUim5 — Matthew Hammer (@Matt_ryan18) January 15, 2018

CNN: Socialism is cool. I never want to hear another word from @brianstelter about bias or mixing commentary with coverage. https://t.co/rUdaS5Gp5S — Nick Pappas (@NickAPappas) January 15, 2018

Here is CNN calling socialism "cool." https://t.co/beR9Gkl4xF — Benny (@bennyjohnson) January 15, 2018

#Socialism killed more than 100M people during #MLK's lifetime alone That is not cool https://t.co/vnBkxCB079 — Jim Hanson (@Uncle_Jimbo) January 15, 2018

Socialism has never been, nor ever will be, cool. #MartinLutherKing https://t.co/fCOCTCgk5i — Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) January 15, 2018