Rep. Madison Cawthorn Mocked For Not Knowing Vatican City Is Its Own Country

The first-term lawmaker didn't think a new rule about vaccinations in Vatican City sounded legal, even though Vatican City is an independent state.
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Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) isn’t impressing Twitter users with his understanding of international law.

On Thursday night, the first-term lawmaker criticized a recent rule in Vatican City that says any employee who refuses to get the COVID-19 vaccine without a valid medical reason could be fired.

As RawStory notes, Cawthorn has no medical degree, law degree, degree in religious studies, or any of a number of other accreditations that you might think would be useful when talking about this kind of thing. However, that didn’t stop him from denouncing Vatican City’s decision.

“This doesn’t sound legal,” he tweeted Thursday. ”One shouldn’t be forced against their will to be vaccinated. The vaccination is there for those who want it, and are in need of it due to medical vulnerabilities.”

This doesn’t sound legal...

One shouldn’t be forced against their will to be vaccinated.

The vaccination is there for those who want it, and are in need of it due to medical vulnerabilities. https://t.co/fCUXBOhef5

— Rep. Madison Cawthorn (@RepCawthorn) February 18, 2021

But many Twitter users pointed out an issue with Cawthorn’s tweet: Vatican City is, in fact, its own country, with the right to make its own laws that might differ from U.S. law.

who's gonna tell madison the vatican isn't in america? https://t.co/XS9xCJ7Nrg

— Oliver Willis (@owillis) February 19, 2021

Pssst...

The Vatican isn't in California.

- or the United States.

- or part of Country

It's a sovereign nation.

...

I'm pretty sure that you don't want OUR civil laws applying in California.

But, your call. 😇

— Fr. Robert R. Ballecer, SJ (@padresj) February 19, 2021

Actually it's legal..

see Burwell v. Hobby Lobby.. dreams of controlling ladies' bodies burns y'all again

And something.. something religious freedom..

Oh also the Vatican is a foreign country with its own laws dumbass https://t.co/x40WstzOyN

— Shannon in Ohio 4 (@ShannonFreshour) February 19, 2021

Imagine being stupid enough to vote for the guy who doesn't know where the Vatican is. https://t.co/LTYOZaa7Oy

— Machine Pun Kelly (@KellyScaletta) February 19, 2021

He's right. We should bring back polio and the measles, too.

This is a living, breathing person who represents thousands of people. He's supposed to look out for their best interests, and ensure that their lives improve. Can you comprehend this madness? #uspoli #vaccine https://t.co/rV3Ii3VFeh

— Matthew Ross 🎙️✍️🇨🇦 (@MatthewWords) February 19, 2021

LOL, does he know what the Vatican is and how it works? "This doesn't sound legal..."

These people are clueless https://t.co/CfmDkEjvcB

— David Pakman (@dpakman) February 19, 2021

DC doesn't get to have full representation in Congress, but the rest of the country gets to send this kind of person to Washington. Gets me every single time. https://t.co/wizMURjR0G

— Marin Cogan (@marincogan) February 19, 2021

HuffPost reached out to Cawthorn’s camp for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.

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