Oklahoma GOP post compared food-stamp recipients to animals

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK -- The Oklahoma Republican Party has removed a post from its official Facebook page that said giving people food stamps is akin to feeding animals in national parks.

Party Chairman Randy Brogdon wrote Tuesday that the post was intended to illustrate the cycle of government dependency. He apologized "for any misconceptions."

The original message, posted Monday, said 46 million Americans participate in the Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program, or SNAP, commonly referred to as food stamps.

The post then says the National Park Service encourages people not to feed wild animals because they "will grow dependent on handouts and will not learn to take care of themselves." The post concludes: "Thus ends today's lesson in irony."

Gov. Mary Fallin said in a statement she appreciated the post's removal and accepted Brogdon's explanation.