'SOUNDS ABOUT WHITE'
Lindsay Graham Says Black People Are Safe in South Carolina… If They’re Conservative

On Friday night, Republican South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham debated his Democratic challenger Jamie Harrison virtually because Graham refused to submit to a COVID-19 test.
As a result, both Graham and Harrison were separately asked debate questions. And on a question about whether he’d met with leaders of the Black Lives Matter Movement, Graham said in part, “I care about everybody. If you’re a young African-American, an immigrant, you can go anywhere in this state, you just need to be conservative, not liberal.”
The context of Graham’s horrid sound bite was that anyone can have a safe and secure political career in the state regardless of skin color as long as they’re conservative. “You can be an African-American and go to the Senate, you just have to share the values of our state,” he said earlier in his response, but his aforementioned closing line seemed to make the Black female moderator stammer as she moved onto the next question.
Lindsey Graham, facing a Black challenger: "If you're a young African American…you can go anywhere in this state, you just need to be conservative not liberal." #SCSen pic.twitter.com/5PfdIoYyJQ
— Steve Morris (@stevemorris__) October 9, 2020
Graham’s response almost sounded like he was saying if you’re white, you’ll be completely okay in the state, but if you’re Black or from another country, you’ll only be okay if you’re conservative like him.
Of course, being conservative or pro-police doesn’t magically protect Black people from being harassed or killed, no matter what state you live in.
Twitter users weren’t impressed with Graham’s creepy answer:
If you’re a young African American in this state, you need to know your place, do as your told, and not bother these good white people. And you can have anything that you want. Except education, healthcare, clean water, fair policing, paved roads…
— Michael Reed (@mr2ed) October 10, 2020
— 🇺🇸~ Roni ~ 🇺🇸 I stand with Gov Whitmer (@paleblueeyes24) October 10, 2020
So a white man still thinks he makes the rules on how BIPOC get to exist? “You can go anywhere in this state” is already an arrogant statement….but then to add “except” just made me burst into flames.
— Primrose Lane (@ridiculoustimes) October 10, 2020
In his best Bob Ross voice to soothe us into believing he didn't just spew the most vile anti-American divisive racist garbage EVER. pic.twitter.com/eFQtmuHnvD
— avalovesyou (@avalovesyou2) October 10, 2020
I have never heard a clearer statement of intolerance from a major politician than this. Graham says clearly, you are welcome here only if you think as I do. This is not the America I love.
— Tia Will (@medwoman1) October 10, 2020
So you will be persecuted? Penalized? So this isn't a free country? You must do what The Republican elite overlords say or you can't be treated with human decency?
— Patricia Arquette (@PattyArquette) October 10, 2020
Graham has decided that black people in SC should have GOP or DEM on their clothes to decide how to be treated
— Donald J. Trumptin (@siberiancandate) October 10, 2020
A sitting US Senator, sworn to uphold the basic human rights of every person, suggesting that people of color who aren’t “conservative” can expect to be persecuted?!?!?! No persecution of anyone is allowed.
— Joseph Robertson (@poet_economist) October 10, 2020
And just when I thought it was impossible I think any less of Lindsey Graham he opens up his spare bottle of racism.
— Matthew J. Kuiken (@Juris_Sequoia) October 10, 2020
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