Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) weighed in on what a DNA test could potentially reveal about his ancestry on Tuesday’s “Fox & Friends,” awkwardly quipping: “I’ll probably be Iranian. That would be like terrible.” How about that for an extreme case of Iranophobia?
Lindsey Graham jokes about taking a DNA test: "I'll probably be Iranian. That'd be, like, terrible." (via Fox) pic.twitter.com/8UiZpidbfS
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 16, 2018
To all the 25-30 Iranians in DC supporting Trump and yearning for more sanctions and even bombing of Iran, this is what your hero Lindsey Graham actually thinks of you.
Allying with those who think you are genetically inferior usually doesnt end well…https://t.co/Tpdvgf7xQf
— Trita Parsi (@tparsi) October 16, 2018
Jamal Abdi, President of the National Iranian American Council, released the following statement in response to Lindsey Graham’s racist remark on Fox and Friends this morning:
“It is absolutely disgusting for Senator Graham to state on Fox and Friends that it would be ‘terrible’ to discover that he had Iranian ancestry from a DNA test. This is not the first time that Graham has made bigoted remarks about Iranians. In 2015, he said ‘I know Iranians are liars’ based on his experience in his dad’s pool hall.
“If you dread the notion of Iranian ancestry and believe all Iranians are liars, you are hopelessly bigoted and unfit to serve in the U.S. Senate where votes affect tens of millions of Iranians and millions more of Iranian ancestry in the diaspora.
“Graham must apologize for his remarks in 2015 and recant his atrocious attempt at a joke on Fox and Friends this morning. The Iranian-American community will not forget such casual racism, nor will it forget which party has enacted policy on the basis of such racism by banning our family members from Iran.”
Condemnation of Lindsey Graham’s DNA remarks has been swift and widespread on Twitter:
Hey @LindseyGrahamSC why is it “terrible” to be Iranian? Some of the greatest businesspeople, scientists, athletes, and leaders in America are of Iranian descent. By calling us terrible you insult everything that makes America great. https://t.co/ByUUlCfGFo
— Hadi Partovi (@hadip) October 16, 2018
US Senator @LindseyGrahamSC is a racist Iranophobe.
We are proud of our Iranian heritage. #ProudIranianCanadian#ProudIranian https://t.co/kp4tLUq1sy— Iranian Canadian Congress (@ICCongress) October 16, 2018
As the daughter of Iranian immigrants who worked tirelessly to achieve the American dream, I can tell you that being of Iranian heritage is not terrible. What's terrible are racist comments by politicians like @LindseyGrahamSC who think it's ok to demean immigrants. So over it. https://t.co/3eUVi26SHI
— Rep. Anna V. Eskamani ? (@AnnaForFlorida) October 16, 2018
Agreed! @LindseyGrahamSC should apologize for the hate mongering comment. https://t.co/J3OGokbVoD
— CODEPINK (@codepink) October 16, 2018
#SenatorStinkball @LindseyGrahamSC at it again. “I’ll probably be Iranian…that’d be like, terrible.” https://t.co/rRprcpEjvF
— Jason Rezaian (@jrezaian) October 16, 2018
Nothing to see here. Just more evidence that Lindsey Graham is racist. https://t.co/EQJh8YYx3q
— AKIN (@WeAreAKIN) October 16, 2018
Honest to god @LindseyGrahamSC you should be completely and utterly ashamed at yourself. But we all saw how you acted during the Kavanaugh hearings and shame isn’t something you seem capable. Causal racism though is right up your alley I guess. https://t.co/h4lPlRgKvl
— Kia Hamadanchy (@KiaHamadanchy) October 16, 2018
This is a disgusting and bigoted remark from Graham who has demonstrated prejudice against Iranians in the past – in 2015 he said "I know Iranians are liars" based on his experiences in his dad's pool hall. https://t.co/bJf7CTTGbv pic.twitter.com/sAiSxjBsGJ
— Ryan Costello (@RyeCostello) October 16, 2018
https://twitter.com/hdagres/status/1052204352557932544
