Lindsey Graham tells Muslims: 'You are not the enemy, your religion is not the enemy'

Sen. Lindsey Graham.
(Image credit: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images)

During the Republican presidential candidate undercard debate Tuesday, Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) had a message for Muslims in the U.S. military.

"There are at least 3,500 American Muslims serving in the armed forces," he said. "Thank you for your service. You are not the enemy, your religion is not the enemy." Graham made his comments after former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said he believes law enforcement officials should go into mosques to listen to what is being said, and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum announced: "Islam is different. Islam is not just a religion. It is also a political governing structure. The fact of the matter is that Islam is a religion, but it is also Sharia Law. It is a civil government, and it is also a form of government. So the idea that that is protected under the First Amendment is wrong, and in fact, the political structure is what is the big problem."

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.