SC needs all your attention, Senator

The last time Congress formally issued a declaration of war, a power granted to it by the Constitution, was in 1942 against Bulgaria, Hungary and Rumania.

Now, it appears South Carolina’s senior senator is going it alone.

Sen. Lindsey Graham proclaimed on Twitter Wednesday that “I want everyone in South Carolina and across America to know I have Chick fil-A’s back. I hope we don’t have to, but I will go to war for the principles Chick fil-A stands for. Great food. Great service. Great values. God bless Chick fil-A!”

Graham’s battle cry (i.e. Twitter thread) was prompted by a news report that some students at the University of Notre Dame opposed plans to open one of the restaurants on campus.

The chain has faced controversies before for donations to organizations that have a history of taking anti-LGBTQ stances.

In their letter, students wrote that their “first concern” is “Chick-fil-A’s long history of antagonism toward the LGBTQ+ community” and its donations to “groups that oppose LGBTQ+ rights.”

Whatever happens in Indiana, we suspect Chick-Fil-A and its CEO Dan Cathy, worth an estimated $8.5 billion, according to Forbes, will survive.

We would urge Sen. Graham to focus his attention elsewhere. How about going to war to improve South Carolina’s poorly-ranked educational system, battling its aging infrastructure, and fighting its low COVID-19 vaccination rates?

There are plenty of causes to tackle right here in South Carolina.

This story was originally published July 15, 2021 at 4:00 PM.