Jesse White responds to social media post criticizing his office's long lines, referencing 'lynching'

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White responded to a hateful social media post by an Illinois resident that used the term "lynching."

The tweet criticized the long lines at the Secretary of State's office.

"Having attended college and played professional baseball in the south in the 1950s, I experienced the ugliness of racism firsthand and know how deeply it cuts," White said in a statement.

"I'm saddened that in 2020 there are still people out there who knowingly or unknowingly use historically despicable terms like 'lynching' to fuel the hate and divisiveness that are plaguing our country today. Frankly, I question whether the term 'lynching' would have been used were I not African American," he said.

White said he was concerned with what appears to be a resurgence of hateful rhetoric in the country.

"To be clear, it is never acceptable to use any type of hateful language designed to hurt each other over our real, or perceived, differences. We are in this world together-only by treating each other with respect and human dignity will we make it a better place," White said.