https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics ... r-AA1qNfO8Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) had a shocking exchange with Maya Berry, Executive Director of the Muslim American Institute Tuesday. During a hearing on anti-semitism and hate crimes, Kennedy repeatedly accused Berry of supporting terrorism simply because she is an Arab American woman.
"You support Hamas, do you not?" Kennedy said, to audible gasps from the audience in the hearing room.
"Senator, oddly enough, I'm going to say thank you for that question because it demonstrates the purpose of our hearing today in a very effective way," Berry responded.
"Let's start with a yes or a no," Kennedy replied.
"Hamas is a foreign terrorist organization that I do not support, but you asking the executive director of the Arab American Institute that question very much puts the focus on the issue of hate in our country," Berry replied to applause from the audience.
"You support Hezbollah too don't you," Kennedy replied, seemingly ignoring Berry's statement that she does not support Hamas. Hezbollah is a muslim extremist organization based in southern Lebanon. Both Hezbollah and Hamas are considered proxy forces of Iran.
Berry could not help but chuckle at Kennedy's brazenness at accusing a witness of being a terrorist sympathizer simply for being Arab American.
"Again I find this line of questioning extraordinarily disappointing Senator," Berry responded. "You have Arab American constituents that you represent in your great state."
"Yes ma'am I understand that, but my time is limited and I apologize, is that a yes or a no?"
"The answer is I don't support violence, whether it's Hezbollah, Hamas or any other entity that invokes it, so no sir."
Despite Berry literally saying mere seconds before that, no, she does not support Hezbollah, Kennedy continued with this line of questioning stating, "you can't bring yourself to say no can you," as if he was completely ignoring her responses and reading from a prepared script.
Tense moments followed before Kennedy went completely off the rails.
"Let me ask you one more time you support Hamas don't you. You support UNRA and Hamas don't you?"
Berry then repeatedly told Kennedy that she does not support Hamas.
"You can't bring yourself to say you don't support UNRA, you don't support Hamas, you don't support Hezbollah, and you don't support Iran. You should hide your head in a bag."
Kennedy's bizarre racist threat drew gasps of shock and disgust from the audience. Committee Chair Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) allowed Berry time to respond.
"It’s regrettable that I, as I sit here, have experienced the very issue that we’re attempting to deal with today." Berry said, referencing the purpose of the hearing which was to discuss hate crimes.
"The introduction of foreign policy is not how we keep Arab Americans, Jewish Americans, Muslim Americans, Black people, Asian Americans, anybody safe," Berry concluded.
"This has been, regrettably, a real disappointment, but very much an indication of the danger to our democratic institutions that we're in now. I deeply regret that, but I do hope that my testimony before you today has been helpful to understanding the need to respond to hate."
This is racism, plain and simple. This is what MAGA stands for and what Trump stands for. I cannot in good conscience vote for this.
