During a hate crimes hearing, a Republican senator advises an Arab American witness to “hide your head in a bag”

During a hate crimes hearing, a Republican senator advises an Arab American witness to "hide your head in a bag"
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During her testimony on Tuesday at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on hate crimes, Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., repeatedly implied that a well-known Arab American activist is a Hamas supporter and advised her to put her “head in a bag.”

At the conclusion of a minutes-long exchange toward the close of a hearing titled “A Risk to Justice Worldwide: Reversing the Trend of Hate Crimes in the United States,” the activist, Maya Berry, reiterated that she did not support Hamas and expressed her disappointment.

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“Are you not the Arab American Institute’s executive director?” Kennedy stated at the start of the conversation. She acknowledged being a Democratic activist and agreed with Kennedy on that point.

“You support Hamas, do you not?” Kennedy enquired, citing the terrorist organization responsible for the strikes on Israel on October 7. The audience gasped and laughed in amazement at the question.

“Strangely enough, Senator, I’m going to praise you for that question because it effectively conveys the goal of our hearing today,” Berry replied. Kennedy immediately interrupted her, insisting he demanded an answer, yes or no.

“Although I oppose Hamas as a foreign terrorist group, your questioning of the Arab American Institute’s executive director brings attention to the problem of hatred in our nation,” Berry replied.

“Thank you for responding; I have received it. Do you also back Hezbollah, too? Kennedy went on, to mention the violent organization supported by Iran.

She said, “I find this line of questioning really disappointing,” to which Kennedy replied, “Is that a no?”

“No, sir. I oppose violence, regardless of the source—Hezbollah, Hamas, or any other group that calls for it.,” she responded.

You simply aren’t able to say no, are you? stated Kennedy. “You just can’t do it.”

Upon inquiring about her support for Iran and “their hatred of Jews,” he followed up with another nay.

He went on to mention her earlier criticism of Congress for allegedly shutting off money to UNWRA, a United Nations organization that provides aid to Palestinian refugees, in the wake of claims that twelve of its thirty thousand employees were complicit in the attack on October 7. The employees lost their jobs.

Berry declared that she stands by her remarks and is in favor of UNRWA’s humanitarian efforts.

“To repeat what I already asked, you do not support Hamas?” Kennedy persisted.

“I find it really disheartening that you’re claiming to support Hamas while standing in front of an Arab American witness. “I oppose Hamas,” the woman declared.

What disappoints me, you know? You really cannot bring yourself to declare that you support either UNWRA Hamas, Hezbollah, or Iran. He ended with, “You should hide your head in a bag,” drawing cries and gasps from the crowd.

During her introductory remarks, Berry mentioned that hate crimes against Arab, Muslim, and Jewish Americans have increased since the October 7 attack and that these acts usually accompany anti-immigrant discourse.

“It is unfortunate that I have firsthand experience with the precise problem that we are trying to resolve here today,” Berry said in response to a question from Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin, D-Ill., following the Kennedy conversation.

“We cannot ensure the safety of Arab Americans, Jews, Muslims, Black Americans, Asian Americans, or anyone else by introducing foreign policy. This has been a great disappointment, to be sure, but it also serves as a stark reminder of the threat that currently faces our democratic institutions, according to Berry.

Kennedy came under fire from Senate Democrats for his comments on social media later on Tuesday.

Durbin stated on X that “Political leaders should refrain from stoking animosity and polarization.” “All Americans—Jewish, Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian—deserve to be safe.”

A request for comment was not immediately answered by Kennedy’s office.

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