Bully in the Senate

This post is about something that happened last week.

I am still mad about it.

I have zero chill when it comes to racists or the willfully ignorant.

And I sure as hell have absolutely NO fucking patience for a bully. 

Especially when the bully in question is an alleged grown ass adult person in a position of authority.  

Pity poor Maya Berry, head of the Arab-American Institute, who came to Washington DC to speak to the Senate Judiciary Committee  about the subject of hate crimes in America only to be find herself being bullied.   

Let's be clear that Ms. Berry is an American citizen who came of her own free will to speak to Congress on the subject of other American citizens being subjected to hate crimes in the forms of harassment, intimidation, physical violence and even murder.  She noted that hate crimes against Arabs and Jews in the U.S. were up a respective 73 percent and 58 percent.   

Berry stated “By focusing on hate crime statistics, the federal government’s role in hate crime enforcement, and recommendations for policy remedies, I hope my testimony can help inform our collective response to combat all forms of hate."  

She is not in Washington for any foreign policy discussion.  

 

That didn't deter Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) from leaning forward in to his microphone and in his thick southern drawl  asked "You support Hamas, don't you?"

To her credit, Berry tried to turn Kennedy's inappropriate question back to the subject at hand.  “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,  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.”

 

Kennedy greeted her clear statement she did not support Hamas with a  continued line of questioning, repeatedly ask if she supported Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, or their "hatred of Jews".  

Perhaps feeling a bit less magnanimous, Berry pushed back against this ignorant bully before her.  “I think it’s exceptionally disappointing that you’re looking at an Arab American witness before you and saying you support Hamas. I do not support Hamas,” said Berry.

 

Kennedy snapped back at her. “You know what’s disappointing to me? You can’t bring yourself to say don’t you don’t support Hamas!" 

As highlighted above, Maya Berry asserted twice she did not support Hamas. 

Then to cap off  his insane bullying tirade, Kennedy bellowed at Berry, "You should hide your head in a bag.”

 

Later asked for comment, Maya Berry said, “I didn’t expect a direct racist attack.”

You're a grown woman talking to an alleged grown man. The U.S. Senate is not fucking high school. You shouldn't have to deal with a god damn bully.