During a Senate hearing meant to address rising hate crimes in America, Republican Senator John Kennedy launched an unfounded attack on Maya Berry, executive director of the Arab American Institute.
This occurred against the backdrop of Donald Trump spreading lies and inciting hate against Haitian immigrants in Ohio, contributing to a surge of hate crimes. Kennedy’s baseless accusations of terrorism against Berry, an advocate for the Arab and Muslim American communities, were especially ironic given that the hearing was designed to combat such bigotry.
The hearing was titled, “A Threat to Justice Everywhere: Stemming the Tide of Hate Crimes in America.” Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin emphasized the importance of addressing hate crimes not only against Jews but also Arabs and Muslims, particularly in light of the recent murder of a six-year-old Palestinian American boy, Wadea Al-Fayoume.
Despite this, Republicans like Senator Lindsey Graham pushed for a narrow focus on anti-Semitism, neglecting the surge in anti-Arab and anti-Muslim violence, and Kennedy’s comments reflected this divisive mindset.
Senator John Kennedy’s Baseless Attack on Maya Berry Undermines Senate Hearing on Hate Crimes
Kennedy’s questioning of Berry became a display of overt bigotry. He opened by asking if she supported Hamas, a question designed to malign her rather than engage in productive discourse. Berry, keeping her composure, pointed out how his line of questioning epitomized the very hate the hearing sought to address.
Despite her clear disavowal of Hamas, Kennedy continued to badger her, falsely claiming that she couldn’t bring herself to reject support for terrorist groups like Hezbollah.
Kennedy’s persistence in trying to tie Berry to terrorism, despite her repeated denials, revealed the hypocrisy in his position. While claiming to be concerned with terrorism, Kennedy himself supported Donald Trump, who incited the January 6 insurrection, labeled as domestic terrorism by the FBI.
His questioning was more about stoking fear and animating the GOP base rather than addressing the actual issue of hate crimes against minority communities.
The American Civil Liberties Union condemned Kennedy’s attacks, stating that using a hearing on rising hate crimes to launch discriminatory assaults was inappropriate and further fueled bigotry. The GOP’s alignment with anti-Muslim and anti-Arab sentiment, particularly under Trump, has a long history, with Trump popularizing these forms of hate during his 2016 campaign.
This rhetoric, like Trump’s previous lies about Muslims cheering on 9/11, has led to spikes in hate crimes against Muslims and Arabs, further endangering minority communities.
At the end of Kennedy’s questioning, Maya Berry expressed the irony of experiencing the very discrimination the hearing was meant to address.
Her powerful words highlighted how such tactics by politicians like Kennedy and Trump do nothing to protect vulnerable communities. Instead, these attacks demonstrate that the GOP is more interested in using hate as a tool to energize its base than in creating a safer environment for all Americans.
