During Muslim Day at Oklahoma’s state capitol, an annual event sponsored by the Council on American-Islamic Relations intended to connect Oklahoma Muslims with their elected representatives, a group of high school students asked to meet with state GOP Rep. John Bennett. But instead of receiving the kids, Bennett had a legislative aide present the students with a lengthy questionnaire that include questions like, “Do you beat your wife?” Bennett is no stranger to controversy; he has advocated executing Hillary Clinton by firing squad. Read story here.
When reading about over-the-top politicians like Bennett, it’s natural to focus on their antics, but don’t forget that somebody elects these bozos. Keeping that in mind, the question of interest is, “Who the hell are these people?”
Bennett represents Sequoya County, bordering Arkansas. The local economy is mostly blue-collar and service jobs, with median family income below $33,000. The county votes about 68% Republican. Demographically, it’s mostly white and Native American, and it lies squarely within the Bible Belt, so you probably won’t seen many hajibs there; in fact, local residents may never have seen one.
Photo: Rep. John Bennett and his family