Kaitlin Bennett

{{highlight reel}}
[[File:Kaitlin Bennett at University of Akron, 2020.jpg|thumb|right|165px|The poopy pants girl, in all her glory!]]{{Uspolitics}}{{Altrightnav}}{{cquote|The left's reaction to a police shooting in Atlanta that couldn't be more obviously justified tells you everything you need to know about their protests. <br>They support crime against white people & cops and don't think you have a right to defend yourself from black criminals.|||Kaitlin Bennett<ref>https://twitter.com/KaitMarieox/status/1272001919553359872</ref>}}
'''Kaitlin Bennett''' {{lived|c. 1995}},<ref>[https://usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/05/16/kent-state-rifle-graduation-photos/616449002/ Kent State graduate celebrates by strolling campus with her AR-10] by William Cummings (May 17, 2018) ''USA Today''.</ref> also known as "'''Kent State Gun Girl'''", is a [[conservative]], LINO<ref group=note>'''L'''ibertarian '''I'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly,</ref>, [[nationalist]], and supposedly pants-pooping<ref>[https://www.distractify.com/p/kaitlin-bennett-pooped-pants]</ref> "gun rights" nut-job, who gained notoriety in 2018 with several pro-gun tweets and the constant belittling of [[Parkland shooting|Parkland school shooting]] survivor and gun control activist {{wpl|David Hogg}}, mainly on her Twitter account.<ref>[https://twitter.com/KaitMarieox/ Kaitlen Bennett on Twitter]</ref>

Bennett was born and raised in Zanesville, [[Ohio]], in a staunchly pro-[[Republican]] household.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2018/05/16/the-story-behind-the-viral-photo-of-a-kent-state-graduate-posing-with-her-cap-and-a-rifle/ The story behind the viral photo of a Kent State graduate posing with her cap — and a rifle] by Marwa Eltagouri (May 17, 2018) ''Washington Post''.</ref> She majored in biology at [[Kent State]], where she was in the year of 2018. In addition to her studies, Bennett was also a self-described [[conservative]]/right-[[libertarian]] activist on the campus.

In 2017, she was the president of the Kent State's chapter of [[Turning Point USA]] (TPUSA),<ref>[http://www.thedp.com/article/2017/10/kent-state-students-dress-up-as-babies-claiming-that-safe-spaces-are-for-children/ Kent State students dress up as babies, claiming that 'safe spaces are for children'] by Alex Kuang (October 25, 2017) ''The Daily Pennsylvanian''.</ref> when the chapter protested against "[[safe spaces]]" in an unintentionally humorous and embarrassing manner: by wearing ''diapers''. This event later became relentlessly mocked on social media, especially on [[Twitter]] and [[Reddit]], as performatively "wearing diapers to own the libs." The ensuing drama resulted in the Kent State chapter of TPUSA getting disbanded, as well as Bennett's resignation from the organization. She posted a goodbye letter in an Internet blogpost, in which she denounced the organization as a "shithole", in a rather lame attempt at covering up her affiliation with the organization.<ref>[http://libertyhangout.org/2018/02/im-turning-point-usas-top-activist-in-the-country-im-quitting-this-shitty-organization/ I'm Turning Point USA's Top Activist in the Country, & I Quit this Shitty Organization] by Kaitlin Bennett (February 12, 2018) ''Liberty Hangout''.</ref> She now spends her days working with Liberty Hangout,<ref>[https://libertyhangout.org/meet-the-team/ Meet The Team] ''Liberty Hangout''.</ref> founded by her then-boyfriend Justin Moldow whom she married in March 2020,<ref>[https://www.distractify.com/p/kaitlin-bennett-husband Yes, Kent State Gun Girl Kaitlin Bennett Is a Married Woman] by Pippa Raga (April 7, 2020) ''Distractify''.</ref> her [[YouTube]] channel that seeks to promote fiscally-conservative [[Austrian economics|pseudo-economics]],<ref>[https://libertyhangout.org/about-us/ About Us] ''Liberty Hangout''.</ref> and parroting [[Infowars]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200211180721/https://libertyhangout.org/?s=Infowars Infowars search] ''Liberty Hangout'' (archived from February 11, 2020).</ref>

==Viral story==
That being said, Bennett's real claim to prominence came in May 2018, when she picketed the graduation ceremony while holding a largely defensive weapon of [[Gun#Assault weapons/Black rifles|AR-10 rifle]] on the campus of Kent State University- where four students were killed by the Ohio National Guard 48 years prior to that day.
{{quotebox|Now that I graduated from @KentState, I can finally arm myself on campus. I should have been able to do so as a student — especially since 4 unarmed students were shot and killed by the government on this campus. #CampusCarryNow<ref>[https://twitter.com/KaitMarieox/status/995699996212322304/ Twitter]</ref>}}

Her own statement on the Kent State shootings:
{{quotebox|I believe not only that those four students would still be alive today had they had the right to carry on campus, but that students today would be much safer.<ref>[https://www.kansascity.com/news/nation-world/article211234079.html/ 'Come and take it,' Kent State grad says while posing with AR-10 rifle] by Lisa Gutierrez (May 16, 2018) ''Kansas City Star''.</ref>|||Kaitlin Bennett on the Kent State shootings}}

Needless to say, this bold statement later earned her a guest appearance on ''Fox & Friends''.<ref>[https://video.foxnews.com/v/5786009493001/ Kent State graduate poses with rifle on campus] May 17, 2018 ''Fox & Friends''</ref>

She has a very libertarian view on gun rights:
{{quotebox|I believe that if the government has it, we should have it. Machine guns — any weaponry. To make sure the government can't go against the citizens. We should be able to protect ourselves against a tyrannical government.}}

However, between defending gun rights, she has also attacked David Hogg, a survivor of the Parkland shooting:

{{quotebox|.@davidhogg111 I don't know if your tiny arms with [[Godwin's Law|Hitler-esque]] bands around them can't reach your @ button, but maybe instead of retweeting [[racist]] posts about me, you can have a real conversation about guns with me like the adult you want to be. #CampusCarryNow<ref>[https://twitter.com/KaitMarieox/status/996967946353369088/ Twitter]</ref>}}

Later, she challenged David Hogg to an arm-wrestling match:

{{quotebox|I have a challenge for you @davidhogg111. Let's arm wrestle. If I win, we get to keep the [[Second Amendment|2nd amendment]]. If you win, we turn in our guns. Deal?<ref>[https://twitter.com/KaitMarieox/status/1003303002860605440/ Twitter]</ref>}}

When Hogg didn't respond, she referred to him as "twig arms".<ref>[https://youtu.be/C0Ed2zvfQF8?t=2134 The Kent State Girl without her guns - Impaulsive ep. 41] at 35:36: "...he called me a racist... I would never just go after him for no reason and I don't think just because he was in a school shooting puts up a special shield to where we aren't allowed to criticize his ideas..."</ref>

When Hogg was awarded the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award, she disapproved of it on Twitter:

{{quotebox|Why is @davidhogg111 receiving a [[human rights]] award in Washington DC when he's actively trying to strip us of our human rights? When will we stop rewarding people for supporting violent government policies? #GunControlKills}}

In July 2018, she also visited [[New York City]], but didn't seem to like it, not just for its gun control laws:

{{quotebox|The only reason I'm smiling in this photo is because it was the only spot in NYC I couldn't smell piss or see trash on the ground.<ref>[https://twitter.com/kaitmarieox/status/1013513454198673410/ Twitter]</ref>}}

In January 2019, she voiced no sympathy for unpaid non-essential government workers during the government shutdown. She can apparently rail against taxation and also talk about "real" jobs in the same breath, as working and being taxed for work is usually a very obvious indicator it's a real job.

{{quotebox|I really don't care that government employees aren't getting their paychecks, and neither should you. Taxation is theft. Get a real job! #GovernmentShutdown<ref>[https://twitter.com/KaitMarieox/status/1086465964475068416?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet/ Twitter]</ref>}}

==Liberty Hangout==
Bennett is commonly associated with Liberty Hangout. It describes itself as a "libertarian media outlet" which promotes the messages of peace, prosperity, and property rights." Despite this assertion of self-description, Liberty Hangout has made many statements which are quite frankly contradictory. These statements are frequently criticized for their authoritarian and bigoted nature. Liberty Hangout has also frequently retweeted and pinned hatred from other people like Donald Trump and Jon Miller.

===Support for monarchism and feudalism===
{{quotebox|It is far more preferable to live under a monarchy than a democracy. Democracy is mob rule of the government estate and is a soft form of communism. According to a 2018 study at the Wharton School at UPenn, monarchies "are better at protecting property rights and checking abuses of power by elected officials; and they have higher per-capita national incomes" than democracies.<ref>[https://twitter.com/libertyhangout/status/1216757629307015168?lang=en]</ref>}} 

{{quotebox|Donald Trump should declare himself a monarch & leave the presidency to his son when he retires. It's the only way to prevent Democrats from having permanent control of Washington & ensuring rightwing values cease to exist. You'll never be able to vote for conservative ideas soon[.]<ref>[https://twitter.com/LibertyHangout/status/1226000981542014976]</ref>}}
So, the only way to prevent Democrats from having permanent control is to give Republicans permanent control?

{{quotebox|I'd rather live under a Catholic monarchy than a liberal democracy[.]<ref>[https://twitter.com/LibertyHangout/status/1225567746269884417]</ref>}}

{{quotebox|If monarchy is bad because a king will plunder his citizens, then democracy is 300 million times worse since that's how many people get to act as kings and vote to plunder you of your wealth, your property, and your rights.<ref>[https://twitter.com/LibertyHangout/status/1225984649895301120]</ref>}}

{{quotebox|There's nothing wrong with feudalism[.]<ref>[https://twitter.com/LibertyHangout/status/1227264277180014594]</ref>}} 

{{quotebox|[[Donald Trump]] isn't just my President. He's my KING!<ref>[https://twitter.com/kaitmarieox/status/1311134670285926401?lang=pt]</ref>}}

===Opposing libertarians while calling herself libertarian===
{{quotebox|The non-aggression principle is for intellectual midgets. You can't reduce a legal system and conflict resolution down to one single, inconsistent principle. Libertarians that actually think so live in fantasy land.<ref>[https://twitter.com/LibertyHangout/status/1226324335314571265]</ref>}} 

{{quotebox|Honestly, the only reason I still call myself a libertarian is because it makes other libertarians mad.<ref>[https://twitter.com/LibertyHangout/status/1226214312810864640]</ref>}}

{{quotebox|Libertarians will hate to hear this, but anarcho-capitalism would look a lot like medieval feudalism and create MORE borders and many micro-monarchies. You're not a real libertarian if you support open borders and democracy.<ref>[https://twitter.com/LibertyHangout/status/1226910003656904704]</ref>}}

===Racism and xenophobia===
{{quotebox|Sadly, the overwhelming amount of violent crime in our major cities is committed by blacks and hispanics-a tough subject-must be discussed.<ref>[https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/342190428675796992]</ref>}}

{{quotebox|A man named Bong Joon Ho wins #Oscar for best original screenplay over Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and 1917. Acceptance speech was: “GREAT HONOR. THANK YOU.” Then he proceeds to give the rest of his speech in Korean. These people are the destruction of America.<ref>[https://twitter.com/MillerStream/status/1226683232378380289]</ref>}}

{{quotebox|English should be the official language of the USA. It's not right to force Americans to assimilate to the demands of invaders. Anyone who comes to this country should have to assimilate to OUR culture.<ref>[https://twitter.com/LibertyHangout/status/1224435164106743814]</ref>}}
Bennett once even liked a white supremacist Facebook post calling for the [[genocide]] of minority groups, as pointed out by journalist Caleb Ecarma.<ref>[https://twitter.com/calebecarma/status/997140379643383808/ Twitter]</ref>
===Holocaust denial===
{{quotebox|It doesn't seem possible that 6 million were killed<ref>[https://archive.ph/kWdGy Twitter (archived)]</ref>}}
===Homophobia===
{{quotebox|I'm not sure if I trust you. Nor do I want to see two guys kissing, if I'm honest. (...) It doesn't bother me. I just think it's gross.<ref>[https://youtu.be/pCyGJmlQXRs Kaitlin Bennett being homophobic]</ref>}}

{{quotebox|At least one good thing has come out of all this [in reference to the San Francisco pride festival being cancelled because of COVID-19].<ref>https://twitter.com/kaitmarieox/status/1250984989157703682?lang=en</ref>}}

{{quotebox|Still the best thing COVID ever did for us [in reference to the San Francisco pride festival being cancelled because of COVID-19]<ref>https://twitter.com/KaitMarieox/status/1399900400631832576</ref>}}

===Internalized misogyny===
{{quotebox|Honestly, letting women vote in this country wasn't one of the best ideas. Females vote with emotion and overwhelmingly support Democratic feel-good policies that take away our ACTUAL rights. I'd rather lose my "right" to vote than lose my right to defend myself with a firearm!<ref>https://twitter.com/KaitMarieox/status/1250204450612011008</ref>}}

===Conspiratorial wingnuttery===
{{quotebox|Democrats are notorious for making fake rape allegations and fake hate crimes against themselves in order to discredit their opposition. Why is it out of question to believe yesterday's bomb threats against top Democrats were also faked to discredit those who stand in their way?<ref>https://twitter.com/KaitMarieox/status/1055519924456771584</ref>}}

{{quotebox|Soon there will be more people on the [[Clinton body count|#ClintonBodyCount]] than the number of electoral votes she got in 2016. You can kill all the witnesses to your crimes, but you'll still never be president, Hillary. #EpsteinSuicide<ref>https://twitter.com/KaitMarieox/status/1160220588604047361</ref>}}

{{quotebox|Obama not endorsing his own VP @JoeBiden for President tells us one of two things. Either Hillary is going to run again, or he knows something about Joe is going to come out that will completely derail his campaign. Either way, an easy win for @realDonaldTrump<ref>https://twitter.com/KaitMarieox/status/1121544846605524993</ref>}}

===Other weird stuff===
{{quotebox|Even though Kathy has been told by numerous people that @KaitMarieox does not run this account (and we have stated this in multiple tweets), she keeps going around saying she does. Kathy is so jealous over anyone more successful than her that she has to lie about them.<ref>[https://twitter.com/LibertyHangout/status/1225509280905908224]</ref>}}

{{quotebox|Mitt Romney should be deported[.]<ref>[https://twitter.com/LibertyHangout/status/1225141629725659136]</ref>}}

==External links==
*[https://twitter.com/kaitmarieox Bennett's Twitter account]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2|80%}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bennett, Kaitlin}}
[[Category:Anti-abortion activists]]
[[Category:Alt-right]]
[[Category:Antisemites]]
[[Category:Catholics]]
[[Category:Conspiracy theorists]]
[[Category:Gun control]]
[[Category:Gun nuts]]
[[Category:Holocaust denialists]]
[[Category:Homophobes]]
[[Category:Internalized discrimination]]
[[Category:Internet kooks]]
[[Category:Journalists]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Ohio]]
[[Category:Paleoconservatives]]
[[Category:Political pundits]]
[[Category:Right-wing activists]]
[[Category:Racists]]
[[Category:Sexists]]
[[Category:Transphobes]]
[[Category:Trolls]]
[[Category:YouTube]]

Categories: Anti-abortion activists, Alt-right, Antisemites, Catholics, Conspiracy theorists, Gun control, Gun nuts, Holocaust denialists, Homophobes, Internalized discrimination, Internet kooks, Journalists, Living people, Ohio, Paleoconservatives, Political pundits, Right-wing activists, Racists, Sexists, Transphobes, Trolls, YouTube