A Republican state representative in Oklahoma posted a message on Facebook warning his friends to be “wary” of “Muslim Americans,” The Oklahoman reported.

In a Monday Facebook status, Rep. John Bennett (R) shared an article on ISIS with a message about his beliefs on Islam and that Muslims in the U.S. are dangerous:

Islam and Muslim are one in the same. They are adjectives describing their religion. Islam is the religion, Muslim is the person that follows Islam. If someone claims to be Muslim they subscribe to Islam (Quran). The Quran clearly states that non Muslims should be killed. Arab is the ethnicity, not Muslim or Islam. Be wary of the individuals who claim to be “Muslim American”. Be especially wary if you’re a Christian.

The Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations wrote Bennett a letter criticizing his Facebook post.

“Anti-Muslim bigotry and statements that promote misunderstanding and incite hatred toward a minority group have no place in the Oklahoma Republican Party,” Adam Soltani, CAIR Oklahoma’s executive director, wrote to Bennett. “Individuals elected to represent the people of Oklahoma should be held accountable for such extremist, inaccurate and intolerant views.”

Bennett would not apologize and stood by his comments.

“We must shine a bright light on the role of the Muslim Brotherhood and its varied tentacles in the U.S.,” he responded to CAIR’s letter, according to the Oklahoman. “These tentacles include un-indicted co-conspirators of the U.S. vs. Holyland Foundation trial like the Council on American-Islamic Relations here in Oklahoma. Our borders are wide open to drug and human traffickers. Terrorism could come to Oklahoma just as easily.”

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Bennett reiterated that he would not back away from his comments:

So the Council on American-Islamic Relations is reading my Facebook and demanding an apology for what I said…. well, since your monitoring my facebook… I WILL NOT apologize to you. I know who you are and what you represent and I’m watching you closely….

The chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party stood by Bennett and his comments.

“It seems as if their attack on his comments is disingenuous at best,” Oklahoma GOP chair Dave Weston told the Oklahoman about CAIR’s letter. “Here’s why. If we as Americans were ruled by Islam, then Christians and Jews like you and I could only keep practicing our faith if we paid a protection tax. But if you’re Christian or Jewish and don’t immediately convert to Islam, they imminently decapitate you. This is proven by ongoing observation around the world today.”

“If they’re legitimate in wanting to come to the table and have an honest discourse, they can prove that by acknowledging the Jewish Holocaust happened, they can publicly recognize the right of Israel to exist and they can denounce the killing of Muslim converts to Christianity and other religions around the world,” Weston continued.

The state house speaker told KFOR in a statement that Bennett had a right to express his opinion.

“All members of the Oklahoma Legislature are duly elected by and accountable to their constituents, and are free to voice their own opinions. As Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, I have found that most Oklahomans welcome anyone who respects our laws and embraces our state, our culture and our people,” House Speaker Jeff Hickman (R) said.

H/t Raw Story