Betty Olson | |
---|---|
Member of the
South Dakota Senate from the 28th [1] district | |
In office January 15, 2015 – January 10, 2017 | |
Preceded by | Ryan Maher |
Succeeded by | Ryan Maher |
Member of the
South Dakota House of Representatives from the 28B [2] district | |
In office January 9, 2007 – January 15, 2015 | |
Preceded by | Ted Klaudt |
Succeeded by | J. Sam Marty |
Personal details | |
Born | April 19, 1946 |
Nationality | American |
Political party | Republican |
Residence(s) | Prairie City, South Dakota, U.S. |
Profession | rancher, EMT, substitute schoolteacher |
Betty Olson [3] (born April 19, 1946) is a rancher, EMT, and substitute schoolteacher. [4] She is an American politician who served as a Republican member of the South Dakota Senate in District 28 from 2015 to 2017. Before that, she was a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives in District 28B from 2007 to 2015.
Betty Olson attended local schools and went to university. She became a rancher and also worked as an EMT. She worked some periods as a substitute teacher in the public schools. She lives in Prairie City, South Dakota.
In 2014, Olson wrote a column for the Butte County Post (a South Dakota local weekly newspaper) that contained a joke widely criticized as a bigoted slur. The "joke" alleged that President Barack Obama was a Muslim terrorist, and cast 7-11 managers, Motel 6 managers, cab drivers, and customer service representatives as Muslim terrorists. [13] As the controversy stirred and outrage grew, Olson refused to express regret for her words, saying the problem was that "people don't have a sense of humor." She later denied being a racist, noting that "the guy who sent it to me is married to a black lady...." [14]
Betty Olson | |
---|---|
Member of the
South Dakota Senate from the 28th [1] district | |
In office January 15, 2015 – January 10, 2017 | |
Preceded by | Ryan Maher |
Succeeded by | Ryan Maher |
Member of the
South Dakota House of Representatives from the 28B [2] district | |
In office January 9, 2007 – January 15, 2015 | |
Preceded by | Ted Klaudt |
Succeeded by | J. Sam Marty |
Personal details | |
Born | April 19, 1946 |
Nationality | American |
Political party | Republican |
Residence(s) | Prairie City, South Dakota, U.S. |
Profession | rancher, EMT, substitute schoolteacher |
Betty Olson [3] (born April 19, 1946) is a rancher, EMT, and substitute schoolteacher. [4] She is an American politician who served as a Republican member of the South Dakota Senate in District 28 from 2015 to 2017. Before that, she was a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives in District 28B from 2007 to 2015.
Betty Olson attended local schools and went to university. She became a rancher and also worked as an EMT. She worked some periods as a substitute teacher in the public schools. She lives in Prairie City, South Dakota.
In 2014, Olson wrote a column for the Butte County Post (a South Dakota local weekly newspaper) that contained a joke widely criticized as a bigoted slur. The "joke" alleged that President Barack Obama was a Muslim terrorist, and cast 7-11 managers, Motel 6 managers, cab drivers, and customer service representatives as Muslim terrorists. [13] As the controversy stirred and outrage grew, Olson refused to express regret for her words, saying the problem was that "people don't have a sense of humor." She later denied being a racist, noting that "the guy who sent it to me is married to a black lady...." [14]