No doubt they are aware of some Middle Eastern jerkwater countries that execute people for excercising their Fist Amendment rights in the name of blasphemy.
From the ocregister.com
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Small and remote and insignificant; "a jerkwater college"; "passed a series of poky little one-horse towns"
Jerkwater (meaning "contemptibly trivial" or "small and insignificant") is the name of an indie rock trio. Formed in 1998, the Brooklyn, New York, band includes guitarist Chris Bowers, bassist Steve Christensen and drummer John Connell (a.k.a Johnny Rock), with all members sharing vocal duties.
A train on a branch line; Of an inhabited place, small, insignificant, backward