Republican Representative Jack Bergman might be new to politics, but he’s already getting his first taste of how nasty things can be. The retired U.S. Marine Corps lieutenant general served his country for 40 years before winning the race to become Michigan’s 1st District Congressman last November. Bergman returned to his district to host two town hall meetings this week for the first time since assuming office. At last night’s meeting in Gaylord, a disruption began before he even took the stage.
In recent weeks, there’s been an influx of Democrats and liberals attending Republican town hall meetings to engage in civil discourse. Unfortunately, for Bergman and the attendees of this town hall, civil discourse was not part of the plan.
Dr. Derek Hagland, assistant pastor at Grace Baptist Church, began giving the invocation when people in the crowd immediately began to chant “Separation of church and state!”
Some of the hecklers were sporting “pink pussy hats”, the same ones made famous during the “Women’s March on Washington” back in January.
Breitbart News interviewed Farahn Morgan, Bergman’s communication director following the incident. “This guy was giving the invocation. He was not necessarily party affiliated in any way. That kind of reaction to him? It was the most aggressive that the crowd got during the entire event which was, quite honestly, shocking.”
The disruption was viewed by people on both sides of the aisle as inappropriate. “A lot of Democrats approached us tonight and said they were embarrassed and apologized. They said those activists did not represent them or what they are about. I thought that was an interesting dynamic” Morgan said.
An invocation before a political meeting or rally is commonplace whether it’s catered toward Republican, Democrats, or moderates. Even last year at Donald Trump rallies, known for disruptions and physical altercations, the chanting and heckling didn’t begin until the candidate took the stage.
Although it still wouldn’t be ok for protesters to interrupt an invocation at a town hall held by a political figure that believes there should be a state religion, Bergman has made it clear this is not what he believes. Recently, Bergman said, “We learned from England that mandated religion was not a good idea, and so we don’t mandate religion.”
Breitbart News posted this clip of the incident: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZWcLTdcLQc
