(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A member of Congress from Chicago's western suburbs says he's sad that a town hall meeting was forced to shut down just minutes after it began because of disruptions from pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
Democrat Sean Casten (6th) of Downers Grove was escorted out of the Indian Prairie Library in Darien by police after protesters, in his words, “refused to allow last night's event to continue.”
Audio depicts protesters accosting Casten as he left the town hall meeting.
He represents one of the nation's largest Palestinian-American populations.
Afterward, he posted to X about the town hall:
This evening, my town hall was forced to shut down after 10 minutes when protestors interrupted and refused to allow the event to continue. I apologize to the majority of people who came and were respectful but were unable to ask their questions. And - to be blunt, I’m sad.
In the 6 years I’ve been in office, we’ve averaged a town hall a month and have never shied away from controversial topics; we’ve done dedicated, in-person events on Trump’s impeachment, book bans, inflation and any number of other issues with strong differences of opinion.
I’ve always been proud to represent a community where - no matter what the opinion was - people felt confident enough to express them, and respectful of the diversity of opinion amongst their neighbors.
The attack on Israel on 10/7 was horrific. Israel has every right to defend themselves and to bring the hostages home. But there is no conflict in both defending Israel’s right to exist AND criticizing their government for their treatment of the Palestinian people.
The fact that there are differences of opinion on how to best facilitate regional peace in the Middle East is perhaps the most banal thing you could say about the region. To insist you have one neat trick to end the conflict is naive.
For democracy to work though, people on all sides of all issues have to feel empowered to share their opinions, experience and wisdom so that we can collectively make decisions that deliver the greatest good for the greatest number.
A town hall, with respectfully shared differences of opinion is perhaps the purest distillation of that ideal. But that depends on a shared civic virtue and shared respect, even for those who we disagree with.
It also requires us to acknowledge that the issue we think is most important is not the issue that is most important to the person sitting next to you. And the collective promise is that all will be given the opportunity to share their own concerns and ideas.
Interrupting, screaming, accusing good people who share goals but disagree about the best way to achieve those goals of unspeakable atrocities is the opposite of that.
It does not accelerate peace, does not bring hostages home, does not reduce the radicalization that has occurred on both sides of the green line since 10/7 and doesn't lead to a greater democratic wisdom.
But it does make it harder to convene in public forms where we need that collective input. We gain nothing, but lose something essential. In the words of the late Elijah Cummings, we're better than this.
On the other hand, in the words of Deval Patrick, we live in a society that too often yells its hatred and whispers its love. I know that love, tolerance and respect has the numbers. But that respect often makes it quiet.
So thank you to those who brought that respect and quiet love this evening. And I'm sorry we had to end the event early. Keep faith in our institutions. And spread the love.
WBBM has reached out to Casten for comment, but has yet to hear back.
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