Two Christian students, Grant Beth and Luke Polaske, were heckled and mocked by attendees at Kamala Harris’ rally at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. The students shouted pro-Christian messages during the event, including “Christ is king!” and “Jesus is Lord!” When Harris noticed them, she sarcastically told them they were at the wrong rally, receiving applause from the crowd. The students felt persecuted and compared their experience to Jesus and his early followers being mocked. They believe they were doing God’s work by attending the rally for the right reasons.
During her speech, Harris discussed various topics, including the economy and abortion rights. She criticized former President Donald Trump for nominating Supreme Court justices who helped overturn protections granted by Roe v. Wade. Harris vowed to sign a bill into law that restores reproductive freedom nationwide if Congress passes it. Despite the controversy surrounding her interaction with the Christian students, Polaske confirmed that Harris did acknowledge them, giving him an “evil smirk” as he held up a cross around his neck and pointed at her.
Beth expressed concern that a Kamala Harris presidency would be adversarial to Christians, believing she would alienate a significant portion of the US population with her policies. He referenced her decision to skip the Al Smith Memorial Dinner, a Catholic charity event attended by presidential candidates for over four decades, as an example of her potential disregard for religious groups. Harris, who comes from an interfaith background, campaigned at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse instead of attending the dinner.
Harris has a history of attending both Hindu and Baptist religious services, reflecting her diverse religious upbringing. She has been a long-standing member of the Third Baptist Church and has close ties with Rev. Amos Brown. Despite her religious connections, some critics fear that her policies and decisions as president could clash with Christian beliefs, leading to further alienation of religious groups. Harris also spoke at the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta on her birthday, underscoring her religious connections in the community.
The Harris-Walz campaign did not respond to requests for comment regarding the incident involving the Christian students at the rally. The controversy surrounding the interaction between Harris and the students highlights the complex relationship between religion and politics, especially during election campaigns. As election day approaches, the role of religion in shaping policies and politicians’ interactions with various religious groups will continue to be a topic of discussion. Harris’ response to the Christian students’ presence at her rally raises questions about how political leaders engage with diverse religious beliefs within the US population.
