Take a breath, congressman

At a town hall in West Allis the evening of Oct. 17, U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner demanded that a constituent apologize for suggesting President Donald Trump is mentally unfit to run our country.

I am disheartened by the way Sensenbrenner engages with his constituents and his lack of tolerance for progressive constituents wishing to voice concerns. Numerous reports of interactions at his town halls indicate that he is dismissive and disruptive when a constituent makes comments he doesn’t agree with.

In addition, Sensenbrenner’s staff shows limited patience and interest in listening when constituents have gone to his district office to share concerns. For example, when a few progressive individuals and I recently visited Sensenbrenner’s district office to share concerns about Betsy DeVos and school funding, our views were dismissed as ill-informed. Only when a former public school system student from Michigan — DeVos’s home state — provided an emotional, first-hand account of the devastation caused by DeVos’s policies did the congressman’s staff appear to see that our concerns might be well-informed and legitimate.

At the town hall, when the constituent stated his belief that Trump is mentally unfit, Sensenbrenner interrupted him and asked if he is a mental health professional. Sensenbrenner’s effort to invalidate a person’s view and thereby silence him is fruitless and contrary to the purpose of holding a town hall.

Using a dismissive tone, interrupting constituents, attempting to invalidate a view and doubting a person’s ability to analyze an issue — these are all techniques Sensenbrenner and his office staff resort to.

I and other progressive constituents have grave concerns related to both the leadership of our country and the disregard those leaders display toward us. Their behavior diminishes our ability to be heard. Sensenbrenner would do well to take a few deep breaths and let his constituents speak.

Julie Henszey Wauwatosa