Local Tea Party Heckles Grieving Family
Unruly protestors laugh at mourning mother
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Some tea party revelers can get out of control.
The world of politics can be a passionate and vicious place. But some people take their attacks too far, crossing the lines of human decency.
Dan and Midge Hough of Chicago unfortunately had to meet those sort of people on November 14.
At the town hall meeting held by Rep. Dan Lipinski (3rd), the couple spoke out in favor of health care reform. Midge stood and told the unfortunate tale of their pregnant daughter-in-law, Jenny.
Jenny, sadly, did not have health insurance. As a result, she was not receiving regular prenatal care. She eventually fell ill to double pneumonia, and later septic shock.
The unborn baby died in the womb, and the Houghs' daughter-in-law died two weeks later. She left behind a husband and a 2-year-old daughter.
The Houghs told this story in hopes of exemplifying the current health care system at its worst.
One would hope that, upon hearing such a sad detail of events, most people would provide their sympathies to the family, regardless of political party affiliation.
But that sadly was not the case.
Also at the meeting were several Chicago Tea Party Patriots, a Tea Party splinter group. According to the Southtown Star, as Midge spoke of their daughter-in-law, the Patriots interrupted her, openly mocked the grieving family and rolled their eyes in exasperation as the tale was recounted.
Midge Hough began to cry.
"You can laugh at me, that's okay," Midge said. "But I lost two people, and I know you think that's funny, that's okay."
Later, Catherina Wojtowicz, the organizer of the Tea Party group and an alleged "birther" conspiracy theorist, sent out an e-mail concerning the event.
Did she apologize for the disgusting insensitivity displayed by her group members?
Not at all.
In fact, she actually accused the Houghs of making up the story, calling them "Obama operatives" who "go from event to event and (cry about) the same story."
When the Southtown Star confirmed the Houghs' story, Wojtowicz defended her group, saying they were tired of hearing personal stories of "isolated tragedies" that distracted from discussion of the health care bill itself.
Concerning her own accusations toward the Houghs, she said, "My reaction to Midge? I don't know what to say."
Ms. Wojtowicz, you can start with, "I'm sorry."
Matt Bartosik is a Chicago native and a social media sovereign.
Copyright NBC Owned Television Stations / NBC Chicago
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