News Photo by Steve Schulwitz The flag in front of Alpena City Hall flies at half staff on Thursday. President Donald Trump and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered them to be lowered after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated on Wednesday. Whitmer also ordered them to be lowered for Patriot Day, to honor and remember those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001.

ALPENA — Elected officials and other political figures from Washington, D.C. to Northeast Michigan face an increase of hate and threats of political violence.

Social media only exacerbates the problem as it is not uncommon for people to spread hate, or information that is inaccurate, that inflames people.

Some elected officials fear that the threat of harm could lead to fewer public rallies, roundtables, and other events where elected officials gather with their constituents.

The assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Wednesday has only amplified the current political climate, and although it may have some elected officials looking over their shoulders a bit more often, they pledge to continue to connect with citizens.

Congressman Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet, said his office has received threats against himself and members of his staff. He said over time, his team has learned other means to communicate with people and added that elected officials still need to make appearances despite the recent political violence, like Kirk’s assassination.

Bergman said police have had to give staff members escorts home and one employee even quit because of threats. He said the escalation of violence needs to end.

“Threats to myself and my staff happen very frequently and I’m sure many will have reservations about holding public events, or even private events, but we must not let these despicable actions silent us, whether in large groups, roundtables, or one on one, because, when people stop talking, that’s when bad things start happening,” Bergman said. “This is unacceptable. We have to turn in at least one or two threats a week, sometimes more, but it doesn’t change our mission.”

Callie Barr, who squared off against Bergman in the 2024 general election and who is running for his seat again next year, said during her first campaign, and so far during this one, she never received any direct threats of violence. She added that she did receive her share of hateful emails and other correspondence. Some people told her, for example, they were happy that her husband, a Marine, had friends killed on the battlefield.

She agreed with Bergman that Kirk’s death, the assassination attempt of President Trump last year, and other political acts of violence, which have been done by people from both the left and the right, could make elected officials reluctant to venture out where there are crowds of people. She said it also makes her a bit nervous, but she said she will push through and continue forward with her goal of representing the people in Northern Michigan, if she defeats Bergman next year.

“Sure it makes me uneasy. I have kids and they are worried and they want to know if I am safe,” Barr said. “Many of us have different views and we don’t always agree, but we have to reject this hate and violence. We have to change.”

On Friday, Michigan Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist announced that there was a credible bomb threat made toward his home on Thursday. Police confirmed there was no bomb at his house and he praised their repose and thoroughness. In a press release, Gilchrist said all political violence must end.

“I know that people are on edge — it’s a scary time. This incident came just a day after the murder of Charlie Kirk and in the midst of an escalating pattern of political violence in Michigan and in America,” Gilchrist said in the release. “The purpose of this violence is to silence, intimidate, and eliminate people and their voices from our society. That won’t work on me. We cannot let this remain our reality. We cannot tolerate political violence. We cannot excuse it. We cannot normalize it. We have to push through this and do the work to do better. It’s not easy, but nothing important ever is. It’s up to us to dig deep and commit to ending violence and creating a safe, healthy society.”

State Senator Michele Hoitenga, R-Manton, said there have been instances where her office has received threats of violence and she has had to contact police about them. She said most often people are just venting and the threat is unserious, but still, she said she believes threats of political violence and hateful correspondence are becoming more abundant.

Hoitenga, who is a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment, said she carries a firearm with her often to help thwart any danger she may confront. She said many politicians have scaled back the number of public events they attend and that isn’t good because people need to be able to see and speak to their elected officials.

“I receive a lot of hate from people, mostly because of how I fight for the 2nd Amendment,” she said. “The hate overall has absolutely increased by 100%.”

Alpena Mayor Cindy Johnson said she also has received threatening or hateful correspondence. She said some required her to contact law enforcement, but despite the possible dangers, she intends to operate as she always has, by keeping an open and personal dialog with residents of the city and beyond.

“I’m always willing to have open conversations with anyone, on any topic, in the hopes of finding common ground. That said, we do need to address the aggressive behavior coming from a vocal minority. Most of the people I represent find threats and fear tactics deeply offensive,” Johnson said. “I was elected to serve, and I remain focused on addressing the real issues that affect people’s daily lives. The hateful rhetoric we see on social media and national platforms is fueling division, and in some tragic cases, it’s costing lives. If more elected officials simply did the jobs they were elected to do, it would go a long way toward calming the fear and anger. We need to be the leaders that lead and set an example of civility, even when we disagree.”

Alpena County Commissioner John Kozlowski said he has not received any “direct” threats, but he has received aggressive emails. He said much of the hateful content is posted on Facebook and other social media platforms.

“I’m only speaking for myself, but I haven’t received any threats of violence,” he said. “But, I do think if you look at the overall scope of it all, it’s not good. I do believe that if we continue to go down this road, where people are scared to express their thoughts and opinions, our country will be in big trouble.”

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 or sschulwitz@TheAlpenaNews.com. Follow him on X @ss_alpenanews.com.