Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) is facing mounting criticism after a controversial performance at one of his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour events. The senator, who is traveling to rally support for his progressive agenda in key battleground states, hosted trans-identifying singer Laura Jane Grace, whose performance included explicit anti-Christian lyrics.
The event has sparked widespread backlash, particularly among conservatives and religious groups who view the performance as deeply offensive.
Grace, the lead singer of the punk band Against Me!, performed the song “Your God (God’s D—),” which includes lyrics mocking Christianity, Easter Sunday and Jesus. The song’s explicit and blasphemous content, including s*xually charged language aimed at religious figures, quickly drew outrage.
Clips of the performance were shared on Grace’s social media accounts before circulating widely across other platforms.
Conservative activists were quick to condemn both the singer and Sanders for allowing the performance at his event. Robby Starbuck, a well-known conservative commentator, called out Sanders on X, criticizing him for personally thanking Grace after the performance.
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“The song specifically attacks Christianity with mentions of Easter and God’s son,” Starbuck wrote.
He later added, “Wow. AFTER the anti-Christian ‘performance’ at his event, @BernieSanders thanked the trans singer that performed this hateful, evil song.”
Starbuck continued, “If he attempts to apologize, just know his first instinct was to thank the singer after he sang it. This is who the Democrats are now. Pure evil.”
The performance, which took place during Sanders’ stop in Kenosha, Wisconsin, is part of his broader tour targeting areas where the 2024 election proved competitive for Democrats. However, the backlash over the event has overshadowed Sanders’ economic message, as critics accuse him of endorsing an anti-Christian performance.
During the event, Sanders expressed his appreciation for Grace, praising the musician and thanking him for taking part in the tour. This move has only fueled further criticism from religious groups and conservative commentators who argue that Sanders’ embrace of the performance demonstrates a broader disregard for Christian values.
The controversy is not the first time Sanders has faced scrutiny over his stance on religious issues. In 2017, he had a heated exchange with Russell Vought, President Donald Trump’s nominee for deputy White House budget director, over Vought’s Christian beliefs.
During Vought’s confirmation hearing, Sanders questioned him about a piece he wrote at Wheaton College, a Christian institution, in which Vought stated that “Muslims do not simply have a deficient theology,” according to The Gospel Coalition.
“They do not know God because they have rejected Jesus Christ, His Son, and they stand condemned,” he wrote.
As Vought attempted to explain his position, Sanders cut him off, saying, “But this country is made of people who are not just — I understand that Christianity is the majority religion, but there are other people of different religions in this country and around the world.”
Sanders’ remarks at the time were widely criticized by conservatives, who accused him of imposing a religious test on Vought’s nomination. The recent controversy over Grace’s performance has reignited concerns about Sanders’ treatment of Christianity and religious expression.
Fox News reached out to Sanders’ office and Grace’s publicity team for comment on the backlash, but neither responded immediately.
