When they found out presidential candidate and business mogul Donald Trump would be holding a rally at the Deltaplex in Grand Rapids on Dec 21, MSU students Daniel Eggerding and James Commee knew they were going to go.
They didn’t know, however, that they were being serious when they joked about disrupting it.
The pair, fast friends since high school, arrived as soon as the doors opened. Standing near the front, surrounded on all sides by supporters of Trump, hours ticked by while they awaited the candidate’s arrival.
Eggerding and Commee had both attended political rallies before, and both said they felt an air among the crowd that disturbed them.
“There was so much anger and pain in the room,” Eggerding said. “You could tell that everyone was really upset, and there was so much tension, it honestly felt like a TV show.”
A short while after Trump began speaking, the two decided they’d heard enough. Eggerding got up on Commee’s shoulders and began screaming at the top of his lungs: “Donald Trump, you are racist. You are a bigot. You don’t represent me.”
Upon realizing what just happened, the crowd grew into an uproar. Commee said they were screaming, yelling, punching, kicking as Eggerding was escorted out by secret service.
They said Trump smiled, dismissively waving toward the doors as Eggerding was removed, his repeated shouts of ‘you don’t represent America’ slowly drowned out by thousands chanting ‘USA, USA’ with fervor.
“Bye bye,” Trump said.
The incident made local news, with broadcast video of the rally capturing the protest. Eggerding took a cellphone video of the demonstration, which has been viewed just under 40,000 times on his Facebook page.
“I don’t believe that type of rhetoric that he stands for is what America truly is,” Eggerding said. “I believe that a nation of immigrants, a nation of all types of diversity makes America great. America already is great, let’s make it even greater.”
He’s called Donald Trump a bigot to his face, in front of thousands of his supporters. He’s protested at the Capitol Building for action in Flint. He’s stood arm-in-arm with LiberateMSU and in solidarity with Black Lives Matter. For MSU College Democrats Communications Director and social relations and policy junior Daniel Eggerding, politics and activism are a way of life.
Eggerding began his courtship with politics during the 2008 presidential election. Initially he supported former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s bid, but as the dust settled he turned to then-Senator and future President Barack Obama’s campaign.
“I fell in love with him and what he stood for,” Eggerding said. “I’ve always been interested in it, but when he ran he actually made me want to pursue a life of politics.”
Eggerding’s involvement has only grown in College, becoming the VP of a College Democrats group at Grand Rapids Community College before transferring to MSU this year. Last semester Eggerding joined student protests in support of Black Lives Matter and LiberateMSU, becoming quickly entrenched in campus issues.
“I would say (my activism) means something to me, but the great thing about it is that it’s something bigger than me,” Eggerding said. “I think that’s what I love about it so much… that’s my life, being involved in the government is being able to help people.”
Liberal in the depths of his marrow, Eggerding leans staunchly left, though he cares more about issues than party lines.
“I have never identified as a republican, I don’t think I ever will, however, I don’t like to identify myself as a democrat,” Eggerding said. “I would rather identify myself as an American.”
Eggerding is particularly passionate regarding inequality, often involving himself in issues of race, gender, and sexuality.
“I believe discrimination is horrible at any level, regardless of race or gender," Eggerding said. “(I) want to show people out there that there are people who believe in positive values... who are going to stand up for people who don’t have a voice."
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Eggerding's support of Clinton has renewed in the 2016 election, and he believes she has what it takes to follow in his role model's footsteps.
“Hillary is pragmatic and Bernie (Sanders) is idealistic, and in the current political state right now, someone that self-identifies as a Democratic Socialist I don’t think can win the general election.” Eggerding said of why he prefers Clinton over the Senator from Vermont."
“For me, it’s a matter of being able to work with not just democrats, not just people who are liberal, but also people who are republican, people who are conservative and people who are in the middle and I believe that Hillary can do that.”
Not only just a close friend of Eggerding’s, political science freshman James Commee is also a constant companion in his activism.
“Dan really cares a lot about the people, justice in general,” Commee said.
“I think that’s a big reason for him being a democrat… and I think that’s what makes him a really good friend too.”
Eggerding plans on continuing his interest in politics and political activism after he graduates. He’s uncertain of what he plans to do, bouncing between entering law school or working at the State Capitol, where he has interned and worked previously, but knows wherever he lands he wants to make a difference.
“Whatever I will do or end up doing in my future, I want to make not only my community, my state, my country a better place, but I want to make an impact on the world, to make it a better place,” Eggerding said.
