The message was written by the man who wrote the play. I would say the stage is his to make his statements. It’s his play - he shouldn’t have used it as a platform for his “political agenda”?
Ninja’d
If that’s the case then the argument can be made the play’s political script was extended to address VP-elect Pence. I feel much better about that.
Early reports gave the impression an angry actor did this on his own.
The story is becoming less alarming as the true facts come out.
The press as usual stirred up controversy when it really wasn’t a big deal.
Snowboarder Bo you’ve been a member of this board long enough to know that insulting someone is not allowed. Don’t do it again.
While I mostly agree with you, here’s the thing. The actor told the audience not to boo Pence, and then he effectively called him a racist (or a bigot). Had he simply said: “We hope your administration will value and protect the public, in all its diversity, throughout this country.” That would be one thing. Instead he said (paraphrasing) “We are afraid that your administration will not protect people like us”. How else could you interpret that other than an accusation of racism (or some form of bigotry)?
I would have been irritated if I were in the audience. I was at a non-political conference where there was much discourse about how we should all vote for Hillary. I was uncomfortable and thought it was terribly unprofessional. And I certainly didn’t feel welcome because I wasn’t a member of their “church” of political philosophy.
I would have felt the same here. I didn’t pay to see them single out Pence and be part of the outrage. I don’t know if it was ‘right’ or ‘wrong’, I just know I would have been pissed.
I can see how people would have been more driven to vote for Trump. Maybe if I had heard more of this one-sided discourse before the election, I might have voted for him too.
The lead actor of Hamilton is openly gay and HIV positive. Mike Pence believes electroshock therapy “cures” gayness. He also, as governor, pushed for ideological budget cuts (defunding clean needle exchanges) that lead to the worst HIV outbreak in Indiana’s history.
In a very real way, Mike Pence is an existential threat to the lead actor of the play, and millions of others like him. Pence is glad they only booed.
It’s like if Trump went to the Apollo theater. What reaction would you expect from the historically black audience? Is it “unclassy” for them to react in a negative way to someone that has revitalized the white nationalist movement, even bringing members that are ideologically aligned with white nationalism into his administration?
When someone has their boot on your throat, you don’t thank them for their taste in footwear.
Translation:
“How dare they draw reasonable inferences from the actions, policies, and statements made by Pence and the President Elect? How dare they express fear of unequal treatment and lack of protection, based on nothing more than the fact that Pence has consistently and determinedly done everything he can to push back against LGBTQ rights and abortion rights, and the Cheeto-in-Chief has made a number of bigoted comments and policy suggestions regarding immigrants, Muslims, and other groups in the United States?”
Big fucking deal.
One of the consequences of free speech and an open political discourse is that you sometimes get to hear people call out your bullshit, and tell you that the things you say, and the politics you advocate, are frightening or reprehensible or bigoted.
And if someone did this to Obama, i would be equally unconcerned. Part of being a public figure, especially one as significant as the President or Vice-President, is that you sometimes have to put up with attention that regular folks don’t get.
If you replace the words “The press” with aceplace57, the above quote could apply to about half of the thousands of threads you have started on this message board.
You seem to spend half your life looking for stupid or overblown media stories, and then starting threads in which you offer distorted summaries, simplistic or misguided “analysis,” and recreational outrage.
Next time you’re tempted to do this, look back on your post here and ask yourself whether you’re stirring up controversy over something that isn’t really a big deal. If doing this reduces the number of threads you start, it will help the hamsters, and improve the overall level of discourse.
This isn’t my thread.
I never said it was. Read my post, slowly and carefully.
Already addressed in post #11 of this thread.
Why? The statement was delivered after the play’s conclusion. There would have been nothing keeping you there. You would have been leaving anyway. The play was finished and there was no interruption during.
He can say whatever he wants. I’m just pointing out that he insulted Pence. If that was his goal, then it was accomplished. If his goal was engage in a political discussion, then he failed. It just seemed odd that he’d tell the audience to stop booing so that he could insult the man. BUT IT’S ABSOLUTELY HIS RIGHT TO SAY WHAT HE SAID. Not arguing that at all.
It’s true that he didn’t advocate electroshock.
All he did was ask that federal money related to HIV/AIDS be directed away from actual help and advocacy groups, and towards groups that focus on gays who were “seeking to change their sexual behavior.”
That sort of policy presents no cause for concern whatsoever among the LGBTQ community, i guess.
I see nothing insulting in saying, “We, sir, we are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights, sir,” or in hoping that the play was inspirational. Pence is an elected official, and the job of an official is to listen to the concerns of his constituency, no matter how or when they’re delivered.
But it’s only really an insult if you don’t think like Pence. Pence has, for years, been pretty open about his attitudes to homosexuality, and about his advocacy for policies that redirect funding away from gay-friendly organizations.
This is a guy who thinks that gay couples contribute to the chance of “societal collapse,” and that preventing gay marriage is in line with “God’s idea.” He opposed the end of DADT in the military. I don’t claim to know what Pence himself thought of the comments made by the actor, but plenty of people who think the way Pence does about gay rights would probably have thought something along the lines of, “Yes, you’re right to be worried, because we’re going to push back against gay rights at every opportunity.”
Now, one might argue that he’s missed the boat on many of these issues, that things like gay marriage and DADT have been settled. But i certainly don’t blame an LGBTQ person for being somewhat fearful of the consequences of having Pence in a position of power (especially given some of the other people Trump is putting on his team), nor for expressing that concern.
The PRESS stirred up contronversy?
No, your clown of a president-elect stirred up controversy. He fucking lied about this incident. Doesn’t that alarm you? That Trump and the right wing media created this mountain out of a molehill, and expected you to swallow it? The “early reports” were by Donald Fucking Trump, when he tweeted out a complete mischaracterization and fabrication.
Nope, as per usual you and your kind blame “the press”. Not Donald Fucking Trump, who claimed that the CAST booed and screamed at Pence.
Jesus, this is why our country is headed for fucking disaster. Not because we elected Trump, if we just had a narcissistic sociopathic clown in office we could route around the damage and contain it while continuing to limp along and muddle through. But we have 49.5% of the voting public who is apparently indifferent to reality.
I don’t know how many homosexual conversion therapy subjects are seeking to change their sexual orientation, and how many are there because their *parents * are seeking to change their sexual orientation.
But I bet the subject who are there unwillingly is not zero.
ETA Won’t someone think of the children?
In summary, and apologies for wearing my Commander Obvious hat, but:
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It’s okay for the right to scream and rage and object and block every action of the Obama administration, down to the extreme rudeness and uncivility of yelling “You lie!” at the President, on the floor of the House, as he’s giving the SOTU address, and unceasingly questioning the conditions of his birth despite adequate proof early on;
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But now the left is supposed to sit down, shut up and not so much as address any of the righties now coming into power (regardless of their personal ethics, career histories and choices).
Got it.
Holy bats, Shitman.
If I told you, “I’m concerned you’re going to hurt someone with that gun,” is that effectively calling you a murderer or terrorist?
To be fair, there are many who take their second amendment responsibilities very seriously that would take it that way.