“It’s important to stay vigilant about the other transgressions going on with Trump, but examining…”
“It’s important to stay vigilant about the other transgressions going on with Trump, but examining this Hamilton thing isn’t frivolous. This is the country’s future leaders coming from a place of such DEEP insecurity that they can’t handle MILD criticism in a public forum. The press and the president-elect are attempting to shut down a reaction WELL within the rights of those expressing displeasure. If you think this is an isolated incident? That it won’t continue to happen every time free speech is exercised to dissent? I beg to differ. We’re getting our first looks at the character of this administration in power. Let’s not look away… Historically, leaders who abuse power have been extremely insecure, have overreacted to small slights. It’s already starting. And as artists, our work is often considered frivolous, unnecessary, as such it’s often the first to go when the hammer of oppression falls. Theaters closed, books burned, art irreverently depicting those in power prohibited. We’ve seen these warning signs with every rise. Don’t criticize people’s worry just because it’s related to art and not money or policy. It matters. Art matters. The cast of Hamilton made a heartfelt, onstage plea, using their visibility, to a leader that’s supposed to represent ALL of us. To have that rebranded by the president elect and the press as harassment (which is a CRIME by the way) is censorship, plain and simple… Art is our voice. Art is our joy. Art is our resistance. All the most successful oppressors have understood this. Don’t give it up willingly.”
– Tehlor Kay Mejia (via beachdeath)
I dunno. I mean, I agree broadly with the sentiment expressed here. But it’s also worth pointing out that this is a continuation of their campaign strategy. It’s not just that it pulls attention from things like their financial conflicts of interest. It’s that the event and its aftermath play to the fears and resentments of their side in ways that help them build support and neutralize our side’s political power. To me and many others, the latest tweet storm is more proof that we’re handing the presidency off to a bullying, narcissistic man-baby (no offense to babies). But this piece of theater wasn’t aimed at us. It was aimed at people to whom it looked like someone standing up to those smarmy big-city elites. And for the white supremacist neo-Nazis at the core of the movement the symbolism was even stronger. Because for them this was their guy calling out a black man who’d had the temerity to speak publicly against a white man. This Hamilton thing definitely isn’t frivolous, and shouldn’t be ignored. But there’s more going on than what’s visible on the surface, and we need to be aware of that in order for our own strategies to be effective.
Reposted from http://ift.tt/2fkF7ym.
Tags: politics, redacted, outrun, outlast, hit 'em quick, get out fast, stay alive till this horror show is past, we're gonna fly a lot of flags half-mast.
