Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Many musicians including Questlove and John Legend have begun to speak out in defense of a statement the cast of the Broadway musical Hamilton read to Vice President-elect Mike Pence after a performance on Friday night. Upon his arrival, Pence was booed by members of the audience. At the end of the performance, the cast–led by cast member Brandon Victor Dixon–read a statement of concern to Pence about the upcoming Trump administration and presidency."There's nothing to boo. We're all here sharing a story of love," Dixon said. "We, sir, 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." The entire statement can be viewed below.
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Since their statement, President-elect Donald Trump has tweeted a series of angry messages to the cast demanding an apology from them for exercising their First Amendment rights.Today, producer and musician RJD2 added his voice to the matter in a series of tweets that questioned the implications of an infringement on an American's First Amendment rights."I have to wonder; if we reach the threshold where free speech actually starts being threatened, will we know what that looks like?" the musician tweeted. "Another way of asking the question: could there be a level of retribution that is "indirect enough" for us to not recognize it as such?"Read his entire series of tweets below.This is the statement made by — Hamilton (@HamiltonMusical)November 19, 2016
Saw that speech from Hamilton cast member to Pence on IG; was about the most respectfully measured thing I heard all week. 100% classiness.
— RJD2 (@rjd2)November 19, 2016
I have to wonder; if we reach the threshold where free speech actually starts being threatened, will we know what that looks like?
— RJD2 (@rjd2)November 19, 2016
Another way of asking the question: could there be a level of retribution that is 'indirect enough' for us to not recognize it as such?
— RJD2 (@rjd2)November 19, 2016
Last week, we spoke with Martyn about the 2016 presidential election results.I guess I'm just saying that some of these soon-to-be office holders might wanna either grow a pair, or have a pair surgically implanted
— RJD2 (@rjd2)November 19, 2016