What the Washington Post SHOULD Have Said About Trump's Hamilton Tweets

 

In an article published on Saturday, November 19, 2016 entitled “Why Trump gets theatre completely and utterly wrong” Washington Post theatre critic Peter Marks said that ““Safe” theater is dead theater.” While this may or may not be true from the esoteric standpoint of people within the theatre community (good theatre is thought-provoking, risky, and not necessarily “safe” by political standards) saying so does not help promote the value and potential of theatre to a non-theatre going audience.

In a way, Trump is right; theatre should be a safe and special place. In fact, the reason the theater is so special is precisely because people feel safe in their physical person while going… safe enough in their physical person to engage with dangerous ideas. Since presumably no one can harm you while you sit in your plush retractable seat, why not give ear to a few challenging viewpoints, uncomfortable ideas or unfamiliar voices? As long as I know I won’t get hurt, I’m happy to let my imagination and empathetic faculties wander and linger with “the other” for an hour or two.

Safety of ones’ person and freedom of speech are different. That’s what the Washington Post should have said. That’s what Trump and most Americans need to learn first hand. That’s why you don’t need to unfriend everyone on Facebook who doesn’t agree with you politically. That’s why we’re able and obliged to engage in constructive debate and conduct peaceful transitions of power. Anyone can say, as the cast of Hamilton did on Friday night, that they are “alarmed and anxious” that the new administration will not protect them or defend and uphold their inalienable rights. That’s a legitimate concern, expressed within the full bounds of our constitutionally guaranteed “freedom of speech” which does not threaten the physical well-being of Mike Pence or anyone else. It’s uncomfortable yes, but it does not detract from the safe or special nature of the theatre… a theatre poised to participate in the critical discourse of our modern era like never before.

That’s what the Washington Post should have said about Trump’s Hamilton Tweets.