Rudeness abounds in post-election ‘16 -- TH Trib Star Letter

Rudeness abounds in post-election ‘16

Mike Pence, our governor, who is also Vice President-elect of the United States, was booed when he entered the Richard Rogers Theatre in New York City last Friday night. He was attending a performance of the hit musical “Hamilton.” Those boos were rude.

Sad to say, these are probably not the last boos Pence and Trump will hear in public over the next four years. Too many people remember Donald Trump winding up his unruly crowds with insulting snarls of “Crooked Hillary!” Too many people remember how he basked in the chants of “Lock her up!” It was all beyond rude. It became a ritual of hate and disrespect that happened again, and again. And it worked in the 2016 election.

When the play was over, before Pence could leave, the entire cast came to the front of the stage. Brandon Dixon, who plays vice-president Aaron Burr, addressed Pence. He read a carefully worded, respectful statement starting: “There is nothing to boo here, ladies and gentlemen, we are sharing a story of love.”

Dixon continued, “Mike Pence, we welcome you here. We are the diverse Americans 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 … we hope that this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and work on behalf of all of us. We thank you for sharing this wonderful American story, told by a diverse group of men and women of different colors, creeds and orientations.”

Cheers rose from the audience. Pence did not bow to the cheers. Trump might have. Who knows? President-elect Trump is a man who by character or design acts one way on Monday and deserts and denies those acts on Tuesday. But for certain, he always plays to the crowd.

— Gary W. Daily, Terre Haute

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