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VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT Mike Pence was booed at a performance of award-winning Broadway musical “Hamilton”, whose “alarmed and anxious” cast made an unusual call from the stage for the incoming Trump administration to work on behalf of all Americans.
Donald Trump’s right-hand man attended a performance late last night of the hit musical about young colonial rebels who shaped the country whose founding fathers they would become.
The show’s lead actor, Javier Munoz, is openly gay, HIV positive and a cancer survivor. Activists have worried that the incoming Trump administration will be hostile to gay rights.
If you can’t view this video, click here.
Brandon Victor Dixon, who plays former vice president Aaron Burr, read a statement to Pence during the curtain call that echoed some of the biggest concerns critics have voiced since Republican firebrand Trump was elected on 8 November.
And with that, a performance of a musical about the American Revolution and the dawn of a young nation became even more political.
Thanking Pence for attending the performance, Dixon asked him to “hear us out”.
“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,” Dixon said.
But we truly hope this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and work on behalf of all of us. All of us.
The audience cheered and applauded loudly his comments.
Dixon highlighted the fact that Hamilton, which won 11 Tony Awards in June, was performed by “a diverse group of men, women of different colors, creeds and orientations”.
Audience goes ‘nuts’
The New York Times reported that although Pence was leaving as Dixon began to read his statement from the stage, he stood in the hallway by the auditorium’s entrance and heard the entire message.
When he entered the theatre earlier before the show, Pence was greeted with a mix of boos and cheers from the audience.
The show celebrates diversity and immigrants’ contribution to the nation.
The audience gave a standing ovation at the line “immigrants we get the job done”, theatregoer Christy Colburn wrote on Twitter.
Donald Trump himself was less than impressed with the goings-on at the theatre, tweeting criticism to the ‘harassment’ Pence had been subjected to.
Trump has deployed polarising rhetoric to describe immigrants, vowing to build a wall along the US-Mexico border and to ban Muslims from entering the US.
And the bombastic billionaire real estate investor, who was showered with widespread condemnation from both within and outside his party after video emerged of him making lewd boasts of groping and forcing himself on women, has largely appointed older white men to major posts so far in his presidential transition.
Additional reporting Cianan Brennan
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In any other country, the government would have fallen due to the Cervical Check scandal. Not in this banana republic though. Never mind, I’m sure there’s some way the Leobots can blame this on Sinn Féin. Keeping the recovery going for the few, not the many.
@European Bob: A couple of years ago the Bulgarian government fell because of a rise in electricity prices. Huge protests all over the country, some turned violent.
@Dave Doyle: The greatest trick FF/FG ever pulled was convincing the Irish people that there is no choice. There is always choice. Those that say there isn’t are liars.
@European Bob: That’s the purpose of the so-called “opinion polls” suggesting to people how they must vote, or they are out of kilter with the “majority” of the country. The quango of FFG has to go. They’ve had 100 years of gravy while the people sup on a thin gruel.
And before our friends ask, i don’t care if it’s Gerry and the Pacemakers who take over. Any alternative has to be given the chance.
@Dave Doyle: Gee, Dave, you’re in a really good mood today.
I’d say Christmas Day will be a great laugh in your house. Not.
Yeah, I know, you live in Bulgaria…..they don’t do Christmas…..blah, blah, blah……nobody cares.
@samstheman: Happy Christmas to you too Sam
@Dave Doyle: Yep and you know what. they’ll do, smear the people protesting calling them sinister fringe or something, I was at the water protests it was just families out with their kids hardly sinister fringe, ordinary everyday people who somehow become enemy of the public simply for not being able to afford this greed driven government.
@European Bob: what the Shinners…lol…ha ha ha ha…
@Diogenes: and who was up front of the march? You didnt see the Shinners, Eirigri, PBP, ? You must have had blinkers on !
@Chin Feeyin: A very Happy Christmas to you and yours Chin!
@European Bob: why elaborate specifically on their mismanagement here?
Must be hard for Leo to pick a low point of 2018, there’s just been so many to choose from. This government of FG propped up by their doppelganger FF is morally bankrupt.
@European Bob: With all that’s happening in our country this utter gombeen is worried about his (& his fellow leeches) popularity.
Our Mothers,Wives,Sisters,Daughter’s etc are living under fear of misdiagnosis.
There are gang related killings, Drugs are rampant, our health system is a pure joke, homelessness at an all time high but this eejit is spending €500,000 + to look good on videos !!!.
God only knows how much they pay to advisors and wages.
Just shows where their priorities really sit.
He was spoilt for choice.
Happy Christmas everyone
71 dead men in Irish Air Corps chemical exposure tragedy & Leo has simply ignored multiple whistle-blowers.
He has ignored Protected Disclosures made directly to him regarding the ongoing deaths of personnel.
@Chemical Brothers: unbelievably neglected and lots of families destroyed. But unfortunately and not to take away from womens issues, this was men therefore not en vogue in today’s climate. Its all about the votes.
@Chemical Brothers:
And let’s not forget those still under the death sentence of cervical smear tests and the children waking up to now mother this morning.
What a twisted country eh.
@tommytukamomo: Air Corps personnel ACTUALLY POISONED BY THE STATE would be happy with equality on this issue.
Free cancer screening, health supports, perhaps even a statutory investigation as to why the Air Corps left personnel to rot since 1995 when they measured some workplace airborne CMRs at multiples of safety limits.
Completely different level of state culpability in this scandal both from Air Corps and State Claims Agency, the latter having considerable skin in the game.
@Chemical Brothers: not just ignored them but tried to bad mouth then as upstarts, surprised he didn’t call them dissidents
@Dan public: Here’s Leo telling the Dáil that “cancer happens”. He obviously believes that ignoring state health & safety legislation has no concequences. Might as well scrap the HSA so…not needed.
@Chemical Brothers:, I know man and I personally know a few of the people.
They are in a horrific limbo and I feel so sorry for them.
@tommytukamomo: Thing is there is the potential for a substantial public health dividend from the Air Corps tragedy.
When we eventually convince Leo to switch the states efforts away from solicitors & barristers and towards science & medicine there will be a lot to learn.
From studying our illness cluster there is potential to change how many inflammatory illnesses (that are currently overwhelming out health system) are treated.
This is a scandal with a difference. This is a scandal with a POTENTIAL silver lining. We just need politicians to grasp the opportunity and luckily an increasing number are paying attention.
WATCH THIS SPACE
@Chemical Brothers: reckon he can bring them back to life??
@Seamus G: go home Seamus, you’re drunk.
Still ignoring the worsening homeless crisis i see.
@Adrian: The homeless numbers reaching over 10,000 was one of Leo’s high-points of 2018 although he can’t say that publicly obviously, only in private while surrounded by his neo-liberal chums.
I’m sure he lost a lot of sleep over it it being his government being found out for what it is incompetent
Going by the article in the indo, he thinks he’s had a hugely successful year! Still faking it, supposedly gets angry when people says he’s only in it for the money. Well thats what it looks like because they’re all paying themselves an unjustifiable fortune, they can’t fix anything, and its all just fake promotion with them. Strange measure of success! Only reason we haven’t had an election has been because of the gov being backed up by equally horrendous FF, and neither want an election because of being 30% in the polls. There have been so many viable reasons now to bring down this gov that the whole setup is a joke.
I had hoped to see some good news stories on the Journal this Christmas morning. First up, Leo and the incompetents feat. FF. Ah well, that’s my breakfast ruined! But on a positive note, it can only get better ☺❤ Happy Christmas all.
@European Bob:
Many happy returns.
What about his hospital which will become the 9th most expensive building in human history.
I would be happy to hear of one single problem he addressed and fixed everything he touched just got worse back by the devil of FF .
In any other place they would be asking what your highlight of 2018 was, with no option to choose from low points are easier to this incompetent shower
“Misinformed”?
Imagine if some other people used that excuse. Imagine if Theresa May used it or Donald Trump. How much leeway would they get?
Absolutely none and rightly so.
It’s an even more shallow excuse for Mr Varadkar as he did actually serve as Minister for Health and would have had knowledge of the scandal many years ago.
Varadkar and Harris should have resigned on the spot when the scandal broke, but that couldn’t be allowed happen as it would have disrupted the referendum on the eighth amendment.
And now, thanks to spineless Martin, we won’t have a chance to vote until 2020.
Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
8th as well
@Alan Scott: That was a high point.
The continuing ED/ health crisis, missed targets on climate change, housing/homeless crisis/ increase in rough sleepers, €270 million more to Anglo Bondholders, evictions/ property seizures on the increase.
Ah yes, politics, were failure is success, good is bad, up is down, back is forward and all they do is spin till we are so dizzy we can’t remember the last scandal.
And did Leo Offer to resign?????????? NNNNNoooooooooooooo. What was that you said €200 Thou P/A OOOoooo right Resign Yea that for Muppets” Resign”
He’s always trying to put himself in the crowd pointing at the villain, like he’s one of us, one of the punters, well I’ve got news for you Leo, you’re the Villain!
Well isn’t that just pure inconvenient that people have to die in order to show you what an utter looser
you really are.
My heart bleeds for you and your fellow over paid vermin.
Do enjoy your taxpayer funded feast and months holiday and God forbid you choke on anything.
@tommytukamomo: Well said. These creatures don’t feel remorse or empathy. It’s people’s lives that are the collateral damage to our politicians incompetence.
@European Bob: unfortunately the only sphere of life that these creatures are comfortable in is politics.
No other industry in the world would take them and they wouldn’t last a week in a real job.
Born parasite, live as a parasite and die as a parasite.
he has had 360 low points so far ..poor leader. he has forgotten the people that put him there
@Brian Martyn: actually brian the ‘people ‘ didnt put him there – fg ‘select committee’ did leo has never won a general election — he took over from edna and ff backtracked to form a coalition ,the people have yet to have their say on leo as a taoiseach –it can’t come soon enough !
“It was one of those days when you’re reminded why you’re in politics”. In fairness, leo can’t answer anything without it being political. His answer to this was political, a reply to the cervcheck people to say, “we could have handled it better, so vote for us again next time”!
Your low point Leo? What about the women who have died, and are seriously ill and dying due to your government’s lack of accountability
the nations ‘low point’ was him and his corrupt party still being in government !
Ministers for Health should be fully informed about serious issues affecting the health service,this scandal goes back years!By the way the lowest points were experienced by the women,widowers and their families!
Other scandals, National emergencies affecting ordinary people are the daily ‘low points’ that the homeless people, families especially children experience,plus the daily ‘low points’ of those waiting in pain/distress on hospital waiting lists,plus the daily ‘low points’ of those struggling with rising rents,insecure accommodation,plus the daily ‘low points’ of those who are carers for disabled, elderly & children who need more supports,plus the daily ‘low points’ of those experiencing deprivation or consistent poverty,etc
Leo the liar is a self obsessed gombeen, this government is a shambles.
Absolutely awful government, squeezed middle, cervical check outrage, homeless crisis, outrageous hospital waiting times, old country folk being evicted by northern security and even after all that I’m probably missing something!
Everything he didn’t do was a low point, everything he did was quite similar funnily enough!
leo gave us EBORTION he’s a proud baby killer
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