#BoycottHamilton Is a Tired and Typical Response to What Happened to Pence

AP Photo/Michael Conroy

On Friday night, Vice President-elect Mike Pence attended a performance of “Hamilton” on Broadway. During the curtain call, the actor playing Aaron Burr delivered a public rebuke of Pence and the new Trump administration. The clip went viral. The Left applauded the classless behavior while the Right spoke out against it.

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In other words, what happened was/is typical.

Once the story of Pence’s unexpected post-show encounter broke, social media was ablaze with calls to #BoycottHamilton.

Sigh.

Too often the Right reacts to store policies, corporate culture, or even downright rudeness such as this with childishness of their own. A boycott of “Hamilton” will do absolutely nothing. The smash hit, hip-hop musical (which I have not seen and know little about) isn’t hurting for attendees. The show is sold out through January 2017. When new ticket blocks become available, the prices are exorbitant. So this spicy new boycott won’t be doing anything to anyone connected to this very popular musical.

Though “Hamilton” isn’t hurting and won’t be hurting, our side should think long and hard before immediately reacting to anything like this with calls to boycott a product, show, actor, singer, clothing line, restaurant, etc. The majority of boycotts are not very effective. The rare ones that do some damage tend to affect the regular workers just looking to make a living who are directly connected to the epicenter of the “crisis”. Those are the people who never think about making a political statement at their workplace or being on a viral video.

Besides that, boycotts are very Leftist in nature.  You are not required to use, watch, or attend anything. Capitalism allows for an incredible variety of products, experiences, books, and movies, and no one asked for your opinion before creating them. Reacting with a boycott says you want to control what is presented since it makes you uncomfortable or angry.

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But here’s a better idea – just ignore it. I am much more likely to keep from attending “Hamilton” due to the hype that has surrounded it for months, not to mention its $900 premium seats, than from a boycott that Pence devotees dreamed up.

If the Right wants to act less emotional and more mature (and it should), it will refuse to react to things like the “Hamilton” debacle with calls to boycott. Instead, the Right should realize diversity of thought exists and no one will ask us first if we care. Though the Left says otherwise, they actually hate intellectual diversity. So instead of stooping low and slamming them by way of a useless boycott, shrug your shoulders, pay them little to no mind, and don’t expend any energy.

That might shock them more than anything.

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