Is 'Hamilton' the glorification of a racist slave owner? Viewers say real founding fathers were not heroes
Those who could not witness the Broadway magic of 'Hamilton' got to see it on Disney Plus. Of course, the floor was opened to heated debate because apart from claiming that the stage-to-screen adaptation of the musical was riddled with historical inaccuracies, others questioned the play itself and asked why the founding father, Alexander Hamilton, was being 'over-glorified', as he himself was a slave trader?
Is this the film you want to present in the wake of the George Floyd protests, they asked. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who acts as Hamilton and is the writer as well, had taken careful precautions to cast people of color in his play, and turning history on its head. The founding fathers in the musical are not white supremacists, but people of color, who deserved an equal say in the founding of America.
Yet this isn't enough for many. People still seem to be displeased about the musical and have a lot of things to say, as they say that he was a racist. "I’m not saying don’t watch Hamilton because there are many great things in it. I’m just saying be aware of the inaccuracies and the glorification of racist slave owners and if you blindly accept them as heroes, maybe think about why you have been taught that," one wrote.
"So... why is everyone so obsessed with the Hamilton musical? Why in the fuck would we want to celebrate a racist prick?" another tweeted.
"Liberals: Confederate Statues are racist! We cannot celebrate people who defended slavery! Also liberals: Hamilton is just a musical and if you believe everything in it you’re the problem. This is American history." another poked fun at those who had cheered for the destruction of statues, but supported the musical.
"I still love the musical Hamilton, but let's remember the real Alexander Hamilton wasn't an anti-racist, abolitionist hero," another tweeted.
"Take a day off from destroying statues of racist founding fathers to watch Hamilton The Movie about racist founding fathers. No one will notice your hypocrisy," another wrote.
"Enjoy #Hamilton but don’t forget who these men actually were. Know your history behind who these men were before you watch. They may have founded our country, but they were not good people. Racists and slave owners, remember that," one tweeted.
"Hamilton does feel kinda weird this year tho. It’s like, look at the founding fathers but let’s erase their racism and creepiness entirely. Its tough, cuz it slaps," another tweeted.
Others fiercely defended it, and wrote, "I laugh at how people are calling Hamilton racist and problematic. Number 1: you all need to shut the fuck up bc there is so much diversity in cast and the topics are there for a reason. Number 2: it's a musical??? Not that motherfucking deep. Been around for 5 years, RELAX."
'Hamilton' is currently streaming on Disney Plus.