DONALD TRUMP "MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN" HAT - UNBOXING VIDEO
Not all heroes wear capes.
One of them is this intrepid journalist.
A few weeks ago, I found myself living out my own version of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. I was bored and anxious, waiting out the final Trump-Clinton debate in a hotel on the Strip that smelled and tasted like an ashtray. I reached out to a friend who currently lives in Vegas and works in the hospitality industry. Is there anything to do in Sin Citytonight? I asked. Well, you could come with me to aJa Rule and Ashanti concert, was the reply.
*Cue the sound of trumpets.* This was exactly the "Only in Vegas" response I was hoping for. The middle school version of me could not believe how lucky the adult version of me was.
Elated, I began to get ready to embrace my high school dance favorites.Earlier that day, I had gone for a jog down the Strip. I had to stop into the Trump hotel to have a look around. In the gold gilded lobby was a small store selling Make America Great Again hats. I picked a few up as novelty items. As I was getting ready for my night out I thought it might be an interesting experiment to see how the Ja Rule faithful react to a Trump hat.
Why not?I arrived at the lit venue and immediately got the screwface from the bouncer working the door. He sort-of rolled his eyes and let me in anyway.Inside it was clear that this was not a Trump crowd. Young, diverse club goers packed out in front of a smoky blue stage while a DJ spun. I moved toward the stage where a security guy stopped me. He was sporting a orange mohawk approximately a foot off his head. Yo, you can"t go any farther... man is that a real Trump hat? he said. Yep. Dude, we both are wearing something insane, he said, pointing to his mohawk, laughing.
He was very nice. We took a picture.
Next, I went to the bar for a drink. A wall of a man named William was standing against the side of the long, wooden bartop. Yo, are you really voting Trump?! he boomed at me as I grabbed my Bud Light. Um... I said, trying to think of a way out. It"s all good, man, he said, I have just never met one of you. I voted for Bernie. We"re not really so different, William said, grabbing my shoulder and sipping some green drink.
On my way across the club I got plenty of stares. Some people took photos as I walked by.Some laughed. Some looked in disgust, pointed but never approached me.Then there was Xavier. Xavier walked right up to me from across the club. He put a finger on my hat and said, I respect that! I respect that! We went on to have a conversation about how he feels people are scared to express themselves because of howmean the 2016 race has been. I just love America, man, he said America has been good to me. He left, telling me that he hopes Donald Trump loses big, but is glad we"re all a part of the same country.
Then there was Maria. She approached me as I was waiting for my second drink. She punched me in the shoulder and said Amazing! Another Trump supporter at the Ja concert. I love Trump. She then proceeded to tell me about how much she admiresthe billionaire and how she will be voting for him. I told her I was doing this as a social experiment. She laughed and stole my other hat. I was upset because these things are $30, but not that upset.
Eventually, Ja got onstage. It was everything I ever dreamed of.And more.Throughout the concert people took photos with and of me, I think as a novelty, but one thing really stood out: Even though this room of over 2,000 people hadvery little in common with the candidate I was faux supporting, and even though this campaign has been one of bitter, icy vitriol from both sides, I was treated with respect and kindness by nearly everyone I met. Perhaps it was the nostalgic cultural bonds of Put It On Me, perhaps it was something deeper, but I"m glad I wore that hat that night. It gave me hope.
Make Ja Rule Great Again.
Image Credit: all images, Benny Johnson/Independent Journal Review
Source: http://ijr.com/2016/11/731185-i-went-to-a-ja-rule-concert-in-a-make-america-great-again-hat-what-happened-next-says-something-special-about-america/
