Jackie Evancho is the young singer who has found herself having to defend her choice to perform at Donald Trump’s inauguration. The former America’s Got Talent contestant has said that the inauguration is not political. She thinks of the gig as performing “for my country.” So if people are going to hate on me,” she told the Times,” it’s for the wrong reason.”
Much has been made of Evancho’s having a transgender sister and how that squares with Trump VP Mike Pence’s dubious record on LGBT rights. Isn’t Evancho throwing her sister under the bus by supporting the Trump-Pence ticket on inauguration day? Shouldn’t she refuse to perform, as many other liberal-leaning stars have? Those are the questions Evancho has answered by saying that the inauguration rises above the political fray. It’s a national event about the country as a whole. If she continues to be pressed on the issue, she might just point over at Bill and Hillary Clinton, who have said they will attend the inauguration also. If anyone has a reason to skip this gig in protest, it’s surely Mrs. Clinton. If Clinton will be there, why shouldn’t Evancho sing?
