I had a blast performing in Vegas!
I was extraordinarily blessed to portray Thomas Jefferson in Las Vegas for America’s 250th “Shining City on a Hill” Celebration with Orlando “El Duque” Hernández (@orlandoelduque), Larry Elder of the @larryeldershow , and other luminaries.
Myrka Dellanos , an Emmy Award-winning journalist, interviewed El Duque in Spanish and shared his answers in English. He shared how Cuba canceled his baseball career when his brother defected to the U.S. After eight attempts to escape communism, El Duque made it here in 1997 and started playing for the New York Yankees the next year. He helped them win three consecutive World Series (1998, 1999, and 2000) and then helped the Chicago White Sox win one in 2005. He said of all the pennants he’s won, the greatest is freedom! He also said a motto in Cuba is “La patria o la muerte,” “The country or death.” They mean it quite literally! When we were in Cuba in 2016, shortly after Fidel Castro died, there was a prohibition on parties, lest anyone think people were celebrating his death. We heard about a birthday party that was interrupted. The revelers were taken into the back yard and shot. El Duque said in America it is — and he hopes one day in Cuba it shall be — “La patria y la vida,” “The country and life!”
After the interview a young man told me his grandfather escaped Cuba. The young man said communism is terrible and added a hearty thumbs down.
I got to tell Larry Elder back stage how I was cheering him on when he ran for Governor of California against Gavin Newsome. He told me they were terrified he was going to win and outspent him 10 to 1.
On stage, he spoke about growing up poor and how he was able to rise in America in ways you just can’t under Marxism.
The event was sponsored by Americans for Prosperity, the LIBRE Institute, and Concerned Veterans for America.
All three groups are encouraging people to make the most of their lives in a democracy. Ms. Dellanos said Marxists lie. They claim everyone will have enough, but the reality is that everyone but the ultra rich become very poor.
At my hotel over breakfast the next morning, I was recognized by some in a group of 33 members of the LIBRE Institute who had driven down from Reno. They were raving about the event, which was quite empowering to all who attended.
One of the empowering features of the event were bios on various figures in our nation's history, such as Neil Armstrong, Frederick Douglas, and Rev. Dr. John Witherspoon, who I portray.
There was a bubbling joy that could be felt last night as people could speak without self-censorship or fear of being sent to the verbal gulag.
Here’s more about the event: "AFP Nevada Brings America250 to Las Vegas With Myrka Dellanos, ‘El Duque’ and Joe Cortez."
