“Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard,” H.L. Mencken said. 

In this case, I’m not sure who’s the greater victim of an injustice, white people, black people, or Wm. Shakespeare. ‘For never was a story of more woe, than your modern college campus and its po-faced combination of racism and woke bad taste.’

Three weird sisters of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” directly address the audience in Whitney White’s ensemble production.

“Women, what is something you want right now? Call it out, you can say it,” one witch says. “Say it, claim it. What is something you want right now?”

The witches line up in a row, singing a Hallelujah chorus to pay their respects to the new king and queen, who, through manipulation and murder, have seized the crown.

“What does it feel like? What is it going to take? In this world, is it worth it?” they ask.

And without skipping a beat, White as Lady Macbeth retorts:

“Girl! It was worth it.”

Reinventing Shakespeare as Empire and Scandal is about as visionary as bringing back racial segregation as affirmative segregation.

This version of the play is called “Macbeth in Stride” and is currently being performed by the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University’s Loeb Drama Center. Unfortunately, some Harvard students and members of the general public interested in seeing this classic play with a unique twist and social commentary may be out of luck. One upcoming show on Oct. 29 is billed as a “Blackout” performance, “designated . . . to be an exclusive space for Black-identifying audience members,” according to the event page. 

“For our non-Black allies, we appreciate your support in making this a completely Black-identifying evening,” it reads. “We invite you to join us at another performance during the run.”

At least black-identifying means that Rachel Dolezal and Kamala Harris will both be welcome.

FIRE notes that, “As an integral part of Harvard, the American Repertory Theater is subject to the university’s legal obligations and policies. Under federal law, excluding university students, faculty, and staff from educational enrichment opportunities based on race is forbidden. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 forbids all institutions receiving federal financial assistance, whether public or private, from discriminating “on the ground of race, color, or national origin.” Colleges and universities like Harvard that accept payments from students who receive federal financial aid are covered by Title VI. Massachusetts law also bars discrimination based on race in places of public accommodation, defined as “any place . . . which is open to and accepts or solicits the patronage of the general public.” This includes performance spaces such as theaters.”

True. All true. But racial discrimination, after briefly being banned, was brought back as affirmative action racial discrimination. The laws are simply not enforced and haven’t been enforced against a system of racial discrimination at every level that is as comprehensive as Jim Crow. But now that the theaters are being segregated, the ‘blackout’ lunch counters and water fountains should be awesome.