While many thought that Brexit, the vote regarding Great Britain's decision to leave the European Union, would be a close one, early polling predictions didn't quite prepare the world for Brexit to become a reality. Now with Britain decidedly leaving the EU, nothing quite encapsulates the mixed reactions across the board like your Twitter feed this morning. Thankfully, Lin-Manuel Miranda's tweet about Brexit is a bright spot in an otherwise tumultuous internet today.
Its fitting that the Tony award-winning writer, composer, and star of Hamilton would weigh in today, all things considered. The iconic musical revolves, of course, around Alexander Hamilton, and the events of and surrounding the Revolutionary War, when the United States declared itself a sovereign nation free of Great Britain's control. The clear comparison is that now, 240 years later, Great Britain is in the midst of yet another separation controversy — except that this time, they were the ones doing the separating.
And yes, people are (justifiably) upset — no country has ever left the European Union before, and the implications for the economy, for immigration, and for factors that nobody has anticipated yet are vast and certainly intimidating. Amidst all of the panic, though, Miranda's lighthearted tweet will make any Hamilton fans feel a little bit better about the news.
The tweet refers to two separate songs: The first, "What Comes Next," is King George's (hilarious) reaction to the United States winning the Revolutionary War and striking out on their own. The cleverly placed emoji refer to "The World Turned Upside Down," a song in Hamilton based on lyrics from an actual American victory song following British surrender at the Battle of Yorktown. Being the wordsmith he is, it's no surprise that Miranda managed to capture the hearts of both sides of the issue today — those who were for the separation, and those who were against — while still managing to send a message of comfort for those feeling rocked by the decision.
In the meantime, I guess we will have to wait another 240 years for the great-great-great-great-great-grandkid of Miranda to pen Brexit: The Musical, featuring random cameos of Harry Styles deciding whether or not to leave One Direction. Lord knows they'll have plenty of fodder to work with from our many, many tweets today, so you're welcome in advance, future Lin-Manuel Miranda progeny.
