A female singer from the famed Mormon Tabernacle Choir has resigned from the group to avoid performing at Donald Trump’s inauguration, saying she “could never look myself in the mirror again with self-respect.”
“It is with a sad and heavy heart that I submit my resignation to you and to Choir. I’m am praying that Jesus will help me get through this email before I totally break down,” singer Jan Chamberlin wrote in a resignation letter that was obtained by The Salt Lake Tribune and eventually posted on Facebook
“Since ‘the announcement,’ I have spent several sleepless nights and days in turmoil and agony. I have reflected carefully on both sides of the issue, prayed a lot, talked with family and friends, and searched my soul,”Chamberlin wrote . “I’ve tried to tell myself that by not going to the inauguration, that I would be able to stay in choir for all the other good reasons. I’ve tried to tell myself that it will be all right and that I can continue in good conscience before God and man.”
She continued: “Looking from the outside in, it will appear that Choir is endorsing tyranny and racism by singing for this man… History is repeating itself; the same tactics are being used by Hitler (identify a problem, finding a scapegoat target to blame, and stirring up people with a combination of fanaticism, false promises, and fear, and gathering the funding). I plead with everyone to go back and read the books we all know on these topics and review the films produced to help us learn from these gargantuan crimes so that we will not allow them to be repeated. Evil people prosper when good people stand by and do nothing.”
As TheWrap first reported, Trump’s team is struggling to book A-list performers for his inaugural festivities, with two talent bookers saying they were offered ambassadorships if they could deliver marquee names. The inauguration team has its sights set on top-tier talents like Justin Timberlake, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry and Aretha Franklin, and are willing to pay steep fees for the performers.
Trump’s team has managed to enlist 16-year-old former “America’s Got Talent” star Jackie Evancho to sing the national anthem. They’ve also booked the Radio City Rockettes and, yes, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Several high-caliber performers have already publicly rejected requests to take part in the Jan. 20 festivities, including Celine Dion, Garth Brooks, Elton John and operatic singer Andrea Bocelli.
Chamberlin’s letter goes on to say, “I only know I could never ‘throw roses to Hitler.’ And I certainly could never sing for him.”