Today I’m turning my page over to three cogent voices on the assault on our art, culture and communities that is proposed in the new budget. . First Daphne Muse is from a writer, social commentator and poet who has allowed me to share an important letter she wrote on the ways to make sure we preserve our artistic production and assure that the work is not swallowed up in the machinations of the Trump regime because I, like her, have concerns that grow by the minute.
To My Friends who are Artists, Writers and Cultural Brokers
My concern for the arts and literature grows more deeply by the minute. I’m now at a point where thoughts of closing our museums and libraries bang in my mind all too frequently. I can’t even imagine the Library of Congress being shuttered; the doors of The National Museum of African History and Culture or other museums bolted shut; books burned in countless numbers; and dancers banned from taking to the stage.
While the RESISTANCE is formidable, in some ways it feels like we’re using toothpicks to fend off tanks. In taking steps towards preserving our artistic, literary and cultural legacies, I’m asking all artists, writers and cultural brokers to document everything in your collections, libraries and files. Use the best technologies available to preserve what you can and store in multiple places.
In 1933, the Reich Culture Chamber was established with Joseph Goebbels, Minister for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda at the helm. Designed to support the Aryanization of German culture and prohibit Jewish music, surrealism, cubism, Dadaism and the blues, there were individual divisions within the Reich that focused on radio, press, movies, literature, theater, visual arts and music. This is right up in their playbook, as they propose the eradication of Public Television, NEA and NEH.
These fascists can go lower than any of us ever imagined. Their specialty is unequivocal cruelty, combined with a depth of hatred that even made the devil quit hell. Bannon (Ban Ban), who is in charge of orchestrating this shit show, throws swords of chaos into the mix every second. And, I’m not convinced that Cheato Man is crazy. Indeed he is a dictatorial thug, but there is something so strategic and stealth about all of this even though it appears to the contrary and it’s happening at lightening speed. Just imagine what we don’t and won’t know.
Keep your voices and visions lifted out into the Universe, as you paint, draw, sculpt, sing, write, dance, produce plays, act, rap, riff , capture images and pour poems all across the Earth.
Go well in the country of your heart, mind and soul.
Do visit her blogspot and read more
Then an opinion piece by Philip Kennicott, art and architecture critic of The Washington Post, who wrote: “These cuts aren’t about cost savings — they’re far too small to make even a ding in the federal budget. They are carefully calculated attacks on communities, especially those that promote independent thinking and expression.” The full article is worth a read.
And finally a look at how Bloomberg has graphically shown how the budget increases and decreases will affect our quality of life with a note on each of the 19 agencies which the Trump regime has proposed for complete elimination. The scope is wide and deep, ranging from African Development Corporation, to Chemical Safety Board to Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation the US Institute of Peace, the National Endowment for the Arts and on and on. Small money departments that serve the needs of we the people.
Only we can turn the tide. The good news is that with focus and energy we can make a difference.