The Discerning Texan

Many of my more "progressive" friends have long argued that the desirability of public funding of "the Arts" outweighs the risks. Invariably they conveniently overlook the dangers that public finding brings with it...if the wrong people are in power. Like NOW for example...

Hmmm. I wonder what they think of this development:

Most likely, you're generally aware of the story. It was broken by Patrick Courrielche at Big Hollywood. Courrielche received an email invitation from Yosi Sergant of the National Endowment for the Arts to participate in a conference call to discuss President Obama's "United We Serve initiative." Courrielche did participate, along with a number of other artists and representatives of arts groups. He found the experience disconcerting, and wrote about the call on Big Hollywood:

Backed by the full weight of President Barack Obama's call to service and the institutional weight of the NEA, the conference call was billed as an opportunity for those in the art community to inspire service in four key categories, and at the top of the list were "health care" and "energy and environment." The service was to be attached to the President's United We Serve campaign, a nationwide federal initiative to make service a way of life for all Americans. ...

We were encouraged to bring the same sense of enthusiasm to these "focus areas" as we had brought to Obama's presidential campaign, and we were encouraged to create art and art initiatives that brought awareness to these issues. Throughout the conversation, we were reminded of our ability as artists and art professionals to "shape the lives" of those around us. The now famous Obama "Hope" poster, created by artist Shepard Fairey and promoted by many of those on the phone call, and will.i.am's "Yes We Can" song and music video were presented as shining examples of our group's clear role in the election.

More here , here and here.

This is sort of the equivalent of a government taking the tax money of "progressives" and its President deciding to that money to fund a feature-length “Triumph of the Will II” from the "artistically-inclined" within in the KKK. Coming to a museum or theater near you soon.

And speaking of “Will”.

So what is next from these people: government funds for a new Michael Moore flick? Or perhaps an Oliver Stone homage to Republicans in general? The mind boggles.

But why stop with “the arts” (quotes intentional), when you can bankroll your press coverage” too…

I’m sure that will lead to “objective” coverage…. circa 1934: