white picket hurts my feet

I hate discussing politics with someone who does not basically agree with me. I always think that I should be more open minded to those who don't share my opinions. But I tend to find opposing viewpoints in politics downright offensive, and not just 'another way of looking at it'. I always end up feeling that people who do not rally to my side are deluded or mean. I know this is wrong. I know that my inability to see another's viewpoint is limiting myself. Just as an ultra conservative limits their ability to move forward by not opening up their perspective.

There is one issue, though that I do go back and forth on. That is the funding of the arts by the government. I know this may seem like blasphemy coming from an actor (you already know that I am blasphemous, see previous posts), but I have a hard time reconciling this one. It is wonderful that the government sees art as worthy of funding, although it is a paltry amount in the grand scheme of things. I know that even this little funding has helped some very important artists do their work. But I am not comfortable with the idea that the government should have any say about which art is or is not worthwhile. I also am not at ease with the idea that while our education system lags, we are spending money on art instead of teaching art. Art may feed the soul, but I also want the kiddies to have a computer in every classroom.

Artists are, by nature, a very resourceful lot. I have been in shows that had a budget of fifty dollars and still came off beautifully. I have watched very poor and enterprising people do amazing work. We are scrappy and determined and I do not fear for the arts, were the government to pull the plug on the NEA. However, as I said, I do waiver on this one a lot. The fact that the government recognizes the arts as being integral to our society, by earmarking some money for its development, is no small thing. I don't know if it would be wise to give up the money in the symbolic sense. It would allow the government to think that the arts are expendable. Quite the conundrum for me.

As soon as I land on one side of the fence I seem to hop back up there again.