The vacation should do us all good. After the House voted narrowly to dismantle the National Endowment for the Arts, the same old arguments rattled around TV talk shows and by some conservative columnists. Some of our esteemed legislators would have us believe that the NEA gives money only to projects designed by pornographers or perverts. Many worthwhile artists and educational activities couldn't exist without the precious dollars sent by Uncle Sam, in a wise use of taxpayers' money. However, those anti-NEA zealots continue to rake over the old news about controversial grants handed to the creator of Piss Christ, the erotic photographs of the late Robert Mapplethorpe, or the nude performance art of Karen Finley and others.
Support given to many deserving entities goes unmentioned.
And the U.S. continues to trail the civilized world in government support for the arts. Writing to members of Congress has become easier in these days of e-mail. It would be an appropriate time to voice your concerns to your representative. The NEA deserves to continue. Only Want Blockbuster Trash I started reviewing books in 1958 after I learned that publishers sent free copies to newspaper literary editors.