To the Editor:
Re “Trump Seeks to Remove the Nationwide Endowment for the Arts” (information article, nytimes.com, Could 2) and “High Officers at Nationwide Endowment for Arts Resign Amid Cuts by Trump” (information article, Could 7):
I can’t say I used to be shocked by President Trump’s proposal to eradicate the Nationwide Endowment for the Arts and the Nationwide Endowment for the Humanities. Autocrats scorn artwork for its capacity to talk reality to energy. They know that artwork can mobilize and unite, encourage and defy. Sure, artwork challenges authority, and it’s fairly clear by now that Mr. Trump assails all challengers.
As a highschool instructor during the last 28 years, I’ve been lucky to participate in N.E.H. programming, particularly its Summer time Institutes and its Landmarks of American Historical past and Tradition Workshops.
At these gatherings of lecturers and specialists from across the nation, I’ve deepened my data of literature, historical past, music and geography. I’ve exchanged concepts with different educators. I’ve developed lasting friendships. I’ve honed my experience. 1000’s of my college students have loved enriched classes due to my involvement in N.E.H.-funded institutes and workshops.
With a crumbling training system and a shrinking instructor pipeline in a lot of America, isn’t such programming the very antidote to failure?
The slash-and-burn strategy of this administration doesn’t simply undermine our economic system, our social security nets, our historic preservation and our scientific analysis and development. It additionally leaves in ashes the democratic values — knowledge, imaginative and prescient, creativity, innovation — that create an engaged citizenry.
In fact, that’s all a part of the plan. A disengaged, fearful, overwhelmed citizenry is a lot simpler to manage.
Gary J. Whitehead
Norwood, N.J.
To the Editor:
Concerning President Trump’s proposal to eradicate the Institute of Museum and Library Providers, we must always bear in mind simply why such establishments are vital. In fact, museums and libraries have many features, however one of the vital important is that they offer us all direct entry to artistic endeavors.
What’s particular about being concerned in artwork is that, for the second that we’re immersed in a murals, we’re higher folks — extra artistic, kinder, extra idealistic, extra alive — than we’re usually. What is gloomy is that, within the subsequent second, we’re our standard selves once more. Such is life.
Nonetheless, it’s good to be reminded every now and then of what we will be. Museums and libraries are locations the place we will be in contact with our greatest selves.
Frank Robinson
Ithaca, N.Y.
The author was a museum director for 35 years, at Williams Faculty, the Rhode Island Faculty of Design Museum and Cornell College.
Trump’s Menace of Tariffs on Movies Made Overseas
To the Editor:
Re “Citing Nationwide Safety, Trump Vows a Tariff on Motion pictures Made Exterior U.S.” (information article, Could 6):
Collectively together with his thirst for absolute energy and management and his penchant for exacting revenge on his perceived enemies, Donald Trump has added one other dimension.
For the disingenuous cause of creating Hollywood nice once more, President Trump stated he would impose a one hundred pc tariff on films “produced” exterior america. If he meant films made by different nations like these we see at international movie festivals right here, Mr. Trump has proven himself to be fairly prescient. Nonetheless creatively disguised, such movies might certainly mirror an anti-Trump bias.
We now have discovered that Mr. Trump takes no blame, accepts no accountability and exacts retribution on his critics. But he blames others for his errors and criticizes, demeans or mocks his perceived enemies consistently. Hypocrisy as normal.
Together with his risk of tariffs on the international movie trade and his unbelievable suggestion that he desires solely to make Hollywood nice once more, he’s now searching for retribution earlier than a slight happens. Maybe he is aware of it is going to be coming.
Patricia Weller
Emmitsburg, Md.
To the Editor:
I’m a senior, considerably homebound. One among my few pleasures are high quality movies about historical past, lots of them from Europe. President Trump is entertained by professional wrestling; I’m entertained by historic drama. We now have completely different tastes.
Thankfully, in America we now have been free to decide on, to date. People select what they need to devour, and it isn’t at all times about value. Typically it’s about high quality as nicely.
It appears that we are going to find yourself like Communist nations, the place the federal government managed what you could possibly buy, leading to mediocrity. How can or not it’s that the social gathering of free enterprise now presents us a future during which the state limits what we are able to purchase and even what we are able to take pleasure in, comparable to historic dramas that educate and entertain?
Beverly Bozung
Palm Seashore Gardens, Fla.
