Like you I am just not sure how "culture" managed to survive without taxpayer support for all those years. But what do we get for the $10,651,000 that Governor Kulongoski wants to spend on "culture"? (Hint: it's not for the state crime lab so they can solve more rapes)
We get this:
20 comments:
I am originally from a city back east that is loaded with culture. In fact, my hometown has probably as much culture or more than just about every other city in the country. I don't mention this to brag or go off topic. I mention this for one reason and one reason only. We don't have to pay a freaking dime to have our culture. Culture is something that comes naturally with an area. You either got it or you don't. What these numbnuts are talking about is not culture, they are talking about something along the lines of civic amenities but they don't want to call it that because if they did, they might be challenged on why they support alternative art but not funding for a baseball stadium, for example.
You guys are being sold a bill of goods by the local government. Sad, but true. Culture is not found in a local art museum or philharmonic symphony. Sorry.
Not related to the post. Check this out:
http://forestgrovenewstimes.com/opinion/story.php?story_id=117511006302072800
Then where is it found, Anon 10:44? Have you ever been to an art museum? Have you ever attended an art exhibition? Have you ever heard a live symphony?
Hi, I know this isn't about culture, but I just wanted to leave a message here for Bear, who sees an "America-hater" behind every tree. Bear, check out the quote below:
"Human beings continue to be sacrificed on the altar of a dual military occupation. Thousands of Americans and Afghans, hundreds of US allies, and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis’ lives have been lost and shattered. We say these things with disappointment and sadness for our country."
That's from a statement earlier this week by the family of Pat Tillman. Remember Pat Tillman? (If you don't know who he is, should I assume that you hate America?)
I'm just dying to know ... are they also "America-haters"? Enlighten us with your political wisdom.
Hey, anon, 11:23, yes I have. And my home city has hosted and will continue to host far more civic amenity type events than yours ever will. Don't even go there because you can't win that argument. Going to museums and symphonic shows does not amount to culture, dumbass. Tell me how that is culture. What do you call it, urban culture? What? You guys don't have any culture here, truth be told, unless you want to count your pioneering culture. That's who you people came from. No reason to be ashamed of it. I don't have that culture where I am from. But where I am from, we are proud of our culture. Where you are from, you try to be something that you are not. Loser...
Kulongoski's remark that culture needs public money is obviously foolish when we consider, for example, the enormous book-publishing industry, supported by the private purchase of books.
Enjoy your blogger very much.
I'm going to start calling Oregon the State of Canada! Being born and raised there (now a proud American Citizen)"culture" practically had it's own cabinet position. But really, it was just a way for the leaders to give their deadbeat friends a job!! And of course "culture" means all cultures but English(because of course we are responsible for all the world's ills and problems) hahaha
Funny how a google search for ["privately funded" museum] seems to turn up a lot of what anon 11:23 considers "culture."
12:54, you presume so much that is wrong, you completely miss the point, and you don't even really answer the question. Must be an interesting culture you come from. I think I'll take a pass.
i am with you Daniel, lets spend our money more wisely.
Particia, "State of Canada?" That's what Jon Stewart called Oregon when he described the location of the Seattle Seahwaks in 2006. "Canada, Canada and Oregon, Canada."
"Particia" should be "Patricia." Sorry, dyslexia going on here.
Meanwhile in New York art gallery creative director Matt Semler is wondering why he is getting angry response to his display of a six foot anatomically correct statue of Jesus made of chocolate. The "artist" is best known for his "quirky" work with food as art such as repainting a Manhattan hotel room in melted cheese, spraying 5 tons of pepper jack cheese on a Wyoming home and festooning a four-poster bed with 312 pounds of processed ham.
May I suggest the artist make a statue of Mohammad out of Matzah and see if anyone objects.
Culture is something that comes naturally with an area.
So Chinese immigrants have plenty of inherent cultural centers in Medford? When members of a certain ethnic minority group are small enough that they don't have enough private funding to support a cultural center, shouldn't government help them out?
Funny, that Google search on ["privately funded" museums] turns up museums that have received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Daniel, perhaps you could enlighten us with a little more research and find ten museums that have received absolutely no government funding.
For anon 12:54
Maybe some definition of terms would be helpful?! One is refering to 'A' definition and one to 'B'. Here is straight from the
American Heritage Dictionary cul·ture (kŭl'chər) n.
A)The totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought.
B)These patterns, traits, and products considered as the expression of a particular period, class, community, or population: Edwardian culture; Japanese culture; the culture of poverty.
I'd like to point out something about Daniel's rhetoric that seems to have been ignored: he claims that the government is "stealing our money." Perhaps some of you would like to live under a government whose budget depends on, what, voluntary contributions? But I'm content with the fact that "taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society" (Oliver Wendell Holmes). If you don't like how they're being used, well, that's what elections are for. Welcome to democracy.
If you don't like how they're being used, well, that's what elections are for. Welcome to democracy.
So we can't have a discussion about what we think our elected leaders are doing wrong? Just shut up and vote, right?
By the way, I think it's crap to use public funds for art. If the "Chinese minority in Medford" wants a "cultural center" let them build it themselves. Why do we have to pay for them to reminisce about their homeland? I don't ask them to pay for me to enjoy my American heritage. If I want to re-live our history, I will go to the east coast and visit colonial cities or the capital. I don't need a publicly funded "center" to make me feel better.
"So we can't have a discussion about what we think our elected leaders are doing wrong? Just shut up and vote, right?"
Nearly everything I've written here is evidence that I believe exactly the opposite. What's important is not to confuse what our leaders should do with what they have the right to do. You're free - more than free - to debate whether buying a statue that looks like a snowman with three abdomens is the best way to go about it. But if the government disagrees, it's not stealing. That's all.
If the government takes my money to use for invading other countries, that's stealing.
If a corporation avoids paying bills by filing for bankruptcy, that's stealing.
If a corporation gets land for free from the government, that's stealing.
So, how about if we make taxes for military purposes optional, eliminate limited liability for corporations, and make the railroads pay market value for the land they received for free.
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