Washington arts chief quits

Washington arts chief quits

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norman lebrecht

January 20, 2021

Trump’s head of the National Endowment for the Arts, Mary Anne Carter, has resigned with immediate effect.

The former political flak was complicit in Trump’s plan to roll back state funding for the arts.

Let’s see who Biden’s got in mind.

 

Comments

  • Rogerio says:

    You mention a “Trump”? Never heard of her.
    By the way;
    Congratulations to President Biden. It will be tough to follow Obama, but I am sure he has what it takes.
    God Bless America.

    • Rogerio says:

      The Americans are awake now.
      That means my comment will get up and down votes distributed 50-50.
      Please people! Can you start the healing??!!

      • JJC says:

        Joe’s up to it, don’t worry. He’s been calling half the country racists and terrorists, that will do the trick.

        • Rogerio says:

          So the real figure is 80%.
          So what?
          Cut the guy some slack JJ.
          I live out here in Greenland. We’re all Eskimos. But the Eskimos that wear Polar Bear skin coats and Seal skin pants hate the Eskimos that wear Seal Skin coats and Bear Skin pants. They’re lazy slobs.
          But our democracy is solid, I can tell you that much.
          Have a little faith baby, have a little faith.

  • JussiB says:

    Did y’all know the Democratic Party has historically been a racist pro-slavery party dating back before the Civil War? That’s why the smart blacks support Trump.
    Biden and Harris will be voted out in 4 years.

    • Herr Doktor says:

      Da, Comrade JussiB!

    • George Porter says:

      Since the Civil War the Dems and GOP have swapped places, so now the Republicans are racist party.

    • HugoPreuss says:

      Oh yes, absolutely. How can anyone change, in a mere 160 years? And the Republicans will always be the party of Lincoln, despite the Southern Strategy (Goldwater, Nixon), the “Welfare Queen”-narrative (Reagan), and the “Willie Horton ads” (Bush 41). And yes, the “smart blacks support Trump”. Which means that only the “stupid blacks” support Biden. Hmm, that would be 89% of them. Yep, that seems to square with the rest of your post.

      • Joe says:

        Well, Democrats just gushed over installing another WHITE MAN as President while the black girl stands idly BEHIND him while he does DA MAN’S WORK just like in the olden days of da South..

        Nazi Pelosi is far too old to play Scarlett but she too is STILL behind a WHITE MAN.

        Good goin’ y’all Lefties cum Dixiecrats!!!

    • Ed in Texas says:

      I’m sorry, JussiB, but I don’t see the connection between your first two statements. Just to clear things up a bit, you are correct that the Democratic Party was a racist pro slavery party since before the Civil War. That began to change dramatically between 1960 and 1980, starting with the election to the presidency of Democrats John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson. Johnson, who was a Texas Democrat, did more to promote Black civil rights than any president except Lincoln. Republican Richard Nixon developed what was called the Southern Strategy in the 1970s to win over whites who were dissatisfied with the pro civil rights direction the Democrats were taking the party. By 1980 Republican Ronald Reagan campaigned openly with racist dog whistles. (Remember Welfare Queens?) That’s what began the movement of previously solidly Democratic White voters, especially in the South, over to the Republican Party. So, I don’t think Blacks are concerned about the Democratic Party turning against them again.
      I won’t comment on the intelligence of any voter, Black or White. Intelligence does not seem to be a factor in how one votes, at least not among the people I know. Nor will I attempt to predict the future, except that I’d be surprised if Biden ran again. In fact, I’d be surprised if he can get himself out of bed in the morning four years from now.

      • Greg Bottini says:

        Except for the gratuitous swipe at Biden at the end, I think your comment is mostly accurate, Ed in Texas.
        But like so many others, you refer to “Blacks” as if “Blacks” are a monolithic one-minded voting bloc. That is simply not true. There are as many points of view and political beliefs among the Black community as there are in the USA as a whole.
        And as for you, JussiB, you are a stupid, racist MAGAt, sadly one of millions infesting this country.
        MAGA = More Assholes Getting Arrested

      • henry williams says:

        here in the uk we retire at 65. i worked for 50 years that is enough. for 50 years i took jam sandwiches to work for lunch. enough is enough

    • Tom Phillips says:

      More Goebbels style disinformation especially the statement that the “vast majority of blacks aren’t smart”.

  • DC Muso says:

    She was (IS) a disgrace to anyone who legitimately cares about the arts – good riddance to bad rubbish

  • MacroV says:

    I realize this may not be known to our friends across the pond, but all political appointees – which would include the head of the NEA – resign as of January 20. The new administration has the option to retain them, though it’s not particularly common.

    Biden may not be a big symphony/opera guy, but I assume he’ll at least support a less nihilistic approach to arts funding/support.

  • Jack says:

    I’m no fan by any means, but it needs to be stated that Trump wanted to cut the arts, but Congress cut the cuts and actually increased arts funding during his term. Probably a good idea to look past the initial headlines to see just how the numbers sort out.

  • fflambeau says:

    Good riddance, just like the orange toupee wearer.

  • Sue Sonata Form says:

    The witch hunts begin.

  • John Porter says:

    Anyone who actually encountered Mary Anne knows that she was actually an excellent NEA chair. I am no Trump fan in anyway, but Mary Anne Carter did an excellent job. The fact is that the budget rose, the programs continued, the staff remained largely in place, including most of the area directors, and she was a positive presence at professional conferences and more. In fact, I would go further in saying she was a ton more accessible and down to earth than most of her predecessors, going back decades. If you hear her speak at say the Chamber Music America Conference, she was well informed, enthusiastic, respectful, and highly complimentary of all the artists and administrators. It was the same at other conferences such as Opera America, the League of American Orchestras, etc. Folks can trash her all they want, but I would bet that they had zero actual knowledge about her and experience with her.

    • Anon9 says:

      Thank you for this balanced and sensible post.

      In her own words: “… the arts are a powerful antidote against bigotry and hate. The arts can and should be used to build bridges, promote tolerance, and heal social divisions.”

      If only SD and many of its commenters, both right and left, would adopt this attitude!

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