In other countries the arts are held in high regard and is considered part and parcel of the nation's identity. However, in the good ol' U.S. of A. that is not the case at all. The anti-intellectual tradition of this nation, from the Know Nothings of the 19th Century to the current obession by the Republican party with "outcome" based education, is reflected by the lack of popular support for the arts in America today. The arts is a easy "whipping boy" for the Republicans and religious conservatives because art does make an individual think in addition the aesthetic pleasure one derives from viewing, reading, or listening to a work.

The very fact that art making was a part of the earliest civilizations of humanity shows that art is power. This can be seen in the fact that both communist and facist governments of the last century have tried to control the arts for their own political purposes.

On February 12th there will be a one year anniversary of Poets Against the War public readings across this nation. Please check out www.PoetsAgainstTheWar.org for further information about a public reading or in getting help to set up one in your town.