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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDave Eggers: A Cultural Vacuum in Trump's White House
This White House has been, and is likely to remain, home to the first presidency in American history that is almost completely devoid of culture. In the 17 months that Donald Trump has been in office, he has hosted only a few artists of any kind. One was the gun fetishist Ted Nugent. Another was Kid Rock. They went together (and with Sarah Palin). Neither performed.
Since his inauguration in January 2017, there have been no official concerts at the White House (the Reagans had one every few weeks). No poetry readings (the Obamas regularly celebrated young poets). The Carters began a televised series, In Performance at the White House, which last aired in 2016, where artists as varied as Mikhail Baryshnikov and Patricia McBride performed in the East Room. The Clintons continued the series with Aretha Franklin and B. B. King, Alison Krauss and Linda Ronstadt.
But aside from occasional performances by The Presidents Own United States Marine Band, the White House is now virtually free of music. Never have we had a president not just indifferent to the arts, but actively oppositional to artists. Mr. Trump disparaged the play Hamilton and a few weeks later attacked Meryl Streep. He has said he does not have time to read books (I read passages, I read areas, I read chapters). Outside of recommending books by his acolytes, Mr. Trump has tweeted about only one work of literature since the beginning of his presidency: Michael Wolffs Fire and Fury. It was not an endorsement.
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Its crucial to note that the White Houses support of the arts has never been partisan. No matter their political differences, presidents and artists have been able to find common ground in the celebration of American art and in the artists respect for the office of the presidency. This mutual respect, even if measured, made for the occasional odd photo-op. George H. W. Bush met Michael Jackson, who wore faux-military garb, including two medals he seemed to have given himself. Richard Nixon heartily shook the hand of Elvis Presley, whose jacket hung over his shoulders like a cape.
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But that kind of thing is inconceivable now. Admittedly, at a time when Mr. Trumps policies have forcibly separated children from their asylum-seeking parents taking the most vulnerable children from the most vulnerable adults the White Houses attitude toward the arts seems relatively unimportant. But with art comes empathy. It allows us to look through someone elses eyes and know their strivings and struggles. It expands the moral imagination and makes it impossible to accept the dehumanization of others. When we are without art, we are a diminished people myopic, unlearned and cruel.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/29/opinion/dave-eggers-culture-arts-trump.html
dalton99a
(81,599 posts)There is no culture in Trumpworld
roscoeroscoe
(1,370 posts)Anyone else see Jazz at the White House a couple of years ago? Awesome.
This mess has to end!
Historic NY
(37,453 posts)think back to his gold birdcage apt.
dalton99a
(81,599 posts)salin
(48,955 posts)No Culture, No Class, and cheap as hell so there is more money to self enrich with.
lostnfound
(16,191 posts)Buns_of_Fire
(17,197 posts)JHB
(37,162 posts)...and his rejection by culture-loving wealthy Manhattan "cool kids" in the 70s and 80s because he can't even fake having an ounce of class is one of his longest-running, most closely held bitter grudges.
BootinUp
(47,197 posts)Goose steppers.
moondust
(20,006 posts)wrapped in a moral vacuum within an intellectual vacuum inside the White House.
northoftheborder
(7,574 posts)AwakeAtLast
(14,134 posts)I don't want to be exposed to his idea of "culture".