Nation in need of support for the arts

From polarization to pandemic, American society is under siege. As President-elect Joe Biden says, if we are to institute progressive changes, we will need to restore the soul of this nation.

There will be many long years of struggle before we fully resurrect our national spirit; moreover, we must revive our unity as a people as well as the personal tolerance to vehemently defend the right of self-expression in relation to both concurrent and divergent views.

This is a cornerstone principle in a civilized society. In order to enhance these classical liberal principles, including tolerance, we must support the arts as a whole. I strongly implore Congress, and President Trump, to pass The Save Our Stages Act.

This legislation will invigorate this nation in the midst of a plethora of issues pertaining to the pandemic, national security, domestic poverty, and civil unrest. The bill will provide independent live music operators, and theaters and other entertainment, with federal grants of up to $12 million dollars, per venue, plus a supplemental grant equal to half the value of the initial grant.

It would cover six months of financial support to venues and independent contractors which gives them the proper funds for personal protective equipment, sanitization, general inventory, and a launchpad to future growth and creativity.

While we ultimately must pass the broader CARES Act, to provide economic relief to the poverty which ravages this nation, there does not exist the political will to do so. Until we muster that intestinal fortitude, we must act.

If these times prove anything, they display that the arts, entertainment, and history, are absolutely essential businesses. If we are to maintain a healthy, wealthy, and foresightful society, we must pass this vital legislation so we may finally breathe life into American culture.

Henry J.H. Wilson

Barrington