Reply To: On Tyranny Lesson 15: Contribute to good causes
I’m not really part of any political, hobby, or charity group right now, so it’s somewhat difficult to comment personally about this. In the past, I worked and volunteered for several arts organizations and groups, so I have an interest in the arts community. Authoritarian leaders have all targeted and suppressed artists. The Nazis actively censored art and writers they didn’t approve of and it appears that the US is beginning to do so too in subtle and not-so-subtle ways.
One clear example to me is the banning of books and the targeting of librarians. Restricting my ability to choose what I want to read is a taking away my personal freedom. Another example – tRump taking over the Kennedy Center, cancelling shows, and declaring an end to “woke programming.” This immediately saw Black performers and LGBTQ performers in DC and in Chicago and other US cities losing their funding. They are essentially losing their voice. Let’s hope the artists find other outlets where they can perform and reach an audience. Deborah Rutter, the former president of the Kennedy Center, said something that resonated with me. She said: “I am a believer in the work of the artist. I am not a propagandist. I am not a politician. Art speaks for itself. Art sometimes doesn’t make you feel comfortable, but it is telling the story of who we are and all artists, as all Americans, have the freedom of expression.”
I think there are lots of different ways to contribute to good causes and sustain groups. It doesn’t have to be through money. It can also be volunteering your time and participating in your activities of interest. In my neighbourhood there are plenty of ways to do this. There are volunteers who tend to an Indigenous community garden and a birding group who leads tours through parks to learn about birds in the area (and encourage conservation efforts). There’s also a group called Streamkeepers who help monitor local streams for pollutants and help improve conditions for salmon and trout. There’s a zen meditation group. And there’s a cat rescue, where volunteers can help homeless cats. So there are lots of options. Just listing them all here lifted my spirits because they are all evidence of groups of people coming together to take care of the world around them.
