To:         The Dallas Morning News
Date:      May 15, 1997
Subject: Support for the arts; generosity in general
Result:   not printed due to limited space

Dear Editor,

I never thought I would agree with Newt Gingrich, but I liked his idea a few weeks ago that it would be better for the wealthy movie stars who were lobbying for better funding for the National Endowment for the Arts to themselves take over the burden of supporting the arts from the government.

As an artist myself, or would-be artist, or whatever you want to call me, I have always believed that art is something that an artist has to find his own way to accomplish. It is not the duty of the world - i.e., the tax-paying public - to supply him or her with the means to practice and produce his art. To me, if they can't find their own private way to do that, then it wasn't supposed to happen.

By "private", I would consider it legitimate for an artist to solicit private funding and/or assistance from people like wealthy movie stars to be able to do his art, but I believe that is simply not a public responsibility.

Going beyond Mr. Gingrich's suggestion, I would like to see wealthy people in general be much more generous in taking care of needs that exist in their localities so that the government doesn't have to worry about it.

Speaking of Dallas, there are many very wealthy people here. Just driving around the city there are all kinds of needs that it would be easy for these people to address on a person-by-person, need-by-need basis.

I don't believe in socialism as a feasible way to address the economic inequities that exist in this country and the world - which eventually will prove to be to the detriment of all, including the wealthy and their heirs - but I do believe in great generosity from those who can afford it.

Thank you, John Vehon.