Mr. Crawford,


     Take a few deep breaths and let it go.

     Your letter did not try to educate Mr. Mansoor.  You only wrote a
     diatribe of uninteresting higgledy-piggledy.  Surely you can muster
     better argument than that.

     Let us keep this list on an informative level - not bravado.

     Cordially,

     Bryan Owen
     Senior Preservationist
     Frederick Law Olmsted NHS
     Brookline, Ma.

     P.S. We fight for every dollar we can get - like all.


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Please write to Congress
Author:  "Henry B. Crawford" <[log in to unmask]> at NP--INTERNET
Date:    4/15/97 13:32


Eric,

Do you by chance do you work in a wealthy, self supporting, financially
sound museum with an ungodly endowment, pristine collections, vast storage
and exhibit space, unlimited educational resources, fully funded travel
budget, and more staff than you know what to do with?  You must, because no
one in this profession would advocate that the government pull *all*
funding from the support of culture IN ALL ITS FORMS.  Furthermore, no one
believes that the private sector will replace the billions it takes to
provide the access to education and culture(s), which lies at the center of
any museum's mission.  Granted, much funding comes from the private sector,
but one would be extremely naive to assume that the private funding will
replace more than a portion of what is provided through government grants
and aid.

As a museum professional I would hate for the government to let go and make
us all sink into the abyss of financial disaster.  As a taxpayer, I am
rather proud to pay for the advancement of learning.  I helped fund those
cultural programs, and no one is going to pull MY money away from them.
Sorry, but it ain't gonna happen.  No on my watch.

Cheers,
HBC


>Its too bad that these are the predominant reasons used to argue against the
>NEA and NEH. The fact that some questionable exhibits were funded may add
>fuel to the fire, however, these agencies shouldn't exist for simpler
>reasons. Why should the government make any decision whatsoever concerning
>what culture should be? Even if all of us could agree that everything the
>government funded is good, wholesome, educational, constructive, etc., why
>should the government fund any of it at all. If museums, art, etc. are
>something truly desireable, then funds will come from private sources. If
>these agencies were eliminated, then, IN THEORY, the money used to fund them
>could be returned to taxpayers who could spend the money as they see fit.
>Sadly, of course, it doesn't work this way. If these agencies were
>eliminated another government agency would find a way to aquire their funding.
>
>Erik Mansoor

*****************************************
Henry B. Crawford        Curator of History
[log in to unmask]     Museum of Texas Tech University
806/742-2442           Box 43191
FAX 742-1136             Lubbock, TX  79409-3191
*******   Life is a trip. Enjoy the ride!   ***********