I have notified the Kennedy Center that I’ve cancelled my membership. I got a renewal email and responded saying that I cannot renew under the current Board’s leadership. I also said Sorry about that. And I am. I have been a patron for decades. I will not attend anything there until the Board is replaced by open-minded, art and democracy loving individuals.
Since he can't win over Hollywood and Broadway I guess all that is left for him it to tarnish our nation's great home for live artists, the Kennedy Center. I assume it won't be long until he asks Congress to rename it the Trump Center so his Magites can all rush to see the likes of Kid Rock and Ted Nugent perform.
I remember photos of Jack and Jackie Kennedy holding candle-lit dinners at the White House, looking beautiful and making lovely conversation before a performance by Pablo Casals. Now we’ve got Melania and Donald, cold of heart and dead of mind in a loveless, pre-nup driven marriage. To them, people are a chore or simply the means to aggrandize power. They’re using their roles not in any way to beautify or represent America’s values and principles, but to enact cruelty on, do everything to change what America stands for, and thus befoul the country, the White House, and the best of America as represented in our art.
What the Predator-in -Chief is doing is exactly that. He's kidnapped America, holding her prisoner and is debasing and raping her, torturing her until he can kill her. He must be so pleased with himself.
One of the early nazi initiatives was to boycott what they called "degenerative art ", which meant anything produced by non "Aryans" including blacks, Jews, all people of color, etc . The former Kennedy Center is now the KKK center. It should be shunned as the fascist garbage it has become.
Yes, degenerate art! Coming to a neighborhood near you!!
They pick on the weakest in society, mob mentality. Art and artists are subjective, what do you like? Do you understand it? Its ugly!! Its good! What is the point of it!!
Art will be used————-it is being used to divide ,
Division is where their power comes from, we are strong together!!😊🇺🇦🌻
Mr. Seller speaks of the “new culture” being imposed by Trump on the Kennedy Center. He denigrates the term “culture.” There is no culture. What exists now is a political sham masquerading as a cultural institution. The selection of Ingraham and Bartiromo are the final nails in the coffin of whatever majesty remained of the KC. I hope that every producer and director of good will and intelligence follows the lead of “Hamilton” and rejects any relationship with the ersatz KC.
Here's a question about the Republicans in Congress: If Trump tries to browbeat the Congress into passing an Enabling Act like Hitler successfully did to the German parliament on March 23rd, 1933, which gave him the power to ignore the German constitution, bypass the parliament (Reichstag), and govern by decree, would today's Republicans in Congress vote to approve it? The God-awful truth is that we don't really know! So, it's not just Trump, Vance, and Musk who are at fault, it's also those Republican Congress critters and those in the populace who elected them.
Although I agree in theory, it's hard, even if appropriate, to focus ire at the 77+ million who voted for him. The R/MAGA members of both houses of Congress who have abdicated their role as a co-equal branch of government and are now willfully ignoring their oath to the Constitution should be the focus of our wrath and actions.
Well, there goes the "Kennedy Center Honors". I doubt any self-respecting musician, star of stage or screen, humorist, or composer would accept one, let alone attend a tribute there. At least we have the earlier ones, thanks to PBS (another target of the orange menace).
Superb, Steve. Thank you. I December 2024 I took one last trip to Washington D.C. to go to both the Kennedy Center and the National Gallery of Art. I told my friends how aware I was that this would be my last trip to Washington, a city I had always been inspired by. ‘Last’ because I am old and it will take more years to bring about change than I have left in my life. Nonetheless, let us all fight on!!
Its my hometown--springtime is particularly lovely there---I keep hoping I'll get more visits in but the Kennedy Center won't be on my list. It had so many programs for local communities and children to benefit from. A shame its expertise and expansion of programs will fail to reach the underprivileged of DC. due to the Administration's inherent anti-diversity and inclusion policies. We surely need all kinds of art to fill the hole in the head idiocy of the political theater we are witnessing.
Bravo Steve! Over the last few years I have asked myself - What would our country be like had Kennedy and his brother not been assassinated? I have a good imagination, but that question blows me away. To think that in 50 short years we have gone from Camelot to a virtual Dante's Inferno. Even worse, in only 11 years we have gone from "Yes We Can!" - to "No You Can't" imposed on us by a mentally destabilized "showman/conman" who managed to get himself elected (again) as President of our country, whose only interest is in acquiring personal wealth and associating with those who have it.. We need now to not only become active in defeating trump/vance in the immediate future, but to bear in mind the philosophies of Kennedy and Obama in what we do. Keep "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" and "Yes we can!" in our minds -- it's vital for the USA to survive, and for the planet itself to survive. Earthlings and earth are an integrated unit, not a plaything for any demented autocrat to blow up by the push of a button.
The artists of the 21st Century have a lot to say, in music, literature and the visual arts... give them a listen, read, and look. If necessary, let the Kennedy Center go dark until the lights of our inspired culture can again inhabit it.
I have notified the Kennedy Center that I’ve cancelled my membership. I got a renewal email and responded saying that I cannot renew under the current Board’s leadership. I also said Sorry about that. And I am. I have been a patron for decades. I will not attend anything there until the Board is replaced by open-minded, art and democracy loving individuals.
Thank you Steve - this piece sums up better than I could why I had to resign immediately when this happened.
Since he can't win over Hollywood and Broadway I guess all that is left for him it to tarnish our nation's great home for live artists, the Kennedy Center. I assume it won't be long until he asks Congress to rename it the Trump Center so his Magites can all rush to see the likes of Kid Rock and Ted Nugent perform.
I was thinking the exact same thing.
I’m sure you’re exactly right
Hey I posted this idea a couple days ago. Great minds think alike.
Looks like the Kennedy Center is now Kroll Opera House. The Kroll Opera House in Berlin was the assembly hall of the Reichstag from 1933 to 1942.
We promised never again … Rise up!
The Kroll Opera House: That's where the German parliament met on March 23, 1933, and
voted to give Hitler his Enabling Law which gave him the right to ignore the constitution, bypass the Reichstag, and govern by decree.
Guess Trump will invite the Supreme Court there as the people allowing enabling through immunity.
Why not get the suffering over with and just rename Washington, D.C. as Trump City, D.C.
Allied air raids during World War 2 made the Kroll House mostly a pile of rubble.
I remember photos of Jack and Jackie Kennedy holding candle-lit dinners at the White House, looking beautiful and making lovely conversation before a performance by Pablo Casals. Now we’ve got Melania and Donald, cold of heart and dead of mind in a loveless, pre-nup driven marriage. To them, people are a chore or simply the means to aggrandize power. They’re using their roles not in any way to beautify or represent America’s values and principles, but to enact cruelty on, do everything to change what America stands for, and thus befoul the country, the White House, and the best of America as represented in our art.
Your comparison is apt. And makes my skin crawl.
Yes. That’s what they appear to do best.
Perfectly said - “Donald Trump has called for America to become great by annihilating what made us so.”
What the Predator-in -Chief is doing is exactly that. He's kidnapped America, holding her prisoner and is debasing and raping her, torturing her until he can kill her. He must be so pleased with himself.
Much like Putin has done to Ukraine.
Very well said.
One of the early nazi initiatives was to boycott what they called "degenerative art ", which meant anything produced by non "Aryans" including blacks, Jews, all people of color, etc . The former Kennedy Center is now the KKK center. It should be shunned as the fascist garbage it has become.
Liked for the term "KKK Center." Well done!
Yes, degenerate art! Coming to a neighborhood near you!!
They pick on the weakest in society, mob mentality. Art and artists are subjective, what do you like? Do you understand it? Its ugly!! Its good! What is the point of it!!
Art will be used————-it is being used to divide ,
Division is where their power comes from, we are strong together!!😊🇺🇦🌻
Popular degenerate art, Banksy
Street art, gone mainstream.
An FU to the art world.
https://youtu.be/0-Db3VnIw5s?si=3aLtOkPVK3nw0Jri
Mr. Seller speaks of the “new culture” being imposed by Trump on the Kennedy Center. He denigrates the term “culture.” There is no culture. What exists now is a political sham masquerading as a cultural institution. The selection of Ingraham and Bartiromo are the final nails in the coffin of whatever majesty remained of the KC. I hope that every producer and director of good will and intelligence follows the lead of “Hamilton” and rejects any relationship with the ersatz KC.
Trump kills art and culture. I can imagine the Kennedy Center holding WWE wrestling where the best in artistic performance was once held.
Trump kills everything.
He is the fecal " King Midas "
Everything he touches turns to shit
Ugly thought but you are correct.
Here's a question about the Republicans in Congress: If Trump tries to browbeat the Congress into passing an Enabling Act like Hitler successfully did to the German parliament on March 23rd, 1933, which gave him the power to ignore the German constitution, bypass the parliament (Reichstag), and govern by decree, would today's Republicans in Congress vote to approve it? The God-awful truth is that we don't really know! So, it's not just Trump, Vance, and Musk who are at fault, it's also those Republican Congress critters and those in the populace who elected them.
Although I agree in theory, it's hard, even if appropriate, to focus ire at the 77+ million who voted for him. The R/MAGA members of both houses of Congress who have abdicated their role as a co-equal branch of government and are now willfully ignoring their oath to the Constitution should be the focus of our wrath and actions.
I will most definitely BOYCOTT this!!!!
Agree. The theater of the Fourth Reich should be dark. Empty seats.
Well, there goes the "Kennedy Center Honors". I doubt any self-respecting musician, star of stage or screen, humorist, or composer would accept one, let alone attend a tribute there. At least we have the earlier ones, thanks to PBS (another target of the orange menace).
Is it not possible for Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg to remove permission to use her father’s name from this Neo Fascist Center of Abasement ??
It seems that is her right
Fight back
Wonderful words, Steve, and so true. It saddens me to see the takeover of such a beautiful expression of the arts in our country.
Superb, Steve. Thank you. I December 2024 I took one last trip to Washington D.C. to go to both the Kennedy Center and the National Gallery of Art. I told my friends how aware I was that this would be my last trip to Washington, a city I had always been inspired by. ‘Last’ because I am old and it will take more years to bring about change than I have left in my life. Nonetheless, let us all fight on!!
Its my hometown--springtime is particularly lovely there---I keep hoping I'll get more visits in but the Kennedy Center won't be on my list. It had so many programs for local communities and children to benefit from. A shame its expertise and expansion of programs will fail to reach the underprivileged of DC. due to the Administration's inherent anti-diversity and inclusion policies. We surely need all kinds of art to fill the hole in the head idiocy of the political theater we are witnessing.
Bravo Steve! Over the last few years I have asked myself - What would our country be like had Kennedy and his brother not been assassinated? I have a good imagination, but that question blows me away. To think that in 50 short years we have gone from Camelot to a virtual Dante's Inferno. Even worse, in only 11 years we have gone from "Yes We Can!" - to "No You Can't" imposed on us by a mentally destabilized "showman/conman" who managed to get himself elected (again) as President of our country, whose only interest is in acquiring personal wealth and associating with those who have it.. We need now to not only become active in defeating trump/vance in the immediate future, but to bear in mind the philosophies of Kennedy and Obama in what we do. Keep "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" and "Yes we can!" in our minds -- it's vital for the USA to survive, and for the planet itself to survive. Earthlings and earth are an integrated unit, not a plaything for any demented autocrat to blow up by the push of a button.
The artists of the 21st Century have a lot to say, in music, literature and the visual arts... give them a listen, read, and look. If necessary, let the Kennedy Center go dark until the lights of our inspired culture can again inhabit it.
Perfectly said.
An eloquence so badly needed but so seldom heard.