The Demise of Free Will
A new Dark Age is descending on Minnesota. Oh, you might think that nothing's really changed since the greedy Republicans refused to raise taxes last year in the wake of an enormous budget deficit. You might think that slowing the growth of state government spending hasn't impacted the vaunted quality of life in Minnesota. But you would be wrong. Oh so wrong.
We're on the precipice. We're flirting with disaster. We're regressing as a society.
Why?
Because there won't be a Shakespeare Festival in Grand Marais this year. (audible gasp of horror)
Yes, I know. The thought of it is almost too horrible to bear. But an editorial in Friday's Star Tribune bravely points out this sad truth and what it means for the future of the state:
But if Minnesota is to be about more than mere survival, if it is to be a civilized and celebratory place to live, work and raise a family, then the Grand Marais festival is akin to the canary in the coal mine: Its demise warns that something dreadful is happening, and that we should take quick, corrective action to avert disaster -- in this case aesthetic disaster.
You might think that in a time of war, rising health care costs, and a slow economy it might not be appropriate for the government to be funding arts programs in small towns. But you'd be wrong.
You might think that perhaps, just perhaps, if the Shakespeare Festival is so vitally important to the citizens of Grand Marais that they would be able to find a way to fund it themselves, either through donations, or local tax revenues. But again you'd be wrong.
You might think this is more about the wishes of whiny elitists from the Twin Cities to drive up to the North Shore and watch Shakespeare plays on your dime than any actual concern for the people of Grand Marais. But of course you would be wrong there too.
For you see, this is about nothing less than the very civilization of our state. The canary is dead. How much longer can our culture expect to survive?
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