Tag Archives: Donald Trump

National Endowment or the Arts (NEA)

Trump Fights to Destroy the Arts. Artists and Arts Activists Fight Back.

Text by Dawoud Kringle

Trump Fights to Destroy the Arts. For the third year in a row, the Trump Administration repeated its efforts to destroy the arts in the US. The White House has proposed a federal budget that would shutter the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (which supports PBS and NPR) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Like the two previous years under Trump, the plans diminishing appropriations for each agency are a clear attempt to facilitate its demise.

The cuts total $897 million of the $4.7 trillion 2020 spending plan.

In the beginning of his administration, Trump called for the complete elimination of these agencies. The Republican-led Congress funded them both times, with the NEA, NEH and IMLS each seeing small increases in 2019. The 2020 budget provides $29 million for the NEA and $38 million for the NEH, both funded at $155 million this year. The CPB would receive $30 million, down from $465 million, and the IMLS would receive $23 million, a $219 million cut. This translates to about $1.35 per citizen per year.

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Alt-right logo

An Analysis of the Music of the Alt-Right: Know Your Enemy

Text by Dawoud Kringle

“The man that hath no music in himself, Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils; The motions of his spirit are dull as night, And his affections dark as Erebus. Let no such man be trusted. Mark the music.” – William Shakespeare (The Merchant of Venice, act 5, scene 1)

Alt-Right rally in Charlottesville

On Friday, August 11th, 2017, white nationalists chose the largely liberal town of Charlottesville (Virginia) to stage a protest march. The alt-right, of whom white nationalists and white supremacists are an integral part. met with counter protesters. Violence and bloodshed erupted when an alt-rightist, in an indisputable an act of domestic terrorism, drove a car into a crowd of protesters, killing one and injuring several.

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Press rally: David Byrne speaking

New York Press Rally: Save the Arts!

Text, photos and videos by Dawoud Kringle

On Monday April 3rd, musicians, artists, actors, poets, and dancers assembled on the steps of City Hall to protest the attempt on the part of the Trump administration to destroy art and culture in the United States. This press rally “Save The Arts” was organized by Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer.

Press Rally with MFM's hashtag sign

Representatives of the Local 802 Musicians Union, The Actors Equity Association, Musicians for Musicians, Asian American Arts Alliance, and other music and arts organizations gathered at the steps of City Hall. David Byrne (Talking Heads), L. Steven Taylor (The Lion King), Ciara Renée (actress, singer, and musician) , The CEOs of the New York Public Library systems, Neil Shapiro of WNET, president of the Local 802 Tino Gagliardi, Brooklyn Council member Mark Trager, Bronx council member Andy King, Council Member Helen Rosenthal (Upper West Side), New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark Viverito and others spoke and shared their views on the dynamics and nuances of this important issue.

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The Arts to Suffer Under Trump Regime: The Orange Overlord Annihilates American Culture

The Orange Overlord Annihilates American Culture

The Arts To Suffer imageText by Dawoud Kringle

“The man that hath no music in himself, Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils; The motions of his spirit are dull as night, And his affections dark as Erebus: Let no such man be trusted. Mark the music.”

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