Today’s N&O printed my letter questioning the morality of state-imposed support for musicians and leisure activity:
Your Oct. 13 editorial “Keep on tootin’ ” declared that taxpayer investments in the N.C. Symphony have reaped greater dividends. By what measure?
The fact that the symphony has needed to rely on taxpayer support, by definition, says that North Carolinians value the symphony less than it costs to maintain. Otherwise, the symphony could survive on the voluntary support of willing donations and concert revenue.
Granted, taxpayer support for the symphony is but a minor drop in the massive state budget bucket. But upon what moral foundation can we justify the government’s forcibly taking the earned wealth of some individuals to subsidize a leisure activity of a few?
In a free society, citizens should not be forced to support politically favored musical groups with their hard-earned tax dollars. What business is it of the government whether children have heard live classical music while growing up, or any other form of music for that matter?
If we can’t even begin to recognize the inappropriate nature of state-subsidized music, there seems to be no end to the aspects of our lives government will intrude.
Chad Adams says
But Brian, shouldn’t the state consider supporting a broader array of musical talent? There are struggling rigatone, rap, R&B, country, bluegrass and alternative musicians all over the state.
Surely, surely those folks could use taxpayer money. . .
I have a talent for mangling Beatles songs on a piano, where can I get my grant?