The Consequence of Controlling Artists

In light of the controversies surrounding the National Endowment for the Arts, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Public Broadcasting Service, perhaps it is wise to recall the words of a late statesman:

“You can’t regulate the development of literature, art and culture with a stick or by barking orders. You can’t lay down a furrow and then harness all your artists to make sure they don’t deviate from the straight and narrow. If you try to control your artists too tightly, there will be no clashing of opinions, consequently no criticism, and consequently no truth. There will just be a gloomy stereotype, boring and useless. Not only will this stereotype fail to encourage the people to benefit from their art; it will poison and kill their relationship to art.”

The author: Nikita Khrushchev in his memoirs, “Khrushchev Remembers.”

ROB SULLIVAN

Los Angeles