NEA Funding

* Re “House GOP Votes to Strip All Funding From the NEA,” July 16:

Can we save the National Endowment for the Arts? Are our senators and the president wise enough to support the legislation introduced by Sen. James Jeffords (R-Vt.) to authorize NEA funding for the next five years and also Sen. Slade Gorton’s (R-Wash.) proposal to increase NEA funding, not destroy it?

Of all the Western nations we do the least to keep the arts alive. We don’t seem to understand that the arts bring vitality, beauty and creativity into our lives. Without them we are dull, stupid and without joy. We will surely end up a nation of robots with no culture to speak of and no humanity. That way we will be creating additional generations of ignorant, mean-spirited people like the current breed in Congress.

With $247 billion going to the military and nothing for the arts we will be the most dangerous nation on Earth. Power without compassion and creativity turns into evil. This is a shameful embarrassment for all caring Americans and a tragedy for the world.

TANJA WINTER

La Jolla

* How anyone can support giving public funds to the NEA when kids are going hungry is beyond me.

BILL STINDE

Torrance