Rosen on Poet Rich Refusing Arts Medal

Professor Ruth Rosen tells us that Adrienne Rich rejected an invitation from the White House to be awarded the National Medal for the Arts because she was “sickened by Clinton’s spinelessness” (Commentary, July 13).

Rosen informs us that this writer of poems is “a woman of principle [who] has no patience for a president who appears to have none” and concludes, harping away, that “For Rich, it’s a matter of principle, one of those old-fashioned virtues that used to distinguish heroes and heroines from sycophants.”

May one be permitted to suggest that Rosen knows as little about the principle of democratic citizenship as Rich? The self-cantered egotism of the writer is, perhaps, comprehensible, if not excusable; but from a woman who professes to teach history it is neither.

Each citizen in this country has one vote, and that is what being a citizen of a democracy means. Each citizen is free to express an opinion; but an opinion is just that: one person’s mere opinion. And each citizen is worthy to be honored for whatever achievement is deemed to be honorable by a committee that recommends to the person who was elected by a majority of fellow citizens as their chief executive. No more, no less.

The National Medal of Honor, therefore, is awarded for all of us, by means of our president, whether that politician’s deeds in office are approved or disapproved by each of us singly. In rejecting our award to her, Rich has not merely jeered at Clinton, but has insulted all the citizens of this country. Just who does she think she is, after all? A little humility might be order.

JASCHA KESSLER

Santa Monica

* What a breath of fresh air it was to read Rosen’s article on Rich.

Rich’s awareness of the hypocrisy and phoniness rampant in our Congress, and the willingness to discard two very important agencies (the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities) is a disgraceful outrage.

President Clinton does nothing to stop these shameful cutbacks; Congress is permitted to trample on the arts and humanities programs which allow creativity to proceed to its full potential. The ignorance of Congress and the president on matters relating to the arts, literature, theater is so abysmal, it is shocking and depressing to realize that the lives and crafts of so many decent, talented, creative individuals are in the hands of such a pack of know-nothings.

REBECCA SCHULMAN

Los Angeles