
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, June 8, 1990                   TAG: 9006080728
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

NO TAX DOLLARS FOR OBSCENE `ART'

I WANT TO express my deep concern about the federal funding of the National Endowment for the Arts. I do not want my tax dollars spent on obscene, pornographic, or anti-Christian "art" exhibits.

Federal and state restrictions prohibit the use of government funds and resources to display traditional Christian symbols, yet our tax dollars currently support supposed artists in offending and degrading Christian values and beliefs.

The NEA admits that it cannot and will not monitor artists and exhibits that receive its grants. Unfortunately, the NEA is so blinded by any actions that might be construed as censorship, it is unable to see that responsibility is the only demand it need place on its artists. This is the same responsibility expected of any recipient of donated funds.

The NEA uses a screening process to determine which artists receive grants. Is that not some form of censorship? Of course, but grants cannot be given to everyone, and there are guidelines for those decisions. Sadly, the NEA is not willing to require responsibility.

Some artists funded by the NEA, therefore the NEA itself, have clearly demonstrated inability and unwillingness to use donated funds responsibly. The only way to safeguard our tax dollars is to remove all government funding of the NEA.

\ RANDALL L. FUCHS\ CHRISTIANSBURG

by CNB