The Occupy Movement setting up shop at Lincoln Center is an interesting event to have transpired. A central point that is true about wealthy non-profit arts organizations is that they are deemed public charities, yet they are almost entirely funded by a small cadre of donors and controlled by a select group of board members. Thus, these organizations can barely be called public when donors selectively divert their money, in the form of tax-deductible contributions, in effect garnering control absent the government with no accountability. Who is the arbiter of what is in the public's interest? Rich people who want an opera company under the guise of a charitable mission. If somebody can quantify a humanitarian interest beyond what this small group of people wants, I am all ears. The author makes a salient point in that this could be remedied by having more government funding and infrastructure to support the arts, but I go back to my original point; who wants the Met? Certainly not most people in America, even if they can shell out out the money for the cheap seats.
On 'Satyagraha' and Occupy Lincoln Center, Last Night
The Occupy Movement setting up shop at Lincoln Center is an interesting event to have transpired. A central point that is true about wealthy non-profit arts organizations is that they are deemed public charities, yet they are almost entirely funded by a small cadre of donors and controlled by a select group of board members. Thus, these organizations can barely be called public when donors selectively divert their money, in the form of tax-deductible contributions, in effect garnering control absent the government with no accountability. Who is the arbiter of what is in the public's interest? Rich people who want an opera company under the guise of a charitable mission. If somebody can quantify a humanitarian interest beyond what this small group of people wants, I am all ears. The author makes a salient point in that this could be remedied by having more government funding and infrastructure to support the arts, but I go back to my original point; who wants the Met? Certainly not most people in America, even if they can shell out out the money for the cheap seats.