Government funding of the arts

This has been a hard topic for me. Every other thought I think okay it's right, and the next thought I think it's wrong! And before this post was given, I had never really thought too much on the topic. I'm really glad this is one we had to write about because I think it's really important to think about, especially when one is in the art field. 

 Funding for the arts is so vital for art to flourish so my immediate reaction would say it's a great thing for the Government to fund the arts. But, aren't we all funding the arts since our tax dollars go towards it? After looking at the National Endowment for the Arts website it made me feel a little less excited about Government funding. Now I realize we live in the United States and this would not happen but it reminds me of the video we watched in class on degenerate art and how Hitler had the control to saw what art was good art and what art was bad. Putting the Government in control of art would scare the fire out of me but when it comes to simply funding it, I see nothing wrong. It's interesting to me that although the Government is funding the arts, so many elementary schools have had to cut their art programs out completely. Art plays such a huge role in developing young children, knowing that many of the schools across america do not teach anything but what's necessary saddens me. There are so many young artists that don't even realize what they're capable of because they're never given a chance. So basically my thoughts boil down to this: I think that the arts need to be funded so that it might flourish. However, my own words scare me because I don't think any one person/group should be able to say what good art is and what bad art is. I don't like the fact that we have no control over what kind of art our tax dollars go to fund or what artists. I also think it is so important that American's see the importance of the arts and if it takes the Government funding it, then so be it! The National Endowment of the arts website is so boring and Government like.. let's just hope that they don't try to rub off onto us artists! Let's stay funky!