Ministry of Culture

Now that the sun has veil'd his Light,
And bid the World good Night;

To the soft Bed my Body I dispose,

But where shall my Soul repose?

Dear God, even in thy Arms,

and can there be any so sweet Security

Then to thy Rest, O my Soul, and singing, praise

The Mercy that prolongs thy Days.

Hallelujah.

William Fuller

Peaceful, quiet evening. Headed to Bible study soon. Had a funny thought about how, in Europe and, I presume, on other continents, there are countries with ministers holding the cultural portfolio tasked toward preservation of traditional local forms of expression in this regard. You know, especially where the government funds current presentation of ballet, theater and opera, but also sponsoring smaller scale festivals where people get up in the 'native costume' and do their folk dances and such. Funding, yes, but also monitoring as the authorities are wont to do. I know the French have one. Just checked... so do the Brits. 

Have to presume that the Universities are a repository for music like this too. Anyway, we don't have any such thing in the States. Can you imagine the tangle that would be?!! Good question... does the U.S. possess any culture? (Beyond baseball, football, beer and a hot dog?) Well, what is the cultural icon of moment? This? But, within the cacophony of popular culture, you'll get an argument. Ought we instead have a National Day of Reconciliation for Genocide and Slavery? That sort of thing. Isn't that what Thanksgiving has become? Arguing with the relatives. One reads of how people dread the day, having to meet up with politically adverse kin!

What culture? In irreverent America, only one way to handle the clashes...

Plate courtesy guy-sports.com