The Fall of the Kennedy Center: A Dictator’s Overture
In the twilight of 2017, the arts world was shaken when Norman Lear and Carmen de Lavallade renounced their Kennedy Center Honors amidst a surge of white supremacist rhetoric. This act sparked a firestorm that would eventually consume the institution.
Four years of scorn toward the Kennedy Center culminated in Donald Trump’s vindictive purge of its board, deposing its esteemed president and ascending to the throne as chairman. With a manic desire for control, he vowed to “make it hot” like the presidency, a chilling echo of his autocratic tendencies.
Trump’s Symphony of Supremacy
Stephen K. Bannon, Trump’s consigliere, envisioned a grotesque spectacle on opening night: the “J6 Prison Choir,” a chorus of pardoned insurrectionists, mocking the very symbols of democracy they had sought to shatter. Echoing Hungary’s Viktor Orban, Trump contemplated pumping millions into state-sanctioned art that would glorify his nationalist agenda.
An air of resignation settled over a stunned Washington as predictions of country music hegemony ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary cast a shadow on the center’s once-diverse offerings. The establishment mourned as the “high church of secularism” fell into the hands of a thin-skinned narcissist.
A Threat to the Arts
Critics decried the purging of prominent artists like Renée Fleming and Shonda Rhimes, a clear attempt to silence dissent. The center’s very existence seemed imperiled by Trump’s stated mission to remove drag shows, a petty crusade that defied logic and reason.
As for Trump’s promise to make the center profitable, many remained skeptical. His tenure as chairman was expected to be fleeting, a vanity project destined to fade when the burden of fundraising became apparent.
The Kennedy Center’s Uncertain Future
The shadow of fascism looms large over the Kennedy Center. The institution that has been a beacon for the arts for over half a century faces an uncertain future. The dance of democracy has been replaced by the discordant rhythm of a dictator’s whims.
The legacy of the Kennedy Center hangs in the balance, a sobering reminder of the fragility of freedom of expression and the dangers of unchecked power. As Washington watches in horror, the stage has been set for a battle over the soul of the arts in America.
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