Nationally financed arts programs steal audiences from local and regional artists, compete against legitimate public institutions that house historically validated art, and add to the overabundance of art that squelches the recognition of quality efforts.
The Roman philosopher Epictetus, in his second-century A.D. work Discourses , echoed the words of Christ when he said, “Only the educated are free.” Lord Acton once described liberty as “the assurance that every man shall be protected in doing what he believes to be his duty.” Duty being learned rather than inborn, Acton’s aphorism, too, implies a tight link between education and freedom.
Everyone with an interest in justice should understand that the tort system has been creating a good deal of its own pain and suffering, and not just for big companies.
The statement of Pope Paul VI cited above from his 1968 declaration on Christian Education, Gravissimum educationis , takes a clear-eyed view of the role of parents in the education of their children. This role of parents, as first and fundamental teachers of their children, is irreplaceable. In the same spirit, the Catechism of the Catholic Church says “the right and duty of parents to educate their children are primordial and inalienable.”
Legislatures at state and federal levels are considering proposals to limit outsourcing. But jobs are not created by the good intentions of legislators; they are created by companies free to be competitive in a world economy.