You Can’t Beat Them Over The Head With It

Once upon a time, a long time ago, there was a city. In this city there were children and adults and other sorts of people. They wore grey, ate mash, went to work and school, came home. Ate mash. Slept. Again.

The children were all the same, because there were no imaginations to give them…. ideas. Thoughts. Emotions. The adults went to work in factories. They all did the same tasks. In a line. One by one. Can’t fall out of line- if you were different, there was a problem. Different was not allowed.

No imaginations. No color. No taste and no substances. Work work work work work. More work. No laughing, crying, or thoughts of any kind. Work along, in the line.

It reminds me of the above clip from Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times movie.

I understand the tough choices our elected officials are having to make- I get that. I am confident that we as community can pull together to get the funding if we have to, but I sure hope it doesn’t lead to that.

I’m more mad at my fellow citizens of Macon-Bibb and their comments on the Telegraph Facebook page than I am at our elected officials. Here’s some real quotes:

” Does it generate any money? Getting rid of gangs should be the first priority.”

” No, if the museums can’t support themselves, then they should close. Both are not of the caliber of either the smithsonian in dc or the met in ny are are basically local interest museums. We had, here in macon, other museums of state wide importance close, the music hall of fame, and not even the state of Georgia would support in any fashion. All of the exhibits/info at either museum can be gleamed from other sources, such as the internet or other museums thru out the region, or state.”

” Put the money to something that is worth more than this like the school and properties that needs to be fixed up and clean. I feel that Tubman is a waste of building. I have never been there and not intend to visit, I’m interesting in more stuff than this. This doesn’t really benefit City of Macon.”

I can sort of understand where people with crime concerns (the other statements are just plain ignorant and border on racism- since they seem to be primarily targeted at the Tubman) are coming from- but my question is, how can you expect children to see a life outside of crime when it is all the know? If they don’t have museums to go to, how can they know there is another life out there? If WE as a community don’t work to make sure even the smallest, poorest child has the same chance as the richest child- regardless of their parents, because it is not the childs fault they are poor- then what can we say about our community?

Something I am loving about being in this year’s Leadership Macon class is the fact that I am learning so much about our community. Even though I was aware of many things already. But to hear about children in our school system who are afraid to tell their teachers that they are hungry, or that they don’t have electricity, because that means their parents will lose them- my heart breaks. Not every poor person is lazy. Not every unemployed person is stupid. And there are parents out there who know there is a life out there better than the ones their children have, to hear about the parent who goes to an educator- saying can you please find my baby a good home- I don’t know how that can’t reach you.

You may not see the tie from poverty and crime in our community to funding museums, but I do- and it’s crystal clear. Without the arts, without museums, without a way to reach inside the minds of these children and let them know there is something better out there- how can we expect all the money in the world to fix these problems if we can’t reach their hearts?

Then there’s children who come from homes that have plenty of wealth- more than they could imagine. These children that could go anywhere and perhaps do- but there’s still the magic of going to a museum in your community.

You can’t beat people over the heads with this, it’s something that comes from within- a desire from your souls to want more, to do more, to aim for better. It’s something that I have never understood about those who don’t desire for more.

I saw someone say “this isn’t the Metropolitan Museum”- you’re correct. But don’t you at least want the chance to aim for that? We can’t get there if we don’t have anything at all.

And this isn’t just art. It’s science and history as well. It’s a reminder of who we are and from where we have come. Without museums to enrich our lives and give us a reason to enjoy life, well, then, we really might as well live in a world that is simply grey. Where we go to work each day, live life as in a factory, eat mash, and trudge along as if there is no color left in this world.

I would encourage those of you reading this who disagree with me to GO to both museums. Tell me what there is a waste. Tell me that you genuinely left without feeling more enriched. Take a child with you. See the looks on their faces as they learn something new- something that will stay with them- something that will perk their curiosity and interest and lead to a life of wanting to learn even more. Something which very well has the possibility of benefitting you, especially if this child’s interest in science leads to the cure for cancer. Or leads to the musical piece that reaches your soul. Think bigger than just you and your world. Think of others.

Love to all y’all,

Molly