Before this week, Grit would have said there's nothing we like better than a good, God-honest, well-written, locally relevant opinion. If you want to make us feel like it's our birthday, land a blog on our doorstep (ahem, inbox) with a knowledgeable, impassioned take on an issue swirling around Charleston.
Well, we got that in spades this week as two Grit bloggers—gallery owner Rebekah Jacob and writer/arts patron Stephanie Hunt—sounded off on Governor Nikki Haley's veto of $3.9 million in funding for the South Carolina Arts Commission (since overridden).
But they did more than vent, than sound off—they reminded readers what it means to support. For our arts community, they gave us concrete ideas, not just a broad-based rallying cry. In this case, said Rebekah, supporting the arts means having "a commitment to commerce, risk, innovation, and community." And it's that which will ensure longevity, not government funding alone, she said.
In other words, said Stephanie, it's "more than just clicking Like on Facebook." Vote with your pocketbooks, she said. Go to the Gibbes. See a show at Pure Theatre. Do something.
They schooled us. They energized us. They inspired us. They said, "No Whining."
