Grrrrr

Ahem...Excuse me while I ascend my soap box

Today we heard the most outrageous thing.  Florida's Governor Rick Scott made the most outlandish statement about Anthropology (see video below).  Of course when an entire office of Anthropology majors see something like this, an eruption occurs (usually in colorful language and lots of yelling).  How could he diminish our field and jobs?  The place that I get up and go to everyday and try and make a difference in understanding our culture and identity.  Why is this so unimportant to people?  Why do the arts always get the boot?  Why is it, when someday all of this is gone, then people will be angry for not saving it?  Why don't people see the value?  

Tell me why business people and computer people are more valued then me?  I'm pretty sure they are the ones ruining our country.  You don't hear about how Ol' Mrs. Smith down at the county museum has just lost billions of dollars of people's money and has had a hand in furthering the corruption in governemnt.  Nope.

I want to punch Rick Scott in the face. But because I can't do that for several reasons, I decided to do what any good citizen should do and write him a letter.  I've gotten very good at sending letters to Senators and Congressman, urging them to stop cutting our budgets.  I usually get some swanky letter back saying how they really appreciate my concern, but (there is always a but) they don't care and they are going to cut the museum budget anyway.  Gee thanks!

So Gov. Scott, tomorrow morning you (who am I kidding?) your secretary will receive my e-mail and will print out one of your pre-written letters and send it on over to Tamarac.  You will tell me in your condescending way that you are super sorry that you were bashing on Anthropologist and that you were just really trying to make the bigger point of budget cuts yadda yadda yadda.  

I will read your letter and stick it with all of the rest and hope that one day those in government will actually care about what we do.  Maybe only when the Declaration of Independence turns to dust because no one was left to care for it.  Or maybe when the Mona Lisa's face cracks off the canvas.  Then, maybe you will care.