It feels kind of strange when young boys refer to me as old school. I realize that I am fast approaching senior citizen status, but it seems that it was not that long ago when I was a young boy. I remember that when I was in school, culture was considered a significant part of American History. We had to take art classes even if we had no artist talents, and historians always included a section on culture (the arts) in their books.

Until around the 1960s historians believed and tried to teach us the significance of American artists, writers and musicians. They wanted to make sure that not only Americans, but the world, understood that in democratic societies, the people had the freedom and desire to develop cultural aspects of the society. With the struggles against communism and socialism around the world, American historians declared to the world that our culture reflected the distinctive and democratic nature of the American mentality.

Then came the Vietnam war. We experienced the Civil Rights Movement and the Womens Movement. Then came the Gay Rights Movement and the Immigration Rights Movement. With so many groups attempting to define American Life from their own personal perspective, it because impossible to describe America as a community of shared beliefs and values. Because we could not long define American life based upon definitions given to us by artist and intellectuals, culture began to be less stressed by our historians.

Art is art! That should be a true statement. However, with such emphasis on the divisiveness of race, class, gender and ethnicity, it makes such a statement impossible to support. Historians concentrate on these divisions in our society. It is good that historians bring attention to the exploited and victimized, but it is not good that they do this at the expense of American culture. I wont get into a discussion of Rights. We all know that there is still discrimination and violations of peoples Rights in America. But, I believe that these acts result from wrong mental functioning. You can not pass a law to change peoples mind. People change their mind about other people through shared experiences. Culture, especially the visual arts, are what all Americans can share. It is my hope that historians can stop concentrating on our divisions, and place our shared culture back in the History Books. We have our problems, but white kids like hip-hop, there are black kids who love Country and Western. Whites support the Blues more than Black do. We may have different taste in many things, but all of must admit that a thing of beauty is a thing of beauty. Maybe, art is art!

Herman Wheeler
http://www.blackartwheelonline.com

Recently retired from AT&T as a technician. Began trying to make a go on the internet only a few months ago. Like most newbies, I had no idea what I was getting into. Now that the shock is over, I feel confident that I made the correct choice for an after-retirement profession.