A reasonable answer

In his letter of July 17, Jason Grieser asks a reasonable question: “How could attracting an additional 200 creative, educated, respectful young people (who perform Bach cantatas on weekends) to downtown be anything but good for both the economic and artistic climate of our town?” He goes on to correctly observe that many New Saint Andrews students will settle down here and own downtown businesses.

His question deserves a reasonable answer.

As a town becomes increasingly dominated by a particular religious, political or social philosophy, residents and visitors who find such views repugnant begin to worry that, in spending money, they might be helping to advance those ideas. The decreasing diversity also constrains creativity, and the arts suffer. Conformity becomes paramount. I’ve lived in such towns.

At least these creative, respectful, educated young people are not (yet) favoring Wagner.

Bruce Bradberry
Moscow