White House poetry slam?

First lady Laura Bush was all set to receive some of the nation's top poets at the White House last week. The symposium was one event in a series of White House literary events, which were set up to recognize great American literature. This specific event was also to honor Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson and Langston Hughes. \nBut when first lady Bush found out that some of the poetry might contain anti-war messages, she decided it was time to call it off.\nNoelia Rodriguez, the first lady's press secretary, spoke about the event's cancellation in the New York Times.\n"While Mrs. Bush respects and believes in the right of all Americans to express their opinions, she, too, has opinions, and believes that it would be inappropriate to turn what is intended to be a literary event into a political forum."\nLaura Bush was afraid to bring an anti-war message into the White House. Did she really think that she could separate literature and politics? The two have been inextricably linked since the birth of the written word.\nIt should not have been a surprise to Mrs. Bush that the writers of this country are not writing about happy flowers or fresh dew. What else does she expect them to be writing about? Our entire country is still recovering from one of the most tragic events of our time, and now we are contemplating starting a war to rid the world of "evil." There are few situations more poetic than that.\nAdditionally, if the symposium was really supposed to be in honor of Langston Hughes, one of the foremost poets of the Harlem Renaissance, Bush should have let the protest poems take center stage. The Harlem Renaissance was a protest against the racist attitudes of America at the time, and Hughes was as much a part of that as anyone. It would be ridiculous to think that when Hughes was writing "I, Too, Sing America" he was not protesting against anything.\nIt is also highly doubtful that Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson would be advocates of the impending war President Bush wants to lead us into.\nWe have freedom of speech so we can criticize our government. One of the reasons our country is so great is that there is so much opportunity for people to express their different opinions. But what kind of example is the first lady setting by keeping opposing ideas out of the White House? It seems as though they have already made up their minds about whether or not we are going to war in Iraq, but the war for basic American freedoms already seem to be under fire.\nThe idea that the first lady wanted to postpone the event based on its potential to air a view of our current situation that is unfavorable to the White House should strike fear in the hearts of every free-thinking American. Laura Bush may not want to hear what these poets have to say, but just because she is not open to their ideas does not mean that they are going to go away.\n-- Amy Orringer for the Editorial Board