Colorado Technical University

Should we be calling Buffy Wicks, the Dep. Dir. of White House Office of Public Engagement or Propaganda Czar?

Culture & Lifestyle | 06.12.2003 Hitler's Chosen Artists Walked Fine Line Between Art and Politics The “Leni Riefenstahl syndrome” It’s a position common among artists whose careers took off after the Nazis came to power. Like film director Leni Riefenstahl, whose documentaries “Triumph of the Will” and “Olympia” helped glorify the regime, most artists denied any knowledge of Hitler’s atrocities against the Jews until after 1945. Many people find it difficult to believe that these artists had no idea of Hitler's aims. “If Johannes Heesters says today that he was completely apolitical, I can’t accept that,” says Melissa Müller, the author of a book on Hitler’s list of “divinely gifted” artists due out in February. The list included celebrities such as German conductors Wilhelm Furtwängler and Herbert von Karajan, actor and director Gustaf Gründgens and composer Richard Strauss. Müller told DW-WORLD that Heesters was in touch with the highest-ranking members of the regime, and that his career depended on the goodwill of Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s propaganda minister. After arriving in Berlin in 1935, Heesters began appearing in movies and on stage and became a teen idol as well as one of Hitler’s favorite stars. http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,1051153,00.html Politics * Monday, September 21, 2009 Audiotape Reveals Artists Being Asked to Support Obama's Agenda An official at the White House Office of Public Engagement told a group of handpicked artists that they would receive "some specific asks" during a controversial conference call that encouraged production of artwork supporting the administration's agenda in the name of service, a transcript of the call reveals. An official at the White House Office of Public Engagement encouraged a group of artists on a conference call with the National Endowment for the Arts to produce works that supported the Obama administration's agenda, a transcript of the call reveals. The 44-page transcript, which was posted Monday on BigGovernment.com, details an hour-long conference call on Aug. 10 hosted by the NEA, the White House Office of Public Engagement and United We Serve, a nationwide initiative launched by President Obama to increase volunteerism. "We're going to need your help, and we're going to come at you with some specific 'asks' here," said Buffy Wicks, deputy director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. "But we know that you guys are ready for it and eager to participate, so one we want to thank you, and two, I hope you guys are ready." Wicks, who did not respond to requests for comment, was one of several officials on the call -- along with then-NEA Director of Communications Yosi Sergant and Michael Skolnik, political director for hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons -- seeking focused efforts by the artists in health care, energy and environment, education and community renewal. Sergant, who was reassigned by the NEA last week, said on the call that the effort was the first of a "brand new conversation." He told the artists, "Pick -- I would encourage you to pick something, whether it's health care, education, the environment, you know, there's four key areas that the corporation has identified as the areas of service. My ask would be to apply artistic, you know, your artistic creative communities' utilities and bring them to the table." Sergant could not be reached for comment. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/21/audiotape-controversial-nea-conference-revealed/ http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/pcourrielche/2009/09/21/full-nea-conference-call-transcript-and-audio/

Public Comments

1. Propaganda Czar is more like it as well as Violator of Campaign Funding Payoffs for Govt Grants for Votes.
2. I read about the NEA being used to push his environmental and health agendas... Un be frickin' lievable!!!
3. Official Kool-Aid Distributor sounds better
4. You know that BO's buddy's have the Prez's ears, go with the Czar.
5. Prop Czars are at ACORN
6. The NEA should not be funneling tax dollars to pay for Barack Obama's agendas. Barack needs to stop trying to have the NEA turned into some kind of a fascist outlet to make posters and artwork for himself, global warming, and big government health insurance. Propaganda Czar sounds like a fitting title for Buffy Wicks.
7. The Dept of Public Engagement is the renamed Department of Public Liaison started by George Bush. It's not a bad thing at all, since it is the faith based outreach..see reducing the demand for abortion.... "Six months after its rollout, Obama's office has dramatically shifted gears from the one that Bush started from scratch in 2001. Bush's office sought to "level the playing field" for faith-based and community groups seeking federal grants to deliver social services, like counseling drug addicts and mentoring at-risk youth. Obama, by contrast, has tasked his office with four broad policy goals: bringing faith groups into the recovery and fighting poverty, reducing demand for abortion, promoting responsible fatherhood, and facilitating global interfaith dialogue. "We're moving from a sole focus on leveling the playing field," says Joshua DuBois, the office's executive director, "to forming partnerships with faith-based and community groups to help solve specific policy challenges." This office allows faith based organizations to be involved in policy, which should delight conservatives... http://www.usnews.com/blogs/god-and-country/2009/08/31/obama-has-dramatically-changed-role-of-faith-based-office.html
8. i like propaganda minister or goebbels lite.