LOSE THE LAMENTS, LOSE THE LOOT: LOBERO GOES WOKE, TAXPAYERS FOOT THE BILL

The Montecito Journal, ever eager to cheer on every sniff of 'culture' that drifts down from the hills, is practically swooning over a recent Lobero Theatre spectacle they've titled 'Democracy Comes Alive in Music.' Apparently, democracy 'comes alive' these days when a contemporary composer trots out a 1935 Langston Hughes poem, 'Let America Be America Again,' orchestrates it, and presents it to an adoring Lobero crowd. We're told this musical lament is 'somehow still incredibly timely,' which is code for 'it perfectly aligns with our current narrative that America is, and always has been, terrible.' The sheer courage of telling a Lobero audience that America is flawed, truly groundbreaking stuff.

Never mind that actual democracy involves things like fiscal responsibility, low taxes, and ensuring your city government isn't routinely misplacing millions. No, for the cultural elite, 'democracy' is a sad song cycle, preferably one funded by the very taxpayers whose 'America' is being thoroughly trashed. One can only imagine the stirring performance, the standing ovations, and the quiet sigh of relief from the Lobero's grant writers as another 'socially conscious' production gets chalked up as a win — and another dollar firmly extorted from the municipal purse.

While this composer is undoubtedly talented, one must ask: when does 'art' simply become a vehicle for privileged folks to signal their disdain for the country that makes their comfortable lives possible? Perhaps the Lobero could diversify its repertoire to include, say, a stirring rendition of the county budget, or a dramatic reading of the latest unfunded pension liability report. Now *that* would be 'timely,' and frankly, far more relevant to the actual living conditions of Santa Barbara's long-suffering taxpayers. But alas, we're stuck with laments until the next grant check clears.