To the Point

Arts in a Time of Crisis

In what one writer calls the -strange historical pause- before likely warfare, some artists want to get a word in edgewise. On Monday, actors in 49 countries will stage -the first-ever worldwide theatrical event for peace,- with some 817 readings of an anti-war play from ancient Greek literature. At the White House, to avoid anti-war protest, Laura Bush has cancelled her seminar on American poetry. As public funding of all kinds of art is threatened by budget shortfalls, what-s the role of the arts in times of historic conflict? Are they not important enough, or too important to be ignored? We hear from actress Christine Lahti, a theater critic who-s written about the artistic response to pending war on Iraq, syndicated radio talk show host Michael Medved, and administrators from the California Arts Council and Michigan-s Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Making News: TSA to Issue Threat Level for Every Passenger The Transportation Security Administration has plans for every airline passenger to be given a score for security risk. You-ll be red, yellow or green before you even get to the airport, and that will determine whether you-ll be allowed to get on the plane. Mary Lou Pickel, transportation writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, says the new system will draw from passenger travel habits, credit card history and government watch lists. Reporter's Notebook: Black Filmmakers and Their LegacyA major segment of the audience for movies is African American, and the highest grossing film ever made by Miramax was produced by an African American. That doesn-t mean that black filmmakers have it easy in Hollywood. George Alexander, author of Why We Make Movies: Black Filmmakers Talk about the Magic of Cinema, talks about the creative process, movie making and changing opportunities in the industry.