This I Believe, Part 1

This I Believe:

The role of art is to help people to see the world from another point of view - whether it be through the eyes of a different culture, a different place, a different social circumstance, a different gender, or a different sexual orientation - while at the same time emphasizing the basic elements of humanity that connect us all. We may not agree with what we see through that different point of view, but hopefully, we will come away with a new understanding, a new sense of compassion.

That, in my opinion, is what art, at its best, is all about. If we can open ourselves to creating and experiencing that kind of art, maybe we can make the world a more tolerant and understanding place. That's worth a little controversy and a little discomfort, isn't it?