One of the many unfortunate side effects of our country's at-times "blunt instrument" approach to handling the threat of terrorism has been the debilitating strictures attached to getting visas approved for many artists, actors, musicians, dancers from overseas who are invited to appear in our country. It has had a terrible effect and has, in many instances, resulted in performances being canceled. The Spoleto Festival's General Director, Nigel Redden, expressed it thusly to the New York Times:

“We’re turning the United States into fortress America...It turns everyone into an enemy. It loses us friends around the world and respect around the world.”

But there has been some good news lately: just a couple of weeks ago the House of Representatives voted to change some of the rules pertaining to artist visas in an attempt to make the process less burdensome for non-profit organizations bringing foreign artists to our shores. No word yet on what the Senate has decided to do with this legislation. Let's hope it passes, and that when it reaches the desk of the President, that Condi Rice might put in a good word for the legislation and convince W to sign it into law.