It’s not about US: Why Americans need to see the Eurovision Song Contest more than ever

LAST WEEK the Cardinals picked an American to lead the Catholic Church, but there are no Americans in the annual Eurovision Song Contest — and that’s a good thing. The U.S. dominates so much of global politics and now even a major religion. The Eurovision Song Contest is fun to watch precisely because the U.S. is completely irrelevant to it.

Let’s be honest, it’s been a rough time for Americans who love the arts, science, and culture. Widespread government layoffs and proposed cuts in funding for arts programs, libraries, research, and education leave us feeling as if we are witnessing the deaths of our beloved cultural, education, and research institutions. Add this to growing economic concerns and existential angst about basic human rights and equality, we may need an uplifting distraction.