Ken Burns: PBS’ official revisionist

In the science fiction novel 1984, George Orwell tells in grim detail of a society divided, continuously monitored and controlled by a fascist state.

Winston Smith, the main character of this excellent work of science fiction, is a lowly bureaucrat from the Ministry of Information. His work consists of revising dispatches issued by the government and then adjusting all available information sources to comply with such data, thus projecting the effectiveness of the leadership of the state. Represented by the Big Brother, a paternal figure who sternly watches his every step, the state employs our hero to write and re-write history as set to benefit the instruments of power.

This futuristic cautionary tale about the dangers of the totalitarian state takes place 23 years ago.

Well into the 21st century and warned about it as far back as 1949, the year the novel was published, and we have not learned a damn thing!

Not only the digital revolution, the constant terrorist threat and the ensuing culture of fear, and the new voyeuristic technology of surveillance puts us so near the nightmare of the Orwellian Big Brother, but now we also have a government sponsored Smith, re-writing history at will.

An ongoing controversy, the most recent mega-project by Ken Burns raises some questions in terms of the veracity of the documentary maker. A 14 hour film about World War II the work fails to mention one single Latino veteran.

And this is not the first time Mr. Burns fails to recognize the presence and contributions by Latinos to the United States history. In the May 11 edition of the Daily News (Hey, Ken Burns, why shun Latinos?) columnist Juan González sets the record straight in terms of Mr. Burns continuous shunning of all contribution by Latinos in his 30 year career.

Ken Burns is described in this article as a “serial eraser of Latinos.” González mentions a lame attempt by the producer to appease the anger of the Latino community when he promises amends, yet states that his film will not be changed.

We are an important part of this nation and do our part to help it grow.

And when it came that time to defended it, 300,000 Hispanics said present. Many of them lost their lives there. A life is a big payment for whatever reason. When that is the case: it is not a privilege when such an event is being documented to be acknowledge, but an undeniable right.

Being PBS a public entity, Señor Burns is exercising his own brand of historical revisionism on our buck and I think all those who pay their taxes are expected to have a say at it.

We assume is not ignorance (the information is out there, so are the numbers and then again, he is a veteran documentary maker, researcher and filmmaker, PBS’ sacred cow) so, what’s the deal?

What is the reason for his actions? Go figure… Responding to what interest? Who knows! Following whose agenda? Who cares!

The subject is out there, the information is available and yet Mr. Burns stubbornly decided to leave his documentary as is and then heads (on our buck, I assume) to proudly show it at the Cannes Film Festival sometime next week.

Being a film buff, there is another screenplay which comes to mind: A day without Mexicans. This amusing movie envisions, in a humorous way, how hard the life of Californians would be without the help of the Mexican labor force.

But lets put all movies, novels and documentaries aside. Lets forget the philosophical analogies and the empty rhetoric and lets face reality, lets grab the bull by the horns and do whatever you are suppose to do when you are in such a dangerous and surreal situation…

I heard through the grapevine that there are plans for calling all Latinos to boycott this project. I say let’s boycott this thing in every form.

I call on all Latinos, Hispanics and other Americanos to boycott the program, all sponsors, the stations. I would go even further and say lets boycott the Ken Burns effect when making photo slideshows in a home computer.

Let$ hit where it hurt$ the mo$t.

I do know several important Latino businessmen here in the City that are frequent contributors to the local PBS affiliate, and I’m sure they are not willing to pay for a self appointed Smith, or budding Big Brother for that matter, to shamelessly erase their own presence, deny their contribution and shun their heritage.

Salutation to all Latinos, Hispanics and other Americanos

I look in wonder at this America of ours stretching from here to the very end of the world, all the way from the cold white North (with the frozen eskimo pie) to the mythical Tierra de Fuego, that far away frontier where (according to a poet friend) a short, stocky, dark skinned guy with shaggy jet black hair and sporting a colorful alpaca poncho points South and states in a beautifully accented Spanish that “down that way there is no more world.”

I envision a place populated by color and texture: Boricuas, Quisqueyanos, Guajiros, Gauchos, Charros, Amazones, Jíbaros, Cariocas, Negros, Cholos, Indios, Serranos, Nicos, Mapuches, Paisas, Rolos, Corronchos, Ñaños, Chapines, Mambises (you add your own). Among them all I feel at home, unlike the friend who jockingly states that he feels like “at the casting call for Apocalypto.”

But I definitely do not see any Beaners, Wet Backs, Greasers or Spicks, nor do I see any Gringos. I do not see an undocumented alien, but an adventurer in search of the American dream, and, where many see a lowly servant, I see a hard worker, I see hope, dignity and I see glory.

Here we are: the Hispanics, the Latinos and all other Americanos sharing the land and hoping for the best. We are here, we are present, and it can’t be denied.

But, what are we?

Are we the open Pampa lashed by the dry winds of winter, the high Andean peaks defiying the horizon, the fragile green of the shrinking Amazon forrest? Are we the fabled once mil vírgenes, stringed across the Caribbean to cushion the blow of the Conquest and all its consequences? Or are we that sliver of land in Panama allowing two oceans to touch, although so briefly?

Are we the slaves dragged here against our will? Are we the plantation, the hacienda? Are we the modern metropolis, the dreams of a developing country or the decaying old city, the crumbling forts, the ancient temples? Are we that promise of prosperity that lays somewhere West of us (the myth of El Dorado) or North of us (the myth of El Mighty Dollar)? Are we the music, the food, the language, the sweat, the blood and the dreams?

Are we those things that makes us different or the ones we share in common? Call me the optimist and sign me in for the later.

I am a romantic, a poet of sorts in this new age of technology. And I am here on an important mission: to make sure that the world wide web is good for something, besides being the lair of the home-made-movie craze, the sexual predator, the virtual dating scene and the venue for the always annoying and unsolicited promotions for penis enlargement pills and all the other assortment of remedies for erectile dysfunction.

Latino to the Max pretends to take full advantage of this new media, one that easily stretches from here to the farthest reaches of this big, blue and marvelous globe, with the magic of a simple click.

Lets open up a dynamic dialog among all Latinos, state in orderly discussion what we like and dislike, what we long for, what we ambition in life… and have fun doing it. It is not hard to embrace so many hermanos, more than 400 million strong (and growing), when the embrace is a virtual one and produces a possitive effect.

We are not here to read my daily banters about how much life sucks (even when it does sometimes), I will not talk about girlfriends and money (or their lack thereof) and, of course, we will not be looking foward to the latest Paris Hilton scandal (even thougth there is an intereresting take on the state of affairs of our great nation, but that is another story).

Art is the best and the loudest way of announcing our presence, highlighting our contributions and establishing our presence. Art is the best form of colonialism (payback time), the best way to plantar bandera, that is undeniable and I am all out to highlight our art, in all its manifestation, and be critical about it.

It is exciting to set out on such a journey, one that we hope will be a long and enjoyable trek of discovery. And is not devoid of a little fear that I set out on this new venture, it is my big bald head up here and I do take full reponsibility for all I say.

All literary journeys, particularly any attempt to place the wonders of our daily life within the realm of the writen word is a trek that goes in instead of out. And both experiences, life and literature, are so rich and full of feelings and substance, promises for a long, lasting and interesting voyage.

Opening the means of comunication is the first step towards understanding, the second step is to turn this into a real dialog, so… let me hear from you.

Max Resto: The Power That Drives LatinoToTheMax Blog

Born in Coney Island, New York, but raised in a small mountain town in Puerto Rico, Max considers himself to be nothing more than a humble country boy, a proud jibarito with big-city spirits and hearty small town mores. However, being a gypsy at heart and a rebel since early in life – envision a mischievous fire-headed little devil of three – whose red mane is now absent and who still keeps a hand thrust into his bag of literary tricks that are cherished legends in the barrio where he grew up.

Max says that he always goes through life “against the grain, running backwards or swimming up stream” - but there are an awful lot of his friends who say that he just doesn’t move in time when told.

Disgusted with the situations he encountered when he entered the higher education arena, mainly the violent UPR strike of 1981 and the idiotic attitude (that is his opinion) of some of the professors, the gypsy in him once again kicked in and Max fled the Island to embark upon what he describes as a lifelong and very personal pilgrimage.

As a young man of 19 he joined the United States Navy and traveled the world enriching his life experiences and feeding an intellectual hunger that’s still far from being satisfied. It should be noted that Max Resto possesses the curiosity of the proverbial cat who manages to stay alive and kicking time and time again.

While honing his uniquely communicative style as a writer and artist, Max has been crafting a respectable creative catalog, especially as a chronicler. He’s become a favorite of serious readers from all over the Latino literary world, and has garnered international praise. A voracious reader with a discerning mind, he often delivers ironic, sharp observations about daily occurrences; always observing life from a very personal, yet detached perspective.

His body of work embraces the skills of a proficient writer, columnist, printer, artisan, producer and film director, but also includes his years of experience as a journalist, television personality, as well as in a number of other multimedia venues.

Max has authored four books. His fiction writing has appeared in anthologies of contemporary Latino writers; while his stories, columns, reviews, interviews, comments and essays have been published in magazines, newspapers, educational textbooks and Internet sites.

For a number of years he was the Features Editor for The San Juan Star in Puerto Rico, while also the Film Commentator for the radio program En Otra Frecuencia 940 AM, and for the TV show Hoy 940 on WIPR-WIPM Channels 6 and 3 in Puerto Rico – all local PBS affiliates. He is a frequent contributor to many major Spanish language newspapers, and also to the Internet site redyaccion.com. In addition, he writes, produces and directs corporate videos, develops his own literary works and film projects and collaborates with other authors by providing editorial services.

Max Resto’s passionately stubborn and well-informed commentaries can be controversial, yet are undeniably appealing and thought-provoking. His ability to fuse a deep respect and understanding of Latino traditions with the up-to-date expertise of internet-based media that provides him with a special take on what it really is to be a professional Latino in a modern global environment. All of this converges in his exciting blog: LatinoToTheMax.com.