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.