Is Ken Burns a Secret Propagandist for Socialism?

Los Angeles Times ^ | September 24, 2009 | Patrick Goldstein

[dfwgator]

If you haven't seen it yet.

The Old Negro Space Program - A Not Ken Burns Film

[GonzoGOP]

I was thinking more of Roosevelt parks like Yellowstone and Grand Canyon. Glacier was owned by the railroad, but they transferred it to the National Parks in order to avoid having to pay the upkeep on the hotels. I wasn’t familiar with the history of Shenandoah, but since it was inhabited before the turn of the century it doesn't surprise me that they would need to move people out. And unfortunately it doesn't surprise me that they government was heavy handed in the matter. The feds can screw up even the best ideas.

[tsomer]

This jackass is not only exactly that - a communist liberal suck-up - but his documentaries are BORING

I agree except in calling them documentaries. They're actually just slide shows. It's kind of bizarre, putting slide shows on video tape.

[smokingfrog]

I just watched this video and would have to say no. He's definitely a liberal guy, but probably not a hard core socialist.

10 Questions with Ken Burns

[GonzoGOP]

WORLD AT WAR kicks its’ butt in every way imaginable

Gotta vote for Victory at Sea for that category. And the soundtrack for that series was fantastic. Music to crush fascists by.

[dfwgator]

The 1970’s series WORLD AT WAR kicks its’ butt in every way imaginable.

Agreed. I still get a lump in my throat when Sir Laurence talks about, "The day the soldiers came...." during the opening of the first episode.

[Pappy Smear]

Just read an article in Reader's Digest about his upcoming documentary-actually by him I think. Anyway, it has a big section about a black guy that ran some park, and some white woman that started a park. Interesting stories actually, but c'mon, it was such an obvious pandering diversity addition.

Rightly, or wrongly, at that time in American history, the country was run by white males. They were the movers and shakers to make things happen. But let's not forget this lone black guy, and this woman...blah, blah, blah.

[Cheetahcat]

His view is a little skewed to the left.

[FrdmLvr]

That was hilarious! The Black Studies professor...or...instructor, if I may! HA!!!!!!!!

[TexasNative2000]

Allow me to put on my flame-retardant suit.

Burns has made a career - and quite a good one - out of describing the tension between the individual and the group. "The Civil War" was the conflict between the individual (the states) and the group (the Union). "Baseball" - the individual within the team. "Jazz" - the tension between the soloist and the ensemble.

He is a genius as a documentarian.

He has moved on to topics which help to define us as uniquely American - Mark Twain, Lewis & Clark, National Parks - and he tells the stories very well. I could care less about his politics.

[FormerACLUmember]

defund the evil NEA and Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Don't just defund them because they are evil. Defund them because we are broke and need the money.

Amen!

[Colinsky]

Burns’ Civil War series was emotionally potent and I was smitten by it, but then when I looked at his baseball series, an area where I am extremely knowledgeable, all I could see was his bias and agenda. Nothing existed except Yankees, Red Sox, and downtrodden excluded blacks. Since then I have not trusted his take on any other topic.

[the OlLine Rebel]

I don’t mind hearing a story about the “exceptions” (although I guess they could give the wrong impressions getting too much time, also). It may have been wrong, but harping constantly on the downtrodden blacks as a whole segment of every general subject grates on my nerves and smacks of nothing more than “see how bad this horrid country is?”

[dfwgator]

Just read an article in Reader's Digest about his upcoming documentary-actually by him I think.

Aha! Burns is a Communist. When you remove the 3rd, 5th and 6th letters, you've got Red's Digest, Comrade!

[the OlLine Rebel]

You can bet your boots the “Civil War” was full of it. Typical victor’s story.

[pissant]

I’m not talking about the parks, just the fact that he supported retards like Kerry and the boy marxist

[kabumpo]

I agree with you that we lost the cold war — before it even started, with the election of FDR.
If Ken Burns is a secret anything, I suspect very, very strongly that he’s a secret something else.
**************************************************

The United States lost the Cold War. A dedicated huge cadre of communists first seized the democrat party, and then the reins of Washington power.

Ken Burns is just on of many thousands of communists receiving taxpayer money.

If the Stupid Party ever stumbles back into power, it must defund the evil NEA and Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

[kabumpo]

Even here in NY. the leftists I know think his films are boring.

[drew]

Call Colonel Flagg!

[kabumpo]

You make an interesting point — it’s different when you know someting about the topic. I feel the same way about his doc on jazz that you do about his doc on baseball.