Latinos Omitted From Ken Burns' 'War' - A Blessing in Disguise?

[babylonsister]

http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=76d2420ef19fbb7724c8020c5fbae68c&from=rss

Latinos Omitted From Ken Burns' 'War' - A Blessing in Disguise?

New America Media, Commentary, Roberto Lovato, Posted: Sep 25, 2007

Editor's Note: Ken Burns' World War II documentary is stirring controversy because of its lack of Latino representation. But NAM contributing editor Roberto Lovato says that in the scheme of things, perhaps it is a good thing. Lovato is a writer based in New York.

snip//

The controversy around the documentary will have done more than the documentary itself to educate the country about the more than 500,000 Latinos who enlisted during World War II. Premiering during a historical moment of unprecedented anti-immigrant, anti-Latino sentiment, "The War’s" “Oh-yeah,-Latinos-fought-too” feel will not likely inspire future PFC Peralta’s to enlist. Indeed, from the perspective of peace activists, Burns’ jerky editing of Latinos into history (i.e. even his Southwestern United States-focused “The West” documentary included only two Latino characters out of a cast of 80) may actually be a good thing.

Those who depend on war and those who advocate peace know the future of the U.S. military itself depends on the decisions of young Latinos like Peralta. As Larry Korb, former assistant secretary of defense for Manpower, Reserve Affairs, Installations and Logistics in the Reagan administration Defense Department, once told me, “Latinos are very important to the national security of the United States,” adding that, “A decrease in Latino enlistment numbers would make things very difficult for the armed forces, because they are the fastest-growing group in the country and they have a very distinguished record of service in the military.” If he were secretary of defense, Korb would “be very worried about the possibility of decreasing Latino numbers. I’d be thinking about how to make do with smaller numbers of troops or with further lowering standards for aptitude, age, education and other factors.”

The Pentagon needs 22 percent of the Armed Forces to check off “Hispanic” on enlistment forms if it is to meet recruitment and deployment goals by 2025. As if mounting a major offensive on a domestic adversary, the Pentagon is, unlike Burns, spending millions to find out about the world of PFC Peralta: what he wears, where he hangs out, what kinds of groups he belongs to, what he reads, what he watches on TV, his grades, his dreams.

Members of the Pentagon’s many and well-funded recruiting commands are a permanent feature of urban school systems; programs like the No Child Left Behind guarantee that schools give recruiters PFC Peralta’s home phone number, address and other information. Even popular children’s restaurant chain Chuck E. Cheese is doing its part to make sure PFC Peralta gets the martial message when he’s not at CPCC. Puppet shows at some restaurants include military music and Chuck E. Cheese television has broadcast images of Latinos and others in the Army giving food and supplies to children in Iraq.

Burns failed to fulfill promises to activists that he would “seamlessly” integrate the Latino portions of the film. But his failure will do little to inspire PFC Peralta and other Latino kids to enlist between now and 2025. Hopefully, documentary filmmakers of future U.S. wars will lack Latino subjects because there will be fewer PFC Peralta’s to film.

Thank you, Ken Burns, for barely including us in your "War."

[OKNancy]

1. Part One had a Latino man

prominently featured. But that is beside the point. I don't think Latinos would be more or less likely to serve because of a PBS documentary. Tempest in a teapot IMO.

[Botany]

2. not true ....

part one had a Latino from Sacramento, CA

[daninthemoon]

3. They are following at least one latino man. What on earth is this

supposed to be about?

[bluestateguy]

4. That's not what I saw the last two nights

There were several segments following one Hispanic veteran.

These people accusing Burns of racism do not know what they are talking about.

[FARAFIELD]

5. YOU are full of it

First of all they were not "OMITTED", he went to four communities put out the word that he was open to call comers and not one (ZERO) Latinos came forward. He has asked and answered this question a dozen times and he said he took the high road, when he read of the contraversy, by including some stories, which he said he would tack on to the endings of some of the episodes. Part of that generation simply doesnt want to talk about the war, and he knows that, he cant force anyone to tell their stories thats not what he does. And frankly you are irresponsible to even use the word "omitted" in your Header. And thats a fact. OUT

[babylonsister]

6. Whoa! Hold the hell on there, bucko. I didn't write this, I gave the

author his byline and the link to it, take a

[FARAFIELD]

8. Not much a defense

You simply passed on untrue info, from someone that didnt watch the show
Call me crazy but I still like the truth, funny how you make the post but say
"I didnt write this", and then tell me to take a chill Pill. YIKES!!! Lame

[babylonsister]

9. I post a lot of things I don't necessarily agree with so people can

discuss, as this "is" a discussion board. For the record, I haven't seen this documentary. That doesn't give you any excuse to get nasty about anything.

[Crabby Appleton]

7. Written by somebody that didn't actually watch it, F Minus

for accuracy.