Comments on: Political Correctness v. Artistic Vision http://themoderatevoice.com/14026/political-correctness-v-artistic-vision/ An Internet hub with domestic and international news, analysis, original reporting, and popular features from the left, center, indies, centrists, moderates, and right Mon, 28 May 2012 01:10:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: DLS http://themoderatevoice.com/14026/political-correctness-v-artistic-vision/comment-page-1/#comment-90714 DLS Sat, 14 Jul 2007 04:26:54 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/general/14026/political-correctness-v-artistic-vision/#comment-90714 Burns has been gimmicky and sappy before, even politically correct, and I'm laughing that he faces PC-based nutty attacks on himself! Nobody sane cares about what Mario Cuomo, Doris Kearns Goodwin, or other eastern lib-Dem elitists think about baseball, and nobody sane confuses Jackie Robinson with Jesus, despite what Burns may believe. The only thing good that can be said for Burns is that his voice-impersonation gimmick, bad as well as tiresome as it is in his work, is used even more badly by others, including on NPR. (If NPR had TV it would use actors to "re-enact" news, too, I bet.) Burns has been gimmicky and sappy before, even politically correct, and I’m laughing that he faces PC-based nutty attacks on himself! Nobody sane cares about what Mario Cuomo, Doris Kearns Goodwin, or other eastern lib-Dem elitists think about baseball, and nobody sane confuses Jackie Robinson with Jesus, despite what Burns may believe.

The only thing good that can be said for Burns is that his voice-impersonation gimmick, bad as well as tiresome as it is in his work, is used even more badly by others, including on NPR. (If NPR had TV it would use actors to “re-enact” news, too, I bet.)

]]> By: cosmoetica http://themoderatevoice.com/14026/political-correctness-v-artistic-vision/comment-page-1/#comment-90679 cosmoetica Sat, 14 Jul 2007 00:07:58 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/general/14026/political-correctness-v-artistic-vision/#comment-90679 Well, the man caved. He has an out that a creative artist doesn't, and that is his 'art' is also historically based, and unlike Civil War novels, cannot make up regiments, lives, and battles. Unfortunately, unlike a work of fiction- say 'The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly,' his documentaries have a minimal obligation for truth. However, tokenism is no answer. There are plenty of options for Hispanics to produce a record of their own. The idea that every ethnic group should have their own series on every major social issue trivializes the very nature of the issues that affect all Americans. But, humans are selfish and dumb- be they white, black, or any other hue. Ken's capitulation only reinforces this verity. Well, the man caved. He has an out that a creative artist doesn’t, and that is his ‘art’ is also historically based, and unlike Civil War novels, cannot make up regiments, lives, and battles.

Unfortunately, unlike a work of fiction- say ‘The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly,’ his documentaries have a minimal obligation for truth. However, tokenism is no answer. There are plenty of options for Hispanics to produce a record of their own. The idea that every ethnic group should have their own series on every major social issue trivializes the very nature of the issues that affect all Americans.

But, humans are selfish and dumb- be they white, black, or any other hue. Ken’s capitulation only reinforces this verity.

]]> By: Political Correctness v. Artistic Vision · New York Articles http://themoderatevoice.com/14026/political-correctness-v-artistic-vision/comment-page-1/#comment-90678 Political Correctness v. Artistic Vision · New York Articles Sat, 14 Jul 2007 00:01:12 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/general/14026/political-correctness-v-artistic-vision/#comment-90678 [...] Yes, it is unfortunate that he didn’t include their contribution, but his artistic vision isn’t required to keep up with a census report. And yes he is famous, but that doesn’t mean he has to change his vision to suit others. He’s a storyteller and he isn’t obligated to check with the local ethnic chamber of commerce before he tells his story. It would have probably been a better story with that added nuance (I would have liked to see it), but it is his story and the writer and lover of the 1st Amendment in me is angry that it has become some group’s PC victim of the moment. This is not a government film, isn’t government sponsored or held up as the beginning and end of absolutely everything that happened. That’s like suggesting that Burn’s Civil War documentary is the “official record” of the Civil War and included every perspective. (more…) [...] [...] Yes, it is unfortunate that he didn’t include their contribution, but his artistic vision isn’t required to keep up with a census report. And yes he is famous, but that doesn’t mean he has to change his vision to suit others. He’s a storyteller and he isn’t obligated to check with the local ethnic chamber of commerce before he tells his story. It would have probably been a better story with that added nuance (I would have liked to see it), but it is his story and the writer and lover of the 1st Amendment in me is angry that it has become some group’s PC victim of the moment. This is not a government film, isn’t government sponsored or held up as the beginning and end of absolutely everything that happened. That’s like suggesting that Burn’s Civil War documentary is the “official record” of the Civil War and included every perspective. (more…) [...]

]]> By: jdledell http://themoderatevoice.com/14026/political-correctness-v-artistic-vision/comment-page-1/#comment-90675 jdledell Fri, 13 Jul 2007 23:28:53 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/general/14026/political-correctness-v-artistic-vision/#comment-90675 Angela - I have more sympathy for their position than you seem to. In a nutshell, these groups have a first amendment right to pressure Ken Burns to add their story and recommend a boycott if he doesn't. I admire Ken Burns greatly and have his entire Baseball series on tape (but no longer have a vcr to play it). It is Ken Burn's absolute right to refuse to alter his creation. However, I'm sure the Hispanic group realizes that their stories told by Ken Burns would get a far larger audience than anything they produced independently. That's why the whining - the stakes are high. Angela – I have more sympathy for their position than you seem to. In a nutshell, these groups have a first amendment right to pressure Ken Burns to add their story and recommend a boycott if he doesn’t. I admire Ken Burns greatly and have his entire Baseball series on tape (but no longer have a vcr to play it). It is Ken Burn’s absolute right to refuse to alter his creation.

However, I’m sure the Hispanic group realizes that their stories told by Ken Burns would get a far larger audience than anything they produced independently. That’s why the whining – the stakes are high.

]]> By: Political Correctness v. Artistic Vision · Articles http://themoderatevoice.com/14026/political-correctness-v-artistic-vision/comment-page-1/#comment-90672 Political Correctness v. Artistic Vision · Articles Fri, 13 Jul 2007 22:54:47 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/general/14026/political-correctness-v-artistic-vision/#comment-90672 [...] Yes, it is unfortunate that he didn’t include their contribution, but his artistic vision isn’t required to keep up with a census report. And yes he is famous, but that doesn’t mean he has to change his vision to suit others. He’s a storyteller and he isn’t obligated to check with the local ethnic chamber of commerce before he tells his story. It would have probably been a better story with that added nuance (I would have liked to see it), but it is his story and the writer and lover of the 1st Amendment in me is angry that it has become some group’s PC victim of the moment. This is not a government film, isn’t government sponsored or held up as the beginning and end of absolutely everything that happened. That’s like suggesting that Burn’s Civil War documentary is the “official record” of the Civil War and included every perspective. (more…) [...] [...] Yes, it is unfortunate that he didn’t include their contribution, but his artistic vision isn’t required to keep up with a census report. And yes he is famous, but that doesn’t mean he has to change his vision to suit others. He’s a storyteller and he isn’t obligated to check with the local ethnic chamber of commerce before he tells his story. It would have probably been a better story with that added nuance (I would have liked to see it), but it is his story and the writer and lover of the 1st Amendment in me is angry that it has become some group’s PC victim of the moment. This is not a government film, isn’t government sponsored or held up as the beginning and end of absolutely everything that happened. That’s like suggesting that Burn’s Civil War documentary is the “official record” of the Civil War and included every perspective. (more…) [...]

]]> By: Rambie http://themoderatevoice.com/14026/political-correctness-v-artistic-vision/comment-page-1/#comment-90666 Rambie Fri, 13 Jul 2007 22:15:56 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/general/14026/political-correctness-v-artistic-vision/#comment-90666 Ken's work kept them from writing & producing their own work... because why? Ken’s work kept them from writing & producing their own work… because why?

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