It’s a great and wonderfully patriotic story, and it’s a shame that Burns and his associates at PBS missed it. That generation fought in Europe and the Pacific, then returned home to fight for fairness and respect. Latinos are especially proud of their stint in World War II, which helped spark the Latino civil rights movement of the 1960s. Latinos take tremendous pride in their military service to the United States, which dates back at least to the Civil War and which has produced more Medal of Honor recipients as a percentage of the population than any other ethnic group. The same goes for respected filmmaker Ken Burns, producer of the 14 1/2-hour epic, “The War.” Talk about a blind spot. PBS has acknowledged the omission but has also refused to take any meaningful steps to correct it.
That is what’s happening at the Public Broadcasting Service, which is preparing to release a lengthy documentary on World War II that ignores the contribution of Latinos to the war effort.
It’s not just the denying of opportunity, it can also be the denying of history. SAN DIEGO – Discrimination takes many forms. Digital Replica Edition Home Page Close Menu
