Do you believe, like most, that America’s Revolutionary War was really fought because we didn’t feel like paying taxes to Britain? Try again.
The actual reason was because Britain, respecting Indian treaties, refused western expansion beyond the Ohio River Valley. Much like today’s politicos, George Washington and the founding fathers were extremely wealthy businessmen, and they used anti-tax propaganda to co-opt poor immigrants to fight the British, promising a mule and forty acres after enemy defeat. Where were all those 40-acre plots located? That’s right boys and girls, in that forbidden Indian territory west of the Ohio River.
This little nugget is just one of the myths Howard Zinn debunks in his quintessential book, A People’s History of the United States. Among other things, this book was the first to explore the evolution of the American corporation, its threat to democracy, and its three-way, often dissonant tango with government and the people. Careful though, Zinn is for people who enjoy disillusionment, and if that’s not you, it might be wise to opt for another rerun of Little House on the Prairie instead of catching the History Channel’s upcoming show The People Speak, narrated by Zinn.
Once considered a socialist pariah, it’s refreshing to see the leftist thinker finally being embraced by mainstream media. According to the History Channel synopsis, “Using dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries and speeches of everyday Americans, The People Speak gives voice to those who spoke up for social change throughout US history, forging a nation from the bottom up with their insistence on equality and justice.” Oh, and talk about a star-studded cast; The production features participants like Morgan Freeman, Bruce Springsteen, Sandra Oh, Eddy Vedder, Marisa Tomei, Bob Dylan, Sean Penn and Viggo Mortensen, to name a few. Co-producer Matt Damon will be reciting the Declaration of Independence, and in an AP interview yesterday, he said, “It’s a document worth reading and rereading every year because it’s the principles in that document that we should be loyal to and fight for and struggle for, rather than whichever government is in power.”
The documentary, directed by Project Runway cinematographer/director Tony Sacco, is based on another popular Zinn title, Voices of a People’s History of the United States. As the jacket copy reads, “This anthology contains hundreds of testimonies by people who are often underrepresented or misrepresented in American history books: Women, Native Americans, workers, and people of color. Ranging from letters and poems of less than a page in length, to entire speeches and essays, these selections express the power of civil disobedience and dissent.”
Amen to that.
Now in post-production, although the first airing hasn’t been announced, The People Speak is definitely one to watch for. Especially if, like all Zinn fans and protectors of democracy, you enjoy your truths delivered in mainline infusions.
And now back to our regular programming.