TrueValueMetrics ... Impact Accounting for the 21st Century

Date: 2025-01-04 Page is: DBtxt003.php txt00027461

USA INTERVIEW WITH HISTORIAN: KEN BURNS MSNBC/Ali Velshi: Ken Burns on the ‘incredibly dangerous’ party that the GOP has ‘morphed’ into PLAY YOUTUBE VIDEO Original article: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l96Xd4qjyCA Peter Burgess COMMENTARY Peter Burgess
Ali Velshi: Ken Burns on the ‘incredibly dangerous’ party that the GOP has ‘morphed’ into MSNBC Sep 22, 2024 7.37M subscribers ... 377,967 views ... 11K likes #kenburns #gop #republicans In bestowing Ken Burns with its 2024 Liberty Medal, the National Constitution Center called him “America’s history teacher,” and he spoke to Ali Velshi about the “echoes” and “rhymes” between the current political moment and other periods in America’s history. “We’re dealt a certain hand of cards right now which we have to respond to,” he says. Burns also remarks on how the Republican Party has “morphed” into an “incredibly dangerous” group that needs to be reformed. “It’s going to be difficult for the Republican Party to figure out a way to escape the specific gravity of the darkness that engulfs it.” » Subscribe to MSNBC: / msnbc Download our new MSNBC app for the latest breaking news and daily headlines at a glance: https://www.msnbc.com/information/dow... Follow MSNBC Show Blogs MaddowBlog: https://www.msnbc.com/maddowblog ReidOut Blog: https://www.msnbc.com/reidoutblog MSNBC delivers breaking news, in-depth analysis of politics headlines, as well as commentary and informed perspectives. Find video clips and segments from The Rachel Maddow Show, Morning Joe, The Beat with Ari Melber, Deadline: White House, The ReidOut, All In, Last Word, 11th Hour, and Alex Wagner who brings her breadth of reporting experience to MSNBC primetime. Watch “Alex Wagner Tonight” Tuesday through Friday at 9pm Eastern. Connect with MSNBC Online Visit msnbc.com: https://www.msnbc.com/ Subscribe to the MSNBC Daily Newsletter: https://link.msnbc.com/join/5ck/msnbc... Find MSNBC on Facebook: / msnbc Follow MSNBC on Twitter: / msnbc Follow MSNBC on Instagram: / msnbc #kenburns #republicans #gop Transcript 0:00 WHO QUOTE, STRIVE TO SECURE THE LESSONS OF LIBERTY, TWO PEOPLE AROUND THE GLOBE. WARM WELCOME BACK TO YOU, TO THE SHOW AND IT IS GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN. CONGRATULATIONS ON RECEIVING THE LIBERTY MEDAL. >> THANK YOU, IT IS GOOD TO BE WITH YOU. >> YOU HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME STUDYING AND YOU AND I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS, THINKING ABOUT SOME OF THIS COUNTRY'S MOST TUMULTUOUS PERIODS IN HISTORY. YOU TALK A LOT ABOUT HOW IT WAS MORE TUMULTUOUS DURING THE CIVIL WAR. IT WAS AS TUMULTUOUS DURING THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND VIETNAM WAR. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT IS WORTH ANY MORE OF THE COMPARISONS, BUT HOW ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT THE CURRENT MOMENT, AS IT RELATES TO SOME OF THE WORST MOMENTS WE HAVE RAISED IN THE COUNTRY QUITE --? >> THERE SOMETHING UNPRECEDENTED ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW, THEN OTHER TIMES YOU CITED, AND WE CAN GO BACK EVEN FURTHER, TO OUR REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. I'M IN THE PROCESS OF FINISHED 1:01 -- FINISHING A SERIES ON THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION THAT WILL BE OUT NEXT YEAR. YOU SEE THE CIVIL WAR HAPPENING AT OUR BELOVED REVOLUTION, THIS OUR OWN CIVIL WAR WAS A SECTION AWARD. BUT THE PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF POWER, THE FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS, THE INDEPENDENT OF THE JUDICIARY, SEEMED IN DOUBT. HOWEVER, THOSE OF US WHO ARE HISTORIANS AND AMATEUR HISTORIANS, STORYTELLERS ABOUT THE PAST, THERE IS OPTIMISM THAT ATTENDS. YOU SEE THE GREAT FAITH, THAT LINCOLN WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE RE-ELECTED IN AN 18 SIX FOUR AND WAS. -- 1864, AND WAS. I THINK WHAT YOU HAVE, ARE VERY SIMILAR ECHOES, RHYMES, MARK TWAIN WOULD SAY BETWEEN THIS PERIOD AND OF COURSE EACH MOMENT AS LINCOLN POINTED OUT IS UNIQUE TO THE PRESENT. AND AS HE POINTED OUT IN A SPEECH TO CONGRESS, THE DOGMAS OF THE QUIET PAST ARE ADEQUATE 2:00 TO THE STORMY PRESENT AS WE MUST THINK ANEW AND ACT ANEW AND THEN WE CAN SAVE OUR COUNTRY. SO WE CAN DO A LOT OF HISTORICAL SPECULATION, A LOT OF PARLOR GAMES ABOUT THE WHAT- IFS. IT AT THE SAME TIME WE ARE DEALT A HAND OF CARDS WHICH WE HAVE TO RESPOND TO PICK >> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE VARIOUS WAYS, WE WON'T GET THROUGH MANY OF THEM BUT THE WAYS IN WHICH ONE CAN RESPOND AT THE MOMENT AND AT AN EVENT IN WISCONSIN FRIDAY, LIZ CHENEY, IS A VERY CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN SUGGESTED THAT A NEW POLITICAL PARTY MIGHT BE NEEDED GOING FORWARD. SHE SAID QUOTE, THERE'S CERTAINLY GOING TO BE A BIG SHIFT I THINK IN AND HOW OUR POLITICS WORK. I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE, I DON'T THINK IT WILL SIMPLY BE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, GOING TO PUT UP A SLATE OF CANDIDATES AND OFF TO THE RACES. I THINK FAR TOO MUCH HAS HAPPENED THAT IS TOO DAMAGING. ONE WAS THE REPUBLICAN -- WHEN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WAS FORMED 3:00 IN THE 1850S, THESE ARE MY WORDS BY THE WAY, IT WAS A COALITION OF PEOPLE WHO FORMERLY BELONGED TO OTHER PARTIES. SO LET'S THINK ABOUT THIS. THERE MAY BE A LESSON IN THE REALIGNMENT OF POLITICS AND POLITICAL PARTIES IN AMERICA, AS OPPOSED TO THE CHANGING OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE, WHICH IS A TRULY HARD THING TO DO. >> I THINK IT IS TRUE, AND WHILE I AM NOT SURE, I THINK THERE'S SO MUCH ENTRENCHED AND INGRAINED ABOUT THE TWO PARTIES THAT IT IS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO ESCAPE THE SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF THE DARKNESS THAT NOW ENGULFS IT. THIS IS A PARTY, AS HE POINTED OUT ALLIE, -- ALI , THEY HAD ONE THING TO DO OUT OF THE ASHES OF THE WHIG PARTY AND OTHER DISAFFECTED PEOPLE GRAVITATING TO SOMETHING NEW, IS THAT THEY WANTED THE EMANCIPATION, THEY WANTED THE END OF SLAVERY. IN THE UNITED STATES, AND THAT REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS MORPHED INTO SOME INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS, 4:03 ALMOST RESEMBLING THE KNOW NOTHINGS OF THAT PERIOD, THAT ARE RACIST AND CERTAINLY A MIAMI -- ANTI-IMMIGRANT AND AS ABRAHAM LINCOLN IS TURNING OVER IN HIS GRAVE, AS HAS THE LABEL OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. SO I THINK WE HAVE GOT TO COUNT ON LIZ CHENEY BEING RIGHT, IN THE LONG TERM, THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME RECONFIGURATION, THAT WE ARE GOING TO LEAVE, AT LEAST THE MAGA BASE BEHIND AND HOPE OUR COUNTRY IS ABLE TO CREATE A KIND OF OPPOSITION, THAT HAS THE VALUES. REMEMBER THE GREAT LEGISLATION AND IN THE 20th CENTURY, THAT INVOLVE NOT ONLY DEMOCRATIC BUT REPUBLICAN VOTES. WEATHER VOTING RIGHTS OR CIVIL RIGHTS OR MEDICARE OR MEDICAID, EVEN GOING BACK TO SOCIAL SECURITY. THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WAS 5:00 ALWAYS, FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE 20th CENTURY, AN ENGINE OF PROGRESSIVISM AS MUCH, IF NOT MORE THAN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. AND THE STATES LIKE WISCONSIN WERE LABORATORIES OF EXPERIMENTATION AND SOCIAL IDEAS, THAT WOULD MAKE GOVERNMENT MORE RESPONSIVE, LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD, THEODORE ROOSEVELT IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THAT KIND OF PROGRESSIVE, IN THE WHITE HOUSE. SO YOU CAN HOPE, THERE IS, IN MY OFFICE, I HAVE A POSTER OF THE INTERTWINING, THE SNAKING PATHS BOTH PARTIES HAVE TAKEN. ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WAS BENEFICIAL TO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AS MUCH AS IT HAS CHALLENGED IT, SINCE THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, OF THE MID-1960S, IS THAT IT HAS LOST THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE UNINTERESTED IN FOLLOWING JEFFERSONS WORDS, HE HIMSELF HAD SOME CONTRADICTIONS OBVIOUSLY. THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL. ALL MEN AND ALL PEOPLE ARE 6:01 CREATED EQUAL. SO I THINK THAT IS A WONDERFUL NEW COALITION THAT IS COALESCING, AND IF YOU JUST STEP BACK AND THINK ABOUT THE ODD COUPLE, NOT JUST LIZ CHENEY, BUT HER DAD, KRISTI OLD , DICK CHENEY, AND BERNIE SANDERS, ARE VOTING FOR THE SAME PERSON. A LOT OF THE BLUE-COLLAR VOTES AND OF COURSE IT IS HARD TO IGNORE DICK CHENEY, HE IS NOT A RHINO, HE IS ANYTHING BUT -- >>> KEN BURNS, AWARD-WINNING DOCUMENTARIAN BACK WITH ME. KEN, IN 2026, AMERICA IS GOING TO CELEBRATE IS 250th BIRTHDAY, AND AHEAD OF THAT YOU WILL RELEASE A NEW DOCUMENTARY YOU WERE MENTIONING ABOUT THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. YOU ARE GOING BACK TO THE 7:00 START. TELL ME WHY YOU CHOSE THAT AS THE SUBJECT OF THIS FILM, AS OPPOSED -- AS AMERICA IS APPROACHING THIS MILESTONE. >> IT IS INTERESTING, ALI, WHEN THE INK WAS NOT DRY ON THE VIETNAM FILM WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF LOCKING IT WHEN I SAID WE WOULD DO THE REVOLUTION. AND IT WASN'T WITH AN EYE TOWARD THE 250th ANNIVERSARY. I DID WORRY THAT IN 2026 WE MIGHT BE SORT OF CONSUMED BY A SENTIMENTAL NOSTALGIA, FIGHT AND DRUM STUFF AND WHAT IS GOOD IS THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION STARTED IN AND -- IN 1775 AND THE 250th WOULD COME THE YEAR BEFORE HIM THE BEGINNING OF THE -- BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. WE PROTECTED AND ACCEPTED THE VIOLENCE OF THE CIVIL WAR, WORLD WAR II, VIETNAM AND THE FIRST WORLD WAR BUT WE THINK OF THE REVOLUTION AS THESE GUYS THINKING GREAT IDEAS. AND IT IS ABOUT THAT. BUT IT IS ALSO INCREDIBLY A BLOODY CIVIL WAR. SO IT IS THE ABILITY TO DIG DEEP 8:00 AND UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITIES OF IT. WE LIVE IN A MODERN VIA CULTURE, NO INSULTING INTENDED, WHICH IS EVERYTHING IS DIALECTICALLY PREOCCUPIED. IT IS RED STATE OR BLUE STATE, IT IS MSNBC OR FOX. WHEN YOU CALL BALLS AND STRIKES AS WE HAVE TRIED TO DO IN OUR FILMS, YOU REALIZE THAT EVERYBODY HAS FEATS OF CLAY. GEORGE WASHINGTON CERTAINLY DOES AND THERE IS NO KIND OF PERFECT THING. YOU AND I TRY TO ATTEND IT, THAT PATRIOTISM THAT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR AMERICANS TO HAVE, IS NOT JUST THE LAST REFUGE OF SCOUNDRELS BUT A VERY COMPLEX, SELF-EXAMINATION. -- SAID LIBERTY IS NEVER BEING TOO SURE YOU ARE RIGHT. THERE BE A BETTER NAME FOR A JUDGE AND CAN THERE BE ANYTHING BETTER THAN THAT COMMENT, THAT CERTAINTY IS THE ENEMY OF EVERYTHING. AND WE ARE CERTAIN ABOUT STUFF WE HAVE FORGOTTEN TO UNDERSTAND, SOMETIMES THE OPPOSITE MAY ALSO BE TRUE, SO YOU HAVE TO TELL A TRUE, HONEST 9:01 AND COMPLICATED PAST THAT IS UNAFRAID OF CONTROVERSY AND TRAGEDY BUT EQUALLY DRAWN TO STORIES AND MOMENTS THAT SUGGEST ABIDING FAITH IN THE HUMAN SPIRIT AND PARTICULARLY THE ROLE OF THIS REMARKABLE REPUBLIC AND A POSITIVE PROGRESS OF MANKIND. >> THAT IS INTERESTING BECAUSE WHEN YOU ARE SELECTED TO BE THE RECIPIENT OF THIS YEAR'S LIBERTY MEDAL, YOU REMARKED, THERE'S NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT IN DEMOCRACY THAN EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT HISTORY. WE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THE ATTACKS ON OUR COUNTRY'S EDUCATION SYSTEM, WHICH OFTEN INVOLVES THE BANNING OF BOOKS AND DISPUTES OVER CURRICULUM ABOUT OUR HISTORY AND THE PAST AND OUR MODERN HISTORY. ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT THAT GROWING AS A POLITICAL PRESSURE POINT IN RECENT YEARS, THE IDEA OF HISTORY AND HOW WE TEACH IT HAS ITSELF COME UNDER ATTACK. >> IT HAS BEEN CRITICIZED IN SUCH UNFORTUNATE WAYS AND ANYBODY IS CONCERNED ABOUT IT. LISTEN, I CAN REPORT BACK FROM THE LATE 18th CENTURY, THAT I 10:00 KNOW CATEGORICALLY, WHAT THE FOUNDERS MEANT BY THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. IT ISN'T THE PURSUIT OF OBJECTS AND A MARKETPLACE OF THINGS. IT IS LIFELONG LEARNING IN A MARKETPLACE OF IDEAS. THEY FELT, IF WE'RE GOING TO CREATE A NEW THING, EVERYBODY HERE BEFORE HAD BEEN A SUBJECT. IF WE ARE GOING TO CREATE THESE NEW ENTITIES, CITIZENS, THAT HAD TO LEAD A VIRTUOUS LIFE AND HAD TO BE VIRTUOUS WAS CONSTANTLY TO EDUCATE YOURSELF. THAT IS WHAT IT WAS ABOUT, AND IMPLICIT IN THAT IS A KIND OF HONEST EVALUATION, NOT ONLY OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED, WHAT WE KNOW IN SCIENCE AS WELL AS ARTS AND HUMANITIES, BUT WHAT WE DON'T KNOW. WHERE WE FAIL, WHERE WE COME UP SHORT. SO YOU BEGIN TO SEE THAT OUR EXPERIMENT IS ALL ABOUT FUTURE WORDS. WE ARE IN PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. A MORE PERFECT UNION. WE ARE A NATION IN THE PROCESS OF BECOMING. AND UNFORTUNATELY WHAT HAPPENS 11:02 IS WHEN WE GRAVITATE TOWARD THE CERTAINTY WE SAY, WE DON'T NEED TO TEACH THIS. SLAVERY IS NOT THAT BAD, WE DON'T WANT TO UPSET KIDS WHO ARE ALREADY PARTICIPATING IN VIDEO GAMES, BEING YELLED AT BY COACHES, BEING TALKED ABOUT DAMNATION BY PASTORS, BEING ENGAGED IN A WORLD IN WHICH THEY ARE AS SMART AS THE POLITICIANS WHO TRY TO SORT OF SLIDE US INTO ARBITRARY, ALMOST SOVIET KINDS OF THING IN WHICH ALL OF A SUDDEN SOMEBODY IS PICTURE -- SUMMARIES PICTURE DISAPPEARS ON THE BUREAU AND THEY NEVER EXISTED. WE CAN'T DO THAT. WE WERE SLAVEOWNERS. WE WERE BORN IN SLAVERY. THE GUY WHO SAID ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL OWNED HUNDREDS OF HUMAN BEINGS AND DID NOT SEE A KIND OF DIRECTION. IF YOU DO NOT OWN THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A POSSIBILITY TO ESCAPE THE GRAVITY OF NEGATIVE THINGS THAT HAVE ATTENDED OUR HISTORY THROUGHOUT, AND OUR WORK IS, IN THIS MOMENT, NO MORE IMPORTANT THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN.

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