After reading most of the negative comments on Ken B, I had to add a positive comment on Ken B. I enjoyed the film on the Civil War and Jazz. I bought both DVD set and sound track of CW. And I wait to see the Vietnam documentary. Someone said they could not sit through the entire film. This is what is wrong with America. They want things in short sound bites and retention span of a gnats. Like Bill Maher stated majority of the American public are stupid. And like what Ken said in this piece, the Civil War is still going on today.

I realized Ken Burns is an idiot when I saw him on Charlie Rose being interviewed about some documentary he did on national parks. He was saying some crap like "Only in America do the parks belong to the people!", uhh, lol?If some guy in a bar said that randomly I'd be like ok whatever but this dude spent years working on this documentary and obviously never stopped to really think.

how is the support of poor non slave holding whites of the csa explained , it wasn't in their economic interest

The Crimean War (October 1853 to February 1856) was "the first photographed war."

His Civil War documentary is impossible to sit through. It's like one of those best sellers no one actually reads.

I was a member (the cellist) of that "cheesy" orchestra Mr. Burns just sneered at during his recounting of the "Bob Hope" moment. Thanks, Ken, we were just trying to do something nice for you. Now, please go on with your civil discourse.

No Prohibtions work. Perhaps after your show airs we can see the waste of $ keeping Marijuana illegal

Could Prohibition have passed if Reynolds v. Sims, the case that instituted one person-one vote in redistricting had been in effect? Ie., if the big cities had fair representation in the House, could it have gotten the required 2/3?

As the mother of a musician who does whatever he can to stay true to his mission in life, i certainly hope no members of that "cheesy orchestra" Ken Burns just referred to with such great disdain were not listening to his incredibly haughty opening remarks. What an ego!

Perhaps the Esteemed Mr. Burns would be able to confirm (or deny) my observation that in order for progress to be made in the United States, there must be an epoch or era of extreme incivility.

Consider the attitudes of the opposing sides of the argument for and against the independence of the [then] colonies, or the the schism between abolitionists and anti-abolitionists that lead to the civil war, or the egregious expression of hatred during the civil rights movement, or the virulent vocalizations between pro-choice and pro-life during demonstrations, or the fistfights that break out over the definition of marriage...

Perhaps my perspective is slightly warped, but it seems (to me, at least) that incivility is inherently cyclical in a Democracy - and a precursor to lasting progress.

Thanks so much for your great work Ken.
I watched last night and heard a quote from Lincoln how he was aware of and appalled by HYPOCRISY, Its too bad our current government does not have that insight, especially President Obama who after winning the Nobel Peace Prize does not push for the USA to join the International Criminal Court.
Thanks