“Howard Zinn You Can't be Neutral on a Moving Train”
There is no time better than the present for anyone to catch up on his or her history. In a world of war and greed, it is more than important, rather necessary to know one’s constitutional rights. To some this may not be a source of great entertainment on a Saturday night; that depends on the observer.
The historian, activist and author Howard Zinn makes being political fun. His passion for politics is infectious. He urges people of all ages to learn about the truth, and participate in government and society. In “You Can’t be Neutral on a Moving Train” Zinn’s opinions and words come to life.
This documentary by: Deb Ellis and Denis Mueller that is narrated by: Matt Damon, gives Zinn the respect he deserves. Ellis and Mueller capture the true essence of Zinn by illustrating his very goal of becoming a teacher to change the world. Zinn has changed the world of many politically motivated scholars and citizens alike. The documentary features commentary by such prominent public figures as Daniel Berrigan, Alice Walker, Noam Chomsky, Daniel Ellsberg, Tom Hayden, John Silbur and Marian Wright Edelman.
In the film there is a great focus on the sixties and what Zinn did for peace during the Vietnam War. In watching the footage you can’t help but feel like there was no time more authentic in American then that era. Zinn talks about how “every war is the war to end all wars”, this sobering remark is enough to make someone think about what’s going on in Iraq. Will it ever end?
One of the biggest ideas that this film addresses is that people need to understand what’s going on. They need to get off their butts and do something. Zinn playfully tells his audience that there is no need to follow laws as they were written many years ago and by now there are other superior methods to deal with conflict. There is something about Zinn’s state of mind that eases the thoughts of insecure protestors all over America.
The film successfully captures the persona of Howard Zinn. His ideals and methods are something that should be celebrated in every history class across America. As Zinn himself says, “If you don’t know your history its as if you were born yesterday.” This is what the current government is banking on.
Official Grades for “You Can’t be Neutral on a Moving Train” on a scale of A-F
1) Story- A
2) Acting- N/A
3) Visuals- A
4) Originality/ Innovation- A
5) Enjoyability- A
6) Overall- A
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