Filmmaker Ken Burns on Prohibition, Drug Laws and Unintended Consequences
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Google"Slavery was our worst idea," says legendary documentarian Ken
Burns. "I'm not sure that Prohibition was second, but it's really
up there."
Burns talks to Reason.tv's Nick Gillespie about his new PBS film, an
in-depth look at one of the most controversial episodes in U.S.
history. "The Noble Experiment," notes Burns, left a legacy of
organized crime, moral hypocrisy, single-issue politics, and
unintended consequences from which we're still recovering.
About 13 minutes. Shot by Jim Epstein, Anthony Fisher, and Meredith
Bragg, who also edited the piece.
Go here to
watch Burns discuss his ardent support for public funding of the
arts, the breakdown of mass audiences, and whether his
self-description of being a "Yellow Dog Democrat" affects his
creative work.
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