PBS Continues It’s Not So Known War on the Poor
Is PBS preventing the United States population from learning about ways a country can lift its citizens out of poverty? Yes, and it’s not only disgusting but dangerous.
It's appalling that even after years of controversy, PBS continues to censor the film Voices from the Frontlines: China's War on Poverty. Why? Simply because it reveals how China successfully lifted 100 million people out of poverty.
In 2019, Dr. Kuhn, a trusted expert on China, worked with award-winning director Peter Getzels to journey across China and document the methods used to bring over 100 million people out of extreme poverty (800 million total). The film was exemplary video journalism meant to spread knowledge and awareness of China's unprecedented accomplishments in alleviating poverty. Not only that, but the film marked a beautiful moment of people-to-people dialogue, displaying the human benefits of local, bottom-up methodologies.
Dr. Kuhn stated that he had "absolute, unambiguous control" over the film and that "one of the things (he) wanted this film to do was to undermine the stereotype of China as a ruthless giant out to dominate the world. It's just not the case."
People need the truth now more than ever, especially as global poverty rates persist at staggering levels and the US plunges into another economic recession. Currently, over 140 million Americans are living in poverty, contributing to the fourth leading cause of death in the US.
PBS claims to 'serve the American public [by] using media to educate, inspire, entertain, and express a diversity of perspectives', yet it continues to censor films that don't align with its narrow anti-China sentiments. It's crucial for media networks to transcend borders and consistently present the truth, rather than concealing it behind divisive political agendas. This is the only way we can foster a more comprehensive understanding of global issues and work towards peace and cooperation.
Voices from the Frontline: China's War on Poverty not only offers an insider look at successful localized poverty alleviation, but it allows a deeper, more insightful look into China, a country widely demonized in the public eye. This form of censorship is hazardous during a time in which Asian American hate crimes have been on the rise. Censoring the documentary only serves those wanting to escalate divisions between the US and China, and feeds into the US Cold War on China.
We must demand the truth and accountability of our “free press”. Their silence is costing lives and leading us further in a potentially deadly and destructive war with China.
Email megan@codepink.org for a link to the documentary. And you can send a letter to PBS demanding they release the film here!
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