Summary
Comedian and journalist C.J. Hunt joins to discuss his new POV documentary, “The Neutral Ground,” which explores the burning issues of Confederate statues. The documentary, which aired on PBS on Monday, July 5, follows the removal of four of Confederate statues in New Orleans and discusses why some of these symbols continue to hold power in our nation.
Five Facts
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Who
is C.J. Hunt?
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What
is the meaning behind the documentary title, “The Neutral Ground?”
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Why
does Hunt create comedy?
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When
did C.J. Hunt’s career in comedy begin?
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Where
is the documentary set?
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How
are monuments “maps of power,” according to Hunt?
Focus Questions
C.J. Hunt says the goal of the documentary isn’t to encourage reconciliation with white supremacists, but that “the work is actually reckoning.” What do you think the words “reconciliation” and “reckoning” mean here, and how do they differ?
Hunt refers to the Christopher Columbus and Civil War narratives as “the most effective propaganda campaign that has ever been waged in American history.” What does he mean by this? Can you think of other examples from history class?
Media literacy:
How does the impact of the scenes with the Civil War reenactment actors change once the actors themselves reveal their opinions?
