More heat from those Fiery Latinos:

1. Letters/ResolutionsExpressing Concern
Besides the NCLR and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus letters, there were also several from individuals to either PBS or Ken Burns. Col. Gilberto Trevino, of San Antonio (Ret.), a WWII veteran who served at Iwo Jima as part of the 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Reg., 3rd Marine Div., 3rd Marine Div., Writes Dr. Trevino:

"... you are perpetuatingthe racial bigotry and discriminationthat has no place in today's perception of our (Latino) contributions to our country's WWII victory."

2. Media Attention
a. The Sun-Sentinel in South Florida columnist Guillermo Martinez writes a column in the Thursday, March 22, paper. Martinez, says: 

"PBS still has time to rethink its response. It should do the right thing. Those who died in defense of this country deserve better!"

b. Laredo Morning-Times writer Tricia Cortez, writes about the issue, in the Sunday, March 18, paper -- Tricia gets an interview with PBS spokesman Lee Sloan and with Burns publicist Joe DePlasco. She quotes Laredo World War II Gil Treviño:

'This infuriating... Anybody who omits Hispanics from World War II doesn’t know what he’s talking about and hasn’t researched the subject enough.'

Treviño is a decorated Marine who fought on the island of Iwo Jima and later became the first military veterinary officer and first Mexican-American to receive a Ph.D. in veterinary pathology.

c. Latin Heat Online
Rey Santos wrote a column about the controversy. Santos says:

"Over five hundred thousand Latino men and women participated in WW II, earning twelve Medals of Honor, the highest award for valor in combat, and a host of other decorations for gallantry. However, this sacrifice by the courageous Latinos, men and women, will be nonexistent in Burns’ The War because as he said '… we weren’t looking at it in that way.'" 

BACKGROUND: THE WAR, a 14-hour documentary on WWII, is scheduled to air in September on PBS. Director Ken Burns and associates took six years to interview more than 40 individuals in four communities (Waterbury, Connecticut; Mobile, Alabama; Sacramento, California; and Luverne, Minnesota). The documentary features individuals in those communities, with two ethnic/racial groups given special consideration: Japanese Americans and African Americans. The film has no reference to the Latino contribution.

The documentary also has an accompanying book and educational materials.   PBS officials say, in a news release: “Serving our mission to educate and inform, PBS’s goal for THE WAR is to reach into every home and classroom -- so together we can better understand what we as a nation experienced in those difficult years and what we as a nation accomplished.”  Concerned individuals, including Rivas-Rodriguez and Chavez, and dozens across the country, have contacted PBS officials and Burns’ production company (Florentine Films) and told them that THE WAR is incomplete without the Latino experience.

—Weekly Update about Activities and Events Surrounding the Ken Burns PBS WWII Documentary, March 25, Email Update

For more information, you can always visit defendthehonor.org. Otherwise, watch this page for further updates!