Oliver Stone Teaches Highland Park, Deerfield Students

When Oscar winning moviemaker Oliver Stone arrived at Highland Park High School Friday, what the entire junior class along with 100 students from Deerfield High School got was a lesson in American history.

Stone came with American University professor Peter Kuznick, his partner in the 12-hour Showtime documentary Untold American History. After the students saw a one-hour episode on the presidency of John F. Kennedy on the 50th anniversary of the former President’s assassination, they answered questions about the film. They did not talk about moviemaking.

“Go out and read history because you need to understand there are other views of history, revisionists starting up in the 50’s and 60’s,” Stone said when asked what high school students should learn.

Kuznick and Stone warned the teenagers against accepting the idea of American exceptionalism without examining other theories and learning all the facts. He told them they should take a second look at the idea American military might is a global force for good.

“It’s a very dangerous myth,” Stone said. “(President Barack) Obama is celebrating the Viet Nam war now. It’s a revision of what was done. Power is a very dangerous thing,” Stone was an American infantryman in that conflict who turned against it.

“Gary Sinese has become the major proponent of this,” Kuznick added criticizing the award winning actor and Highland Park High School graduate for his stand supporting American troops.

Highland Park student Jack Rotering challenged Stone and Kuznick on how he and his Township High School District 113 classmates should distinguish between different mythologies of history. Kuznick talked about his philosophy.

“We were able to believe in our own mythology,” Kuznick said. “All other countries were subdued by World War II, even our (winning) allies. America was the only (unscathed) winner.”

When another student wanted to know what role American media played perpetuating the myths Kuznick and Stone were trying to dispel, they told the audience there were many ways people communicate today and they should look at all of them.

“Mainstream American media is controlled by people who have the wealth,” Kuznick said. “We get access to other media. You can watch MSNBC. It’s not just what you see on Fox. Go out and be journalists (yourself).”

Another student wanted to know what Stone thought of the story presented about the Kennedy assassination. Stone directed and produced “JFK” with Kevin Costner dealing with possible alternative theories of the murder.

“It would not have been possible today,” Stone said about how an event is covered today. “There are way too many cell phones. Thank God for Abraham Zapruder,” he added referring to an actual film of the shooting that was captured 50 years ago.

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