Historian Howard Zinn says, "You can't be neutral on a moving train." Indeed, in a time of crisis you can't sit on the fence and wait for others to make the decisions for you. An engaged citzenry is the essence of democracy. The classic union song asks, "Which Side Are You On?" If we are all rendered onlookers then are we really a democracy? The soundbite media to a great extent contribute to a general feeling of helplessness and fear, thus leading to apathy and inaction.

Studs Terkel has never been neutral or passive. He has made a career of in depth interviews with people who take sides on important issues. He's the author of Working, Hard Times, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Good War" His latest is Hope Dies Last: Keeping the Faith in Troubled Times. He has received the lifetime achievement award from the National Critic's Circle.