Best Foreign Film ----- 2030

A wonderful film is about to be released on DVD. I saw this film a few months ago in the theater and with it's re-release, I am reminded just how important a film this is. The movie is called "The Lives of Others". It is set in East Germany, in the year 1984 and the story in essence, is about government control and its no holds barred attempt to totally dominate the lives of it's citizens, through the use of the media, "official" intimidation, surveillance, "secret" inquiries and covert (and overt) "actions".

The movie is in German and since I do not speak German, I had to rely on the subtitles for the dialogue. I actually love movies with sub-titles. Perhaps that is why the ever present "crawlers" running under most news programs today does not annoy me as much as other people. These movies are unique to me because I actually find that I get much more out of the acting: The pain in his facial expressions, the way she turns in the doorway, their posture when they learn the "news" of one development or the other. These explicit communications of what "is" rather than what is "explained"- makes the experience so intimate for me.

This is the kind of film that keeps your attention for days afterward. The layers upon layers of message and movement continue to be revealed, long after the reels have run out. This movie transported me to the cold war era. The images and sounds were stark and haunting: grey tones, cigarette smoke, the European police "sirens". It's structure was vague; a "pretend" society where the rules are always present but rarely mentioned. And it's characters were "determined" yet confused. They seemed to me like dancers on a dingy marionette stage who are not quite aware of the strings attached to their bodies. It is a startlingly accurate portrayal of a truly frightening prescription for existence. A way of life that demands pretense and denies "freedom".

As the movie concluded and the credits rolled, I retreated to my own thoughts. Quite abruptly a woman rose in front of me and spoke, rather loudly. She made one awkwardly cliche' comment - "I am so glad I live in America". Then she smiled and walked out of the theater. For months now, her simple affirmation, as well as the complexities and nuance of the film have been bouncing around in my head.

This film told the story of the dreary existence in Soviet controlled East Germany. During that time we in the USA, more precisely my parent's generation, seemed to be aware of what was happening in the GDR, and I suspect we also could not understand why the people of the East Germany just tolerated it. We scratched our heads and wondered " just when will the people march?" Then we saw the tanks roll in and watched the armed soldiers at the "wall" . Then we held our heads and wondered "just when does it become too late to stop it. "

These people were wiretapped and they were blacklisted. Their careers were threatened by politicians. Women were exploited and forced to "cozy up" to the "bosses". People were threatened with prison without trial and resistors of any type were marginalized, often via the state run media. And others... Well, some others just disappeared.

I am certain that we are all aware of the irony of a movie like this coming out at this point in time, in this country. So I will not "over emphasize".... But I do hope, with more than a dash of skepticism in my mind, that our current society is not the subject of a "docudrama", to be released somewhere in the not too distant future... I hope that the script for the best foreign film of 2030 is not being drafted today... "I Am So Glad I Live In America"...

Be lucky!

Martha, Paris and Scooter "Justice in America?"

President Bush, the made a decision today. He decided to be an "Activist Executive" and commute the sentence of Scooter Libby. He essentially made it clear that if you obstruct justice in the name of protecting his administration you will not serve time in jail. Just as I noted in my previous post, the decision by Gerald Ford to pardon Nixon was a outrageous act - with long term consequences and today's decison will also impact generations of Americans to come. Because once again the word on the street will be, do whatever you want to do, lie to whomever you want, and as long as it benefits a Republican, we will make sure you never see a day behind bars. (G Gordon Liddy must have really ticked someone off). If you've "made your bones" in the GOP you are set for life.

Is this enough for you? Is this enough to make that call? Does it not strike you as odd and distorted, that Martha Stewart and Paris Hilton each have spent more time in jail than Mr Libby?

HE LIED TO THE FBI! HE LIED TO A FEDERAL PROSECUTOR! HE LIED ABOUT A MATTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY.

Does this not outrage you? Does this not make the bile rise up in your throat? Is this your idea of justice?

Read any non partisan opinion regarding the sentencing of Mr Libby, they all conclude that it was standard and just.
I guess what is so ironic about the commutation is not that Bush actually did it, but the in reasoning he gave. It is his right to act as he did but to say it was because the sentence was too harsh... well that is rich! What is this? The 3 bears? Too much- too little -just right? It seems he has to lie, even when protecting a liar. He should have just said... "I commute his sentence because I can" because that is the truth. When any president grants pardons as he leaves office, I do not believe he gives a reason. We all know the reason, he is doing someone a favor or paying back a debt. Too harsh a sentence? Give me a break! This from a man who as governor of Texas refused to pardon or commute the death sentence of a single person ... even if he or she was mentally retarded. Too harsh a sentence indeed. How does he sleep at night?

What happens now? Will Congress act? I believe that if the executive pardons a person with whom he is criminally connected then that is grounds for impeachment and trial by the Senate. I think Libby lied to cover up for Cheney and Bush in the Valerie Plane case. To avoid the information getting out that by "outing MS Plane, they compromised CIA agents and their assets in the field, and thus compromising national security.

Ask yourself this question... If you were lie to the FBI or a federal prosecutor under oath, to protect even an innocent person, even your 85 year old grandmother, would your sentence be commuted?

So tomorrow is the day you need to make up your mind to act.... Call the White House ad tell them how outraged you are.
Then call your Congressman and tell him or her that you are concerned that the Chief Executive may be gulty of high crimes and/or misdemeanors and that it is the duty of Congress to begin the impeachment process. Do it because it is the right thing to do.

If something is not done to stop this administration... who knows what else they will do - just because they can.

Be Lucky........we need it.