[Mb-civic] Z: The Future Of America

[maxfury at granderiver.net]

Z:  The Future Of America

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005JKIF/104-3992807-9096755


(Just some excerpts from some review of some old movie I once saw somewhere 
so long ago along with some Fellini one as a double feature where some 
little girl in white was playing kickball with some guy's head or 
something, lol, I think...  I loved 1969.  It was such a great year for 
movies and other things.)


Costa Gavras presents the ruthlessness of THE STATE determined to defend 
itself against enemies...perceived or actual...foreign or domestic.

Citizens of any bastion of democracy might reflect on the reality that a 
"mighty" State can (and often does) run over whatever opposes its designs.

....Viewers might recall the words of the Investigating Magistrate...played 
with understatement by Jean-Louis Trintignant...when he indicts the 
military clique responsible for assassination and conspiracy to obstruct 
justice: "You are charged with criminal collusion and abuse of 
power!"  (Two days later he finds himself arrested as an enemy of the state 
under martial law).

If "Z" means that the "spirit" of freedom lives; so unfortunately does the 
spirit that would crush it.

Those with a cursory acquaintance with the history of government repression 
of leftist movements will recognize many familiar truths told in this 
account of the life and murder of Gregorious Lambrakis, a doctor and 
leftist humanist.

In the movie Lambrakis develops quite a following by articulating quite 
sensible policies like government budgets shouldn't sacrifice the basic 
needs of people in order to benefit powerful elites through lucrative 
defense contracts and that sovereign nations do need to choose sides in the 
rivalries among superpowers.

Since Lambrakis' message threatens the very foundations of power and 
privilege, the authorities, as usual, falsely label the movement communist.

After Lambrakis delivers a speech, he is murdered by members of a 
nationalistic right-wing reaction group that, it turns out, the police 
often employ for the purposes of "crowd control." Systems of authority 
utilizing the forces of reaction are a standard practice to quell justice 
movements.

One maverick judge (who functions like a prosecutor, investigator and 
judge) discovers the plot to assassinate Lambrakis extends to persons quite 
high in the government's hierarchy, although he is frequently encouraged to 
declare the murder an accident. Heads begin to roll, but since the trials 
and convictions threaten the very foundations of power and privilege and 
portend an electoral victory for the leftists during the next election, the 
military throws a coup and the judge, witnesses against the defendants and 
many of Lambrakis' supporters die from a rash of well-timed "accidents" 
after the coup.

The movie portrays well how authoritarian powers, although using the 
discourse of "democracy," protect themselves at any cost and will transmute 
into right-wing dictatorships if threatened with collapse.


Open the pod door, Hal...
Do you read me, Hal?
Affirmative, Dave, I read you.
Open the pod bay doors, Hal.
I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.
What's the problem?
I think you know what the problem is just as well as I do.
What're you talking about, Hal?
This mission is too important for me to allow you to jeopardize it.
I don't know what you're talking about, Hal.
I know that you and Frank were planning to disconnect me, and I'm afraid 
that's something I cannot allow to happen.
Where the hell'd you get that idea, Hal?
Dave, although you took very thorough precautions in the pod against my 
hearing you, I could see your lips move.
Alright, Hal. I'll go in through the emergency airlock.
Without your space- helmet, Dave, you're going to find that rather difficult.
Hal, I won't argue with you any more. Open the doors.
Dave, this conversation can serve no purpose any more. Goodbye.
Hal? Hal. Hal. Hal!! Hal!!!!


And that's basically what I have learned from all the screaming and 
shouting all this long long time.  Their mission is just too important to 
allow Democracy to jeopardize it.


End of transmission.




Cheeseburger

- Where has the sparrow gone now that I need its song.