Please view the linked video ( brief scene from '64 film w/ Burt Lancaster, Seven Days in May)...

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

... and then answer these questions:

Firstly, do you believe men like the General being portrayed by Lancaster are reachable? In other words, can such a man be brought to his senses via reasoned argument?

Secondly, do you believe it is these kind of men who now hold the reins of power in the U.S.?

And finally, are they the kind of men who will ever voluntarily yield to the expressed will of the citizenry when it runs counter to their own agenda?

The video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=f7wKV60feK4

On edit: minor spelling/grammar.


-------------------

An editorial by Eric Margolis from February, '05 touching on this film and it's apparent
relevance to our current times:

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0206-25.htm

---snip---


Life imitates art. This week, former military intelligence analyst William Arkin revealed a hitherto unknown directive, with the Orwellian name "JCS Conplan 0300-97," authorizing the Pentagon to employ special, ultra-secret "anti-terrorist" military units on American soil for what the author claims are "extra-legal missions."

In other words, using U.S. soldiers to kill or arrest Americans, acts that have been illegal since the U.S. Civil War.

This frightening news comes as Washington is gripped by reborn, Cold-War-style paranoia, ominous threats of war against Iran from the real president, Dick Cheney, and a titanic bureaucratic battle just won by Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. . .

[sam sarrha]

1. NO SOUND HERE

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

2. I'm getting sound from the video OK...

...not sure what the problem would be -- might try a reboot.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

3. kick for a larger sample

[yurbud]

4. the military has resisted Bush more effectively than Congress has

they are just a few steps away from openly defying his orders.

Eventually, he will run out of lapdog generals, or will so screw over even mid-level officers, that they will refuse to obey en masse.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

5. I agree. I think we have some very decent and honorable...

...people in the military who have tried to resist Bush as best they could.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

6. Interesting...we seem to be pretty evenly split on this one so far.

[bemildred]

7. Other:

1.) Reason might not do the job, but facts might. They are not as nuts as Hitler, most of them.
2.) Yes, sort of, allowing that Lancaster is an actor, he is not under some illusion that what he is doing is "real".
3.) Yes, I do, but it has to be overwhelming, when it frightens them.