Related to Rendition
Posted October 20, 2007 by Gayle
Driving to work yestertday morning I heard a very disturbing bit on NPR. They were talking about the new movie, Rendition. Apparently a CIA agent (Meryl Streep) picks up an Egyptian man in the airport and has him shipped off to North Africa where he is turned over to Arab interrogators. He is stripped of his clothing and when standing naked in front of the ‘official’ who is about to question him, he says, “Sir, I think there has been a terrible mistake.” At that point I had to turn off the radio. Earlier that morning, I heard another NPR report from the hearings for our new Attorney General and Patrick Leahy was asking him if he felt like the President could decide if someone was above the law of the land, our constitution or if the President could authorize the use of some means of interrogation that is specifically denied to agents working for the US? He answered Yes to both those questions. I think that we, in this country, are making terrible mistakes in the men we choose to lead us, to carry out our so-called protection, and by allowing this to go on, we are endangering ourselves and everyone in our country to a degree that I, personally can’t even fathom. When the possible Attorney General of the US will not defend the constitution from the so-called powers of the executive, it seems like it is time for the people in the country to speak to that power with a huge voice.
- – - – - – - -
North and South
Posted October 17, 2007 by Gayle
I am addicted to watching movies while I eat dinner these days. I wonder if this is a sign of old age? I think I am of the mind that if I don’t ‘catch up’ on all the films I haven’t seen in theaters, I’ll die an unlived life! So, Netflix’s red envelopes have become my current lifeline. This is a scary thought but currently true. And, what I like is that sometimes by the time we’ve finished dinner, we’re ready to turn off the TV and go on to other things, like reading a good book. But, then there are nights when the movie is so good, I want it to go on for hours. This happened a few nights ago with a BBC production of Elizabeth Gaskell’s 1855 novel, North and South. It required two rentals but each disc had two episodes on it. There were few actors I recognized but the acting was superb–every actor cast perfectly, every scene memorable. I love the BBC but they out did themselves in their portrayal of British culture in the industrial north of England. The sets of cotton mills, the countryside and the interiors of 19th century homes were exquisitely designed and Gaskell’s story, which I’m determined to read now, lent itself to a lovely experience for the viewer.
