A Claim Of Privilege Lingers On

And Also: GG et. al. discuss release of more evidence that our government is guilty of war crimes and torture. But, it is only "retribution" (bad!) to actually want to investigate and punish that. The preachy tone, the calm reference to "respect the strong views and emotions" [tax policy?], is offensive. But, maybe there is an opening for targeting higher-ups? There is that hope. Show me some evidence he actually supports it. [Comments edited.]

Glenn Greenwald today discusses a NYT article concerning the fact that "N.S.A.’s Intercepts Exceed Limits Set by Congress." It is in part a depressing story, but there is something to hang your hat on -- the matter is being challenged, claims of national security and secrecy are not just being treated as black/white things. The original survivors and their children who tried to obtain redress years after U.S. v. Reynolds was decided agree.

They see bringing things to light, causing people to doubt the excesses of governmental secrecy and resistance of oversight (judicial or otherwise) as a victory. As was their own personal settlement of their loss decades before. Winning a lawsuit is not the only way to win. Often the battle itself means a lot, resulting in various other victories (in the press, other litigation, congressional oversight, etc.), even if only incomplete. It is a long haul, but what else is new? In life, total victories are rare.

Timely, my reserve for the Oscar winning The Live Of Others also came in. As the website notes: "In 1984 East Berlin, an agent of the secret police, conducting surveillance on a writer and his lover, finds himself becoming increasingly absorbed by their lives." The extremes and limits of the surveillance state and secret come out here, including the fact that humanity plays a big part even among bureaucrats. Good to see Martina Gedeck in a major role, who I saw in the charming (and powerful, even given its often light touch) Mostly Martha.

Good commentary material on the DVD. The more humorous film Goodbye Lenin (about the end of East Germany, and a mom who couldn't quite deal with it) was referenced ... I also recommend that. Another older film (1990) also comes to mind, The Nasty Girl, about a young woman who causes unpleasantness by bring up her town's pro-Nazi past. It's message of wanting to forget also brings to mind themes raised on this blog. Also, it underlines that people should be open to foreign film -- lots of good stuff.

I guess this is sort of a multimedia entry, huh?