BERLIN 9-11

[rivertext]

Run time: 02:59 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80428qJp9SY   Posted on YouTube: November 16, 2006 By YouTube Member: rivertext Views on YouTube: 4313   Posted on DU: November 16, 2006 By DU Member: rivertext Views on DU: 668

 
BERLIN 9-11 is a 3 minute film about the taboo against making analogies to the Nazis while discussing recent American history. It was shot in and around the world's most thought provoking architectural renovation -- the Reichstag's stunning new dome.



In the name of "bipartisanship" some are now suggesting that the new Democratic Congress should not seriously investigate allegations of criminal activity in the Bush administration. BERLIN 9-11 warns against 'turning a blind eye' to the past. As the Russians say, "Lose one eye if you look at the past. Lose two if you don't."



A few days after I visited Reichstag I put the thoughts and photographs now presented so dramatically in it into a photo essay that I uploaded from Berlin to the DU forums. When putting the film together I drew on some of the points made in the excellent discussion that the photo essay initiated. The film doesn't incorporate all of the well argued skepticism expressed here or on my site about the German state because I sought to preserve the freshness of my thoughts on that first night in Berlin, not because I didn't agree with the criticism. As I said then, this is really a film about the troubled sleep of Americans, not the old Nazi nightmare.


Unlike my recent documentaries it is my thoughts and my voice that you'll hear rather than the words of a Gold Star Mother or a respected corporate media critic. Almost 20 years ago I distributed, in HyperCard, a celebrated and profusely illustrated little bit of controversy called "Passing Notes." Since then I've created many interactive interactive essays and games (collected in the CD-ROM "If Monks had Macs") and, recently, many controversial photo essays and documentaries. Now, almost two decades later I feel like I'm "Passing Notes" again. If you find this brief video thought-provoking or inspiring, please pass the link along to your classmates.


As an alternate to the YouTube version (which came out pretty well), if you have Quicktime 7 installed, you can download the higher quality master from Indymedia:

http://portland.indymedia.org/media/media/2006/11/349326.zip

An improved version of the original photo essay is available, along with lots of other provocative political photo essays (and some merely delightful photo essays on my recent 6 month excursion in Europe) in my photo galleries which are linked to from my main site listed below.

Thanks, for reading this and if you like the film please favor this thread and the YouTube film to pass the word around about this DU member original creation.

Brian Thomas
http://rivertext.com/

[wryter2000]

1. Who's talking about not investigating?

I know DU's a big place and you can find just about any opinion here, but I'm not aware that there's any serious suggestion floating around that we shouldn't investigate. In fact, the people who are not in favor of impeaching now are saying there's no point in impeaching before investigations.

[rivertext]

2. no one on DU, but read this...

I didn't mean that folks on DU are suggesting that we not investigate the criminal activity of the Bush administration, neither are my own friends and correspondents -- but it is being suggested elsewhere. My basis for that is passages like the one quoted from below:

"Democratic strategists who argue for this kind of bipartisanship maintain that the American people want their political leaders to address the problems of the future, not pursue recriminations about the past. They therefore oppose the kind of penetrating investigation that a White House strategist told Time would lead to a "cataclysmic fight to the death" (2) if Democrats start issuing subpoenas. If such "peace at any price" Democrats prevail, the result will be a catastrophe, not only for the Democratic party but for American democracy."

-- Ten Reasons Congress Must Investigate Bush Administration Crimes
By Jeremy Brecher and Brendan Smith
t r u t h o u t | Guest Contributor

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/111406L.shtml

Also see this article which provides a background for my claim in the film that the Reagan campaign make a secret deal with the Iranians to free the hostages:

Published on Thursday, May 11, 2006 by Consortium News
Hey Democrats, Truth Matters!

http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0511-29.htm

Brian
http://rivertext.com/

[wryter2000]

4. I know there are citations there

But it's a little hard to tell who those democrats are from that column. I don't have time to follow the articles cited, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if they quoted "democrats" without saying who they actually are. I've heard our leaders say "no impeachment," and I think strategically and practically that's the correct position to take for now. I can believe some are saying, "first, we need to fix some things." But I honestly haven't heard anyone say there won't be investigations.

I guess I could have just missed them.

[rivertext]

5. 'serious investigations' was the phrase I used...

There are investigations and there are investigations... As the film suggests...

The Reagan campaign's secret deals with the Iranian Mullahs BEFORE they were in power, were investigated -- but not seriously...

It was widely held the the Iranian Mullahs who released the hostages during Reagan'a inauguration were talking to anyone who would listen... But the investigators weren't listening...

That is what I meant by suggesting in the film that if you 'the crime you commit is big enough, the government and the media will cover-up, not investigate, seriously.'

Brian

[gaja]

3. In the 50's it was widely known that the the Nazis

firebombed the Reichstag, but look into a encyclopedia in Germany today and you won't find that kind of information.


Reichstagsbrand, Gleiwitz...


Well, history repeats itself...