Mac1958
Diamond Member
I'm posting this in the Politics section because it so eerily describes our current political climate. I was watching a 1961 movie last night, and a moment in the movie absolutely blew my mind.
At a key moment in the movie (at 2:18:00), a judge (played by Burt Lancaster) who is on trial describes a dark time in the country's history:
There was a fever over the land. A fever of disgrace, of indignity, of hunger. We had a democracy, yes. But it was torn by elements within. Above all, there was fear. Fear of today, fear of tomorrow. Fear of our neighbors, and fear of ourselves. Only when you understand that, can you understand what (he) meant to us. Because he said to us, "lift your heads, be proud to be (who you are). There are devils among us -- communists, liberals, jews, gypsies. Once these devils will be destroyed, your misery will be destroyed". It was the old, old story of the sacrificial lamb.
What about those of us who knew better? We who knew the words were lies, and worse than lies? Why did we sit silent? Why did we take part? Because we loved our country. What difference does it make if a few political extremists lose their rights? What difference does it make if a few racial minorities lose their rights? It is only a passing phase! It is only a stage we're going through! It will be discarded sooner or later! The leader himself will be discarded sooner or later!
The country is in danger. We will march out of the shadows. We will go forward! And history tells us how well we succeeded, your honor.
Pretty amazing. The scene is from Judgment at Nuremberg, 1961.
At a key moment in the movie (at 2:18:00), a judge (played by Burt Lancaster) who is on trial describes a dark time in the country's history:
There was a fever over the land. A fever of disgrace, of indignity, of hunger. We had a democracy, yes. But it was torn by elements within. Above all, there was fear. Fear of today, fear of tomorrow. Fear of our neighbors, and fear of ourselves. Only when you understand that, can you understand what (he) meant to us. Because he said to us, "lift your heads, be proud to be (who you are). There are devils among us -- communists, liberals, jews, gypsies. Once these devils will be destroyed, your misery will be destroyed". It was the old, old story of the sacrificial lamb.
What about those of us who knew better? We who knew the words were lies, and worse than lies? Why did we sit silent? Why did we take part? Because we loved our country. What difference does it make if a few political extremists lose their rights? What difference does it make if a few racial minorities lose their rights? It is only a passing phase! It is only a stage we're going through! It will be discarded sooner or later! The leader himself will be discarded sooner or later!
The country is in danger. We will march out of the shadows. We will go forward! And history tells us how well we succeeded, your honor.
Pretty amazing. The scene is from Judgment at Nuremberg, 1961.
