The ACLU Freedom Files (DVD Documentary Set)
Picture:
C Sound: C+ Extras: C+ Main Programs: A-
The worst
argument to be made, that should serve as a major red alert to anyone with any common
sense is that you have to give up any freedoms and civil liberties to fight
terrorism or help out in any crisis blindly.
The huge non-sequitur has been responsible for the rise of every
totalitarian police state and dictatorship in the world and even the U.S. is
vulnerable to such erosion of civil rights.
Those who want you to think otherwise will talk about abstract ideas
like “survival rights” and “we’re at war” as if it were an excuse to turn off
one’s brain. Then there are the attacks
on the ACLU.
The
American Civil Liberties Union has so often been the last line of defense when
it comes to protecting the rights of all and keeping the legal system in the
U.S. as fair and balanced as possible, even if this means defending persons you
might not be happy with, but that is the point.
The law and justice is for everyone, not just some judgmental goofs who
want mob rule and unless you are a lemming, name an organization you agree with
all the time. Are you sure?
Enemies
have even tried to make them out to be “a bunch of Communists” and criticize or
intimidate anyone who does not know better about them stigmatizing involvement
by calling the affiliated “card carrying members” as if it were Communist Witch
Hunt time. Without even addressing any
of that, the recent DVD double set The
ACLU Freedom Files (206) shows just what they really do from the case they
have tackled and the massive diversity of them and the people they have
represented.
The
stereotype would have you think they were plotting to overthrow something, but
like all stereotypes, only an idiot would believe something like that. Any such propaganda is meant to leave people
helpless so they can be preyed upon and be disposable. In real life, the law is the law and like
voting or critical thinking, vital to a free and healthy society. The ten must-see segments here include:
1)
Religious Freedom
2)
Voting Rights
3)
Gay & Lesbian Rights
4)
Women’s Rights
5)
Youth Speak
6)
Drug Wars
7)
Beyond The Patriot Act
8)
The Supreme Court
9)
Dissent
10) Racial Profiling
Now more
than ever when extremists from both sides trivialize the law and civil rights
with grand pronouncements, overgeneralizations, oversimplifications and other
lies, people cannot afford not to be in the know. That state has led to more of a crisis than
you could imagine, something this program only hints at, but any crisis are not
the subject of this set to begin with and rightly so.
Instead,
it is about answers, ideas, solutions and concepts. It is about an organization that is under
constant attack no matter what they do well or for the better. This could have been some crazy, shallow
propaganda piece, but producer Robert Greenwald and producer/director Jeremy
Kagan do a remarkable job of bringing the law in general down to earth for
everyone to understand and it is never condescending. Even if you don’t agree with the sides they
take in cases, only someone up to no good would disagree that the rights of all
need to be protected and only so many can afford powerful lawyers for big cases
let alone specific lawyers for the many cases and would be cases that continue
to go through our legal system. The set
is even rich with extras.
The
various aspect ratios start with 1.33 X 1 and some letterboxed 1.78 X 1 is a
little softer than expected, originating on analog NTSC video, but the content
is too compelling to stop watching. The
Dolby Digital 2.0 sound is somewhat stereophonic, but lightly so. The combination is on par with many
documentary series. Extras on the second
DVD include discussions about the issues with comedians Lewis Black, Margaret
Cho, Judy Gold & Warren Hutcherson, with ACLU Executive Director Anthony
Romero, with executive producer Robert Greenwald, with series writer Anneke
Campbell and director Jeremy Kagan discusses each episode. You can even get updates and more at www.aclu.tv connected with this and other
informative legal information.
In the
meantime, don’t miss this DVD set!
- Nicholas Sheffo
