Monday, May 30, 2005
Star Wars and the Death of the Old Republic
Revenge of the Sith , the latest and probably last Star Wars film, is also one of the best. It was one of the rare movies that my wife and I get to see in the cinema now that we have a baby.
In this movie, we see the destruction of the Old Republic and the beginning of the Empire. The Republic had become corrupt and bureacratic. It also was continuously at war. Eventually people lose interest in their freedom and vote for a strongman. As Senator Amidala says in the film, "This is how liberty dies. With thunderous applause."
It is sad to say that America is not that different from the Empire. Our Old Republic is also lost. The United States seems to be on a continuous war footing with bases around the world almost always fighting someone. Countries that do not obey the United States are demonized, threatened and sometimes attacked. The idea of a limited republic seems to be long out of fashion in Washington. We are ruled by an administration which believes that everything in life is the government's business.
The one optimistic note from Star Wars is that one day the Republic is restored. Perhaps one day, our republic will also be restored.
In this movie, we see the destruction of the Old Republic and the beginning of the Empire. The Republic had become corrupt and bureacratic. It also was continuously at war. Eventually people lose interest in their freedom and vote for a strongman. As Senator Amidala says in the film, "This is how liberty dies. With thunderous applause."
It is sad to say that America is not that different from the Empire. Our Old Republic is also lost. The United States seems to be on a continuous war footing with bases around the world almost always fighting someone. Countries that do not obey the United States are demonized, threatened and sometimes attacked. The idea of a limited republic seems to be long out of fashion in Washington. We are ruled by an administration which believes that everything in life is the government's business.
The one optimistic note from Star Wars is that one day the Republic is restored. Perhaps one day, our republic will also be restored.
# posted by Dan @ 9:19 PM 
