Jul 21st, 2008
Posted by Amanda Simon, ACLU at 12:56pm	National Security

Holy Relevancy, Batman

If you’re like the ACLU you believe in privacy, the Fourth Amendment and the fact that Congress just did an unforgivable thing to both by passing the FISA Amendments Act of 2008. And, if you are like me and a few others I know, then you spent last week anticipating then reveling in the release of The Dark Knight. If you’re with me on all of those counts, then you probably found a particular scene in the latest Batman to be as timely as I did.

Spoiler alert!

Towards the end of the film, the Caped Crusader asks one of his trusted confidants to conduct broad and invasive surveillance on the citizens of Gotham by essentially turning every cell phone into a microphone to locate a certain and marvelously played villain. That confidant (played by Morgan Freeman who is pretty much amazing in all he is and does) initially has the correct reaction saying, “It’s not my job to spy on 30 million people.” Wow. Imagine if that happened in real life…

Well, unfortunately, like the telecoms before him, Mr. Freeman’s character reluctantly goes along with the plan saying he’ll resign and terminate the program after “this one time.” <Sigh>

At least he didn’t ask for immunity.

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1. David Says:
   Jul 21st, 2008 at 12:48pm

   Did anybody else find that whole last 20 minutes incredibly confusing?

2. The Chemist Says:
   Jul 21st, 2008 at 12:57pm

   I saw that and had the exact same thoughts! I don't think the movie was trying to say something in a broader political context, though I could be wrong.

   I think the theme is the Roman and Greek democracies where "Tyrant" and "Dictator" were electable positions. It's more a historical allegory in that sense.

   Still I would take a self-limiting surveillance program over an indefinite and open warrant as the lesser of two evils. After hearing that a former AG ended up on the terrorist watch-list, I realized that truth is far scarier than fiction.

3. EX-ACLU MEMBER Says:
   Jul 21st, 2008 at 3:48pm

   ACLU, how dare you claim to support the Bill Of Rights when you can't even accept the fact that Americans have a right to keep and bear arms?
   The Bill Of Rights is NOT multiple choice!!!

4. Reaper Says:
   Jul 22nd, 2008 at 8:11am

   Those who have nothing to hide and those who are not criminals don't care about this. You people stand up for all those who should have no rights, criminals. I for one don't care, the government can spy on anyone as long as it is for the good of this Nation and protects us from harm. I have nothing to hide and have never committed any crimes.

5. lcb7248Gmail.com Says:
   Jul 22nd, 2008 at 10:15am

   saw the news cast on cnn the other day reguarding joe arpiao. i cant belive you guys! what chance do you think you have in this case? he is not profiling.it so happens that is what the criminal looks like!they have no rights!this country was founded on immigrants. anybody that wants to become a citizen should be able to do so.but it will be done legally!!!so get off of arpiao back and let him do his job.traditional americans are noy going to put up with you radical liberals.

   les c. brooks,tucson,az.

6. Boston Girl Says:
   Jul 24th, 2008 at 4:14pm

   I thought of the ACLU when I saw that scene, too! It was too bad that Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) went along with the plan to spy on Americans, even that one time. But that fits in with the theme that Batman is an outcast and does things that real law enforcement can't do. He breaks tons of laws, which is why they chase him in the end. In real life, we don't have superheros who are so good that they can be above the law because they are morally uncorruptable. We only have real people, who can make real mistakes, and the law has to apply to all of them... at all times.