I Will NOT Defer... I Have Come Before You to Resolve This Attack on Our Sovereignty NOW!

 

 

MASTER QUI-GON : 

Captain.

 

 TRANSPORT CAPTAIN :

Yes, sir?

 

MASTER QUI-GON :

 Tell them we wish to board at once.

 

 TRANSPORT CAPTAIN :

 With All Due Respect.
The Ambassadors for The Supreme Chancellor 

wish to board immediately.

 

 TRADE FEDERATION VICEROY :

Yes, of course. 

As you know, our blockade is Perfectly Legal.

 

 LORD SIDIOUS: 

What is it?

TRADE FEDERATION VICEROY :

This scheme of yours has
failed, Lord Sidious.

The blockade is finished.

We dare not go against these Jedi.

 LORD SIDIOUS: 
Viceroy.
I don't want this stunted slime in my sight again.

This turn of events is unfortunate.
We must accelerate our plans.
Begin landing your troops.






My, Lord. Is that legal?

I will make it legal.

 

This is getting Out of Hand!
Now there are TWO of Them!

We should not have made This Bargain.

CORUSCANT - GALACTIC SENATE BUILDING - DAY

A large, distinctive looking domed building stands out amid the cityscape of Coruscant. 

 

INT. MAIN ROTUNDA - GALACTIC SENATE - DAY. 

 

The Senate chambers are huge. 

Thousands of SENATORS and their AIDES sit in the circular assembly area. 

CHANCELLOR VALORUM sits in an elevated area in the center.

 

Hundreds of AIDES and DROIDS hurry about. SENATOR PALPATINE, QUEEN AMIDALA, EIRTA, RABE, and CAPTAIN PANAKA sit in the Naboo congressional box, which is actually a floating platform. 

PALPATINE leans over to the QUEEN.

 

PALPATINE : 

If the Federation moves to defer the motion... 

Your Majesty, I beg of you to ask for a resolution to end this congressional session.

 

AMIDALA : 

I wish I had your confidence in this, Senator.

 

PALPATINE : 

You must force a new election for Supreme Chancellor...

I promise you there are many who will support us...it is our best chance... 

Your Majesty, our only, chance.

 

 

AMIDALA : 

You truly believe Chancellor Valorum will not bring our motion to a vote?

 

PALPATINE : 

He is distracted...he is afraid. 

He will be of no help.

 

VALORUM : 

The Chair recognizes the Senator from The Sovereign System of Naboo. 

 

[The Naboo congressional box floats into the center.]

PALPATINE : 

Supreme Chancellor, delegates of the Senate. 

A tragedy has occured on our peaceful system of Naboo. 

We have become caugt in a dispute you're all well aware of, which began right here with the taxation of trade routes, and has now engulfed our entire planet in the oppresion of the Trade Federation. 

[A second box rushes into the center of the Senate. It is filled with Federation trade barons led by LOTT DOD, the Senator for the Federation.]

LOTT DOD : 

This is outrageous! 

I object to the Senator's statements!

VALORUM : 

The Chair does not recognize the Senator from the Trade Federation at this time. Please return to your station. 

[LOTT DOD reluctantly moves back to his place.]

PALPATINE : 

To state our allegations, I present Queen Amidala, the recently elected ruler of Naboo, to speak on our behalf. 

[QUEEN AMIDALA stands and addresses the assembly. There is some applause.]

AMIDALA : 

Honorable representatives of The Republic, distinguished delegates, and Your Honor Supreme Chancellor Valorum, I come to you under the gravest of circumstances. 

The Naboo system has been invaded by force. 

Invaded...against all the laws of the Republic by the Droid Armies of the Trade...

LOTT DOD : 

I object! There is no proof. 

This is incredible. 

We recommend a commision be sent to Naboo to assertain the truth.

VALORUM : 

Overruled.

LOTT DOD : 

Your Honor, you cannot allow us to be condemned without reasonable observation. 

It's against all the rules of procedure. 

[A third box representing Malastare moves into the center of the room. AKS MOE, the Ambassador, addresses the convention.]

AKS MOE : 

The Congress of Malastare concurs with the honorable delegate from the Trade Federation. A commision must be appointed...that is the law.

VALORUM : 

The point... 

[VALORUM confers with several of his AIDES and VICE CHAIRMAN MAS AMEDDA. PALPATINE whispers something to the QUEEN.]

PALPATINE : 

Enter the bureaucrats, The True Rulers of The Republic, and on the payroll of the Trade Federation, I might add. 

This is where Chancellor Valorum's strength will dissapear.

VALORUM : 

The point is conceded...

Section 523A take precedence here. 

Queen Amidala of the Naboo, will you defer your motion to allow a commission to explore the validity of your accusations? 

[QUEEN AMIDALA is angry but remains composed.]

AMIDALA : (angrily) 

I will not defer...

I have come before you to resolve this attack on our sovereignty now. 

I was not elected to watch my people suffer and die while you discuss this invasion in a committee. 

If this body is not capable of action, I suggest new leadership is needed. 

I call for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum's leadership.

VALORUM : 

What?...No! 

[This causes a great stir in the assembly. A loud mumur cresendos into a roar of approval and jeers. CHANCELLOR VALORUM is stunned and stands speechless. His Vice Chair, MAS AMEDDA, takes over.]

MAS AMEDDA : Order! We shall have order... 

[Things settle down a little. The Federation box settles next to AMIDALA. PRINCE BAIL ORGANA moves his box into the arena.]

BAIL ORGANA : 

Alderaan seconds the motion for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum.

MAS AMEDDA : 

The motion has been seconded by Bail Organa of Alderaan. 

[MAS AMEDDA turns to the confused VALORUM, and whispers something to him.]

BAIL ORGANA : 

There must be no delays. The motion is on the floor and must be voted upon in this session.

LOTT DOD : 

The Trade Federation moves the motion be sent to the procedures committee for study. 

[The assembly begins to chant. VALORUM talks to MAS AMEDDA.]

ASSEMBLY : 

Vote now! Vote now! Vote now! 

[PALPATINE stands next to AMIDALA.]

PALPATINE : 

You see, Your Majesty, the tide is with us...Valorum will be voted out, I assure you, and they will elect in a new Chancellor, a strong Chancellor, one who will not let our tragedy continue...

MAS AMEDDA : 

The Supreme Chancellor requests a recess. 

Tomorrow we will begin the vote. 

[The Federation delegation is furious. VALORUM turns to PALPATINE.]

VALORUM : 

Palpatine, I thought you were my ally...my friend. 

You have betrayed me! 

How could you do this?

The Conscience of The King

FADE IN: INT. THE SITUATION ROOM - DAY

Leo and Fitzwallace are sitting across from each other.

LEO

This is always when you say something.

FITZWALLACE

Nah. Have you changed shampoo? 
You have, I can tell.

LEO

I like to look good for you.

FITZWALLACE

Well, I appreciate it. 
Can you tell when its Peacetime and Wartime anymore?

LEO

No.

FITZWALLCE

I don't know who The World's leading expert on warfare is, but any list of The Top 10 has got to include me, and I can't tell when it's Peacetime and Wartime anymore.

LEO

Look, International Law has always recognized certain protected person's who you couldn't attack. 
It's been this way since the Romans.

FITZWALLACE

In peacetime.

LEO

Yes.

FITZWALLACE

At the Battle of Agincourt, this was The French fighting against The British archers, this was like a polo match. 

The battles were observed by heralds 
and they picked the winners.

And if a soldier laid down his arms, he was treated humanely.

LEO

Yeah.

FITZWALLACE

And the International Laws that you're talking about, 
this is when a lot of them were written. 

At a time and in a place, 
where a person could tell between peacetime and wartime.

The idea of targeting one person was ridiculous. 

It wouldn't have occurred to The French 
to try to kill William Pitt.

That is absolute  bollocks, Sorkin, 
because the American Transatlantic Merchant Shipping Lobby did in-actual-fact, have
and I am compelled and 

That all changed after Pearl Harbor.

LEO

I don't like where this conversation's going.

FITZWALLACE

Leo.

LEO

In the Situation Room, Fitz?

FITZWALLACE

We killed Yamamoto. 
We shot down his plane.

LEO

We declared war.

FITZWALLACE

If Dietrich Bonhoeffer had been successful...

LEO

And the plot to kill Hitler was an internal rebellion.

FITZWALLACE

...there would've been statues built of an assassin. 
We'd have to explain that to our kids.

LEO

I'm going to get back to the office.

FITZWALLACE

We measure the success of a mission by two things: 
Was it successful? 
and 
How few civilians did we hurt? 

They measure success by how many. 

Pregnant women are delivering bombs. 

You're talking to me about International Laws? 

The Laws of Nature don't even apply here. 

I've been a soldier for 38 years. 
And I found an Enemy I can Kill. 

He can't cancel Shareef's trip, Leo.

You've got to tell him he can't cancel it.

CUT TO: INT. THE PRESIDENT'S PRIVATE STUDY - DAY

Bartlet is in another session with the psychiatrist, Dr. Stanley Keyworth.

BARTLET

It's "The War of the Roses." 
All the Henrys, and all the Richards, for that matter.

STANLEY

In some kind of condensed form?

BARTLET

Yeah.

STANLEY

'Cause you'd be there for weeks, right, if...?

BARTLET

Yeah. 
There's also singing.

STANLEY

Oh, it's a musical?

BARTLET

No, but they're gonna sing from time to time, 
and one of the songs is a song I love. 

I can't think of the name now, 
but it's an Edwardian... 
It always reminds me... 

It makes me think of college, like, I don't know, 
like they should be singing it in the dining 

hall at Christ College at Cambridge. 

The chorus is, 
"And victorious in war shall be made 

glorious in peace."

I was just singing it this morning.

A moment of silence.

STANLEY

How have you been sleeping?

BARTLET

Good. Yeah.
 Let me ask you something. 
Is there a crime, which if it wasn't illegal, you would do?

STANLEY

I'd park anywhere I want.

BARTLET

Right, but you wouldn't rob a bank?

STANLEY

No.

BARTLET

Connecticut had a law prohibiting the use of contraceptives. 
It was written out of rage against adultery. 

But in the age of AIDS, don't Connecticut residents do more for The General Welfare by flagrantly breaking the law?

STANLEY

There was a law against... contraceptives?

BARTLET

Yeah.

STANLEY

Can I ask, sir, how somebody used to get caught?

BARTLET

Stanley...

STANLEY

What's on your mind, Mr. President?

BARTLET

I can't tell you.

STANLEY

Yeah, but you can.

Bartlet pauses, looks away and thinks.

BARTLET

No, I really can't. It's high security. 
To say nothing of... [sighs heavily]

STANLEY

To say nothing of what?

BARTLET

If I tell you I intend to commit a crime, you're required by law to report it. [beat] 

I have a strange meeting coming up. [beat] 

I'm gonna go. It's good seeing you.

Bartlet stands, grabs his jacket, and leaves Stanley inside.

FADE OUT.

END ACT ONE

* * *

This shows the ending sequence of West Wing season 3 finale, Posse Comitatus, where Sorkin's fictional War of the Roses play performs the Patriotic Song (written by composer Stephen Oliver) against the backdrop of the assassination of Abdul Shareef. You will then see the rare version of the song, performed by the RSC, from a 1982 production of the Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby. For those fellow West Wing fans/nerds, the actor Roger Rees (who also played Lord John Marbury) leads the cast....

What was the music that the Shakespeare company was singing at the end in "Posse Comitatus"?

Mel Kirby tells us "the song sung by the supposed Shakespeare Company at the end of the segment of the 'Wars of the Roses' being watched on Broadway by Pres. Bartlett is called 'Patriotic Chorus' by Stephen Oliver. 

It was originally composed as the Finale of the mock-Victorian revisionist 'Romeo and Juliet' which closes Part One of the 9 hour-long, 1983 Royal Shakespeare Company production of Dickens 'The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickelby' which was an actual hit in London's West End and on Broadway in the early 80's. 

One would assume that the RSC and 'endlessly long', high-brow nature of both plays would have created the intellectual resonance for Sorkin. 

And the originally tongue-in-cheek words and tune, a send-up of typical Victorian xenophobia, have a certain irony as played over the assassination of the Qumari defense minister."

Mel Kirby also sent us the following Lyrics:

"England arise! Join in the chorus!
It is a new made song you should be singing.
See in the skies, flutt'ring before us
what the bright bird of peace is bringing!  

Chorus:
    See upon our smiling land
    where the wealths of nations stand
    where prosperity and industry walk
    ever hand in hand.
    Where so many blessings crowd,
     'tis our duty to be proud.
    Up and answer, English Yeoman,
    sing it joyfully aloud.  

    Evermore upon our country
    God will pour his rich increase,
    And victorious in war shall be made glorious in peace,
    And victorious in war shall be made glorious in peace.

this verse omitted on West Wing

[ See each one do what he can to further God's almighty plan.
The benificence of heaven help the skilfulness of man.
Ev'ry garner fill'd with grain, Ev'ry meadow blest with rain:
Rich and fertile is the golden corn that bear and bears again.]

Where so many blessings crowd,
'Tis our duty to be proud.
Up and answer, fellow Britons,
sing it joyfully aloud.

Evermore upon our country
God will pour his rich increase...etc."p

St. Joan Alone

"Do not think you can frighten me by telling me that I am alone. 

France is alone; and God is alone; and what is my loneliness before the loneliness of my country and my God? 

I see now that the Loneliness of God is His Strength: what would He be if He listened to your jealous little counsels? 

Well, my loneliness shall be my strength too; it is better to be alone with God: His friendship will not fail me, nor His counsel, nor His love. 

In His Strength I Will Dare, and Dare, 

and Dare, Until I die. 

I will go out now to the Common People, and let the love in their eyes comfort me for the hate in yours."

sovereignty (n.)

sovereign (adj.)

suzerainty (n.)

Odd-Man Hypothesis : Far-Off Men and The Eternal Father

By the 30th Century, Human Society was Highly Compartmentalised....

SpaceTech ROGIN : 

You know what'll happen when you cut that lock.

Teeth+Curls : 

There's no point in both of us being killed by the blast - 

Get into The Ark, man. 

SpaceTech ROGIN: 

You don't want trouble with the space technician's union, Doctor. 

Teeth+Curls : 

What? 

** THUMP **

SpaceTech ROGIN: 

That's My Job. 

The “Odd-Man Hypothesis” is a fictional hypothesis which states that unmarried men are better able to execute the best, most dispassionate decisions in crises—in this case, to disarm the nuclear weapon intended to prevent the escape of organisms from the laboratory in the event the auto-destruct sequence is initiated. In the novel, the Odd-Man explanation is a page in a RAND Corporation report of the results of test series wherein different people were to make command decisions in nuclear and biological wars and chemical crises.

Hall is briefed on the Hypothesis after his arrival at Wildfire. In the book, his copy of the briefing materials has the Hypothesis pages removed; in the film, he is criticized for failure to read the material ahead of time.

Dr. Hall is assumed to have the highest “command decision effectiveness index” among the Wildfire team; this is the reason why he is given a control key to the self-destruct mechanism. Hall initially derides this idea, saying he has no intention of committing suicide before he is told that it is his job to disarm the weapon, rather than to arm it: Stone then admits that the Odd-Man Hypothesis, while accurate (in the confines of the book), was essentially a false document used to justify handing over a nuclear weapon to private individuals and out of government control.

Sovereignty

" I’m going to go over some of the attributes of this abstracted ideal that we’ve formalized as God, but that’s the first hypothesis: a philosophical or moral ideal manifests itself first as a concrete pattern of behavior that’s characteristic of a single individual. 

And then it’s a set of individuals, and then it’s an abstraction from that set, and then you have the abstraction, and it’s so important. 

Here’s a political implication: One of the debates, we might say, between early Christianity and the late Roman Empire was whether or not an emperor could be God, literally to be deified and put into a temple. 

You can see why that might happen because that’s someone at the pinnacle of a very steep hierarchy who has a tremendous amount of power and influence.

The Christian response to that was, 

Never confuse the specific Sovereign with the principle of Sovereignty itself. 

It’s brilliant. 

You can see how difficult it is to come up with an idea like that, so that even the person who has the power is actually subordinate to a divine principle, for lack of a better word. 

Even the king himself is subordinate to the principle. 

We still believe that because we believe our Prime Minister is subordinate to the damn law.

Whatever the body of law, there's a principle inside that even the leader is subordinate to. 

Without that, you could argue you can’t even have a civilized society, because your leader immediately turns into something that’s transcendent and all-powerful. 

That's certainly what happened in the Soviet Union, and what happened in Maoist China, and what happened in Nazi Germany. There was nothing for the powerful to subordinate themselves to.

You’re supposed to be subordinate to God. 

What does that mean? 

We’re going to tear that idea apart, but partly what that means is that you’re subordinate—even if you’re sovereign—to the principles of sovereignty itself. And then the question is, what the hell is the principles of sovereignty? 

I would say we have been working that out for a very long period of time. That’s one of the things that we’ll talk about. "

Before The Law, there stands a Guard. 

A Man comes from the country, begging admittance to The Law. 

But The Guard cannot admit him. 

May he hope to enter at a later time? 

That is possible, said The Guard. 

The man tries to peer through the entrance. 

He'd been taught that The Law was to be accessible to every man. 

"Do not attempt to enter without my permission", says the guard. "I am very powerful. Yet I am the least of all the guards. From hall to hall, door after door, each guard is more powerful than the last."

By the guard's permission, the man sits by the side of the door, and there he waits. 

For years, he waits. 

Everything he has, he gives away in the hope of bribing the guard, who never fails to say to him "I take what you give me only so that you will not feel that you left something undone." 

Keeping his watch during the long years, the man has come to know even the fleas on The Guard's fur collar. 

Growing childish in old age, he begs the fleas to persuade The Guard to change his mind and allow him to enter. 

His sight has dimmed, but in the darkness he perceives a radiance streaming immortally from the door of the law. 

And now, before he dies, all he's experienced condenses into one question, a question he's never asked. He beckons the guard. 

Says the guard, "You are insatiable! What is it now?" 

Says the man, "Every man strives to attain the law. How is it then that in all these years, no one else has ever come here, seeking admittance?"

 His hearing has failed, so the guard yells into his ear. "Nobody else but you could ever have obtained admittance. No one else could enter this door! This door was intended only for you! And now, I'm going to close it." 

This tale is told during the story called "The Trial". 

It's been said that the logic of this story is the logic of a dream... a nightmare.

The notion that every single human being, regardless of their peculiarities, strangenesses, sins, crimes, and all of that, has something divine in them that needs to be regarded with respect, plays an integral role, at least an analogous role, in the creation of habitable order out of chaos. That’s a magnificent, remarkable, crazy idea. And yet we developed it, and I do firmly believe that it sits at the base of our legal system.

I think it is the cornerstone of our legal system. 


That’s the notion that everyone is equal before God, which is, of course, such a strange idea. It’s very difficult to understand how anybody could have ever come up with that idea, because the manifold differences between people are so obvious and so evident that you could say that the natural way of viewing human being is in this extreme hierarchical manner, where some people are contemptible and easily brushed off as pointless and pathological and without value, and all the power accrues to a certain tiny aristocratic minority at the top.


But if you look at the way that the idea of the individual Sovereign developed, it’s clear that it unfolded over thousands and perhaps tens of thousands of years before it became something firmly fixed in the imagination.

Each individual has something of transcendent value about them. 

Man, I tell you, we dispense with that idea at our serious peril. 

If you’re gonna take that idea seriously—which you do because you act it out, because otherwise you wouldn’t be law-abiding citizens—then you act that idea out. It’s firmly shared by everyone who acts in a civilized manner. The question is, why in the world do you believe it?

Assuming that you believe what you act out, which I think is a really good way of fundamentally defining beliefs.