Movie Pick: The Trial of the Chicago 7

This Netflix flic transported me back 51 years when I followed the events of this infamous miscarriage of justice in the Trib, Sun Times and Daily News in pre-internet Chicago. Too busy with career, I dropped out of my meager anti war activity after college in ’67. But never fully disengaged with anti war sentiment and viewed the Chicago 7 as personal heroes for their willingness to risk a decade in prison to disrupt the ’68 Convention as a means of opposing the Vietnam War. And let’s not ignore 8th defendant, Black Panther Bobby Seale, who was denied council by disgraceful Judge Hoffman; then bound and gagged for speaking out. That grotesque treatment did work to get him severed from the judicial pig circus with a mistrial ruling.

While several million were being slaughtered in Vietnam to maintain American Empire, including 58,000 GI’s, not a single sole died during Convention. But the Nixon Administration wanted vengeance, regardless of cost in treasure, defendant suffering and senseless debasement of the justice system.

The Aaron Sorkin written and directed take on the trial is a stunning masterpiece of film making and history. It should be viewed by every citizen with the slightest interest in history or a just society. Hell, it should be shown in every high school civics/history class in the land. Half century ago the real trial degraded my faith in U.S. justice, inspiring a lifelong interest in reform. Lots of sad parallels to today’s justice and governance (today's Bill Barr was John Mitchell in '69) shows we have a long hard slog ahead to that judicial and governing ideal.

Short take: Good movie to get your blood boiling