‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ (Netflix) (1 Viewer)

His lawyer had emergency gall bladder surgery and they wouldn’t grant a delay. And Bobby refused the public defender and they wouldn’t let him defend himself. Then they were acquitted of most of the charges but were given harsh punishment for contempt as if the circus of a trial was their fault. Fortunately they were overturned.

But that was only the beginning of the FBI trying to destroy these men. They framed Abbie and he had to go underground for over a decade. If it wasn’t for his lawyer pushing FOIA after FOIA to finally uncover cointelpro who knows how many great American patriots would have been persecuted for exercising their First Amendment rights.

The fact is, the whole thing was ridiculous. If the city would have granted their permit for Lincoln Park, and if the FBI would not have infiltrated the movement and incited violence then there would have never been an issue.

There were twice as many protesters in Washington at the Pentagon and it was peaceful.

I believe it was there in DC, with that level of involvement and no violent action is what cause cointelpro to being in the first place.

ETA-for our phish fans: the song Free is about Abbie. That was his nickname.
 
I totally get what you mean - I usually prefer the true docs as well. But a well-done historical drama is usually appealing and this one is for sure. A drama will always be a bit hokier but I usually enjoy them anyway. But I think Sorkin and the great cast get this pretty right.

From what I know of it, the actual trial was a sheet show. Judicial misconduct. Regular outbursts and theater from the defendants and a prosecution founded on political interests. What a mess.
Which is why I might watch it. I don't already know a lot about the actual trial other than knowing OF it and didn't read Hoffman's book, so what it'll do is probably send me off into a rabbit hole of research.

Now, I didn't watch "Mrs. America" but ewe tube had a lot of videos with a lot of Schlafly's original debates and TV appearances and comparing them to clips from the movie which they obviously used heavily in their research to make the movie. It was very illuminating because you could easily see different inflections and body language changing the tenor from the original words such as, for instance, making Phyliss appear much more physically uncomfortable while debating than she actually was. Whether you agree with her or not, she was always very articulate and well prepared and knew her citations. I know her detractors want people to think she was stupid. She was not. BUT not trying to get into an ERA discussion.
 
If you’re so inclined and want to read the story of the trial, its problems, the judicial errors, and the ultimate results, the 7th Circuit’s opinion (on appeal) is very thorough and as legitimate of a source as you will find. And critical of Judge Hoffman in numerous areas.

 
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Especially when talking about Tom Marshall. Guelah Papyrus has a meaning apparently.

I digress. I learned of these men when i looked up what a hippie was and learned that it (and the yippies) were actually a political
Party and not just a bunch of kids listening to the Dead.

In high school I tried to write a paper on the Black Panthers and I was stopped by my teacher. She said it was inciting unrest and promoting violence. I was like “huh?” I am a white kid in Colorado how in the heck am I going to incite violence by learning about a progressive political movement in the 60’s?

I quickly learned that any information available about these groups was on microfiche in newspapers from that era. No mention of them in the history books. Just the Chicago 7 and the riots

That was my indoctrination into how completely white washed our history classes were/are.
 

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