One of my favourite films is "Z" directed by Costa Gavras, starring Yves Montand, Jean-Louis Trintignant, and Irene Papas based on the book of the same name by Vassilis Vassilikos.
It tells the story of the toppling of the democratic government in Greece. A liberal politician (Montand) is murdered at an anti-nuclear demo, the right- wing military and the police try to cover up the murder and their complicity in it.
It is powerful, tense, and riveting... beautifully acted, deftly directed, with a haunting soundtrack by Mikis Theodorakis.
Which brings me to the problems in Greece today and the EU's response.
Whilst many commentators are gloating over the situation and have recommended leaving Greece to sink. I'd like to remind folk who may have forgotten that it was not that long ago when Greece was under the yoke of a military dictatorship.
It was joining the European Union (then EEC) that helped to nurture, nourish, and nurse that fragile flower, democracy, in the land that gave us the word and indeed the concept.
So when Europhobes say they want us to withdraw from the EU complaining that they were duped and only wanted to join an economic market, I say that only shows the paucity of their imagination.
In fact the idea of an ever-closer union is not only exciting and attractive but vital to our national and international interests and the greater cause of freedom in an ever-globalised world.
To finish with a quote from the film, "The military banned long hair; mini-skirts; Sophocles; Tolstoy; Euripedes; smashing glasses after drinking toasts; strikes; Aristophanes; Ionesco; Sartre; The Beatles; Albee; Pinter; freedom of the press; sociology; Beckett; Dostoyevsky; Gorky; modern music; popular music; the new mathematics; and the letter "Z", which in ancient Greek means 'He is alive!'".
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