14 The biblical sins of our fathers

Roger Rees as Lord John Marbury in The West Wing episode 315 Dead Irish Writers.

CUT TO: INT. BAR - NIGHT
Toby is now smoking a cigar. Marbury speaks.

MARBURY
The darkness in our sunshine, the shadow in our souls, the biblical sins of the fathers.
For Americans, it's slavery. Slavery is your original sin. That and your unfortunate
history with your aborigines.

TOBY
Native Americans.

MARBURY
For the English, it's Ireland.

TOBY
Well, they've given u s a couple of U.S. Presidents, a lot of Boston Democrats, and half
of the New York City's Police Force.

MARBURY
Not to mention the song "Yankee Doodle Dandy."

TOBY
Yeah.

MARBURY
Centuries of... home rule, foiled by English conservatives or Ulster Orangemen, immortal
martyrs, secret tribunals leading to public hangings, followed by war... followed by,
followed by, followed by.

TOBY
So wouldn't you say we were doing you a favor?

MARBURY
By intervening?

TOBY
That is the act of a friend. What is left to do but talk? What could be better for that
wounded place than sitting down and talking? What is better than sitting down and talking?

MARBURY
Not to talk to Brendan McGann.

TOBY
We can't choose who.

MARBURY
Of course, you can't.

TOBY
Then what can we do but talk to him?

MARBURY
Nothing. You must talk to him.

TOBY
What?

MARBURY
Toby, despite appearances, I do have lucid moments, and I know that England is... running
out of turns in this particular... but as, uh, Ambassador to Her Majesty's Government,
I must tell you that...

TOBY
Brendan McGann cannot come to the White House.

MARBURY
Yes.

TOBY
[beat] Understood, Mr. Ambassador.

MARBURY
[finishes his drink] Excellent.

Toby takes a puff from his cigar and watches the Ambassador as he pays for his drink and
leaves the bar.

• #film_animation
• #lord_john_marbury
• #roger_rees
• #the_west_wing
• #dead_irish_writers
• #315