"Only a Sith Deals in Absolutes"

Exactly.

 

Who said anything about the Jedi being "as bad" as the Sith? The Jedi are closer, in analogy, to the Imperial Officers and Generals in the subsequent movies, who effectively replace them. The Jedi's fall is tragic because they could have prevented it and didn't. If you watch ROTS with the idea of interconnectedness in mind, then Anakin and Padme's troubled union is analagous to the troubled union between the Jedi and the Senate. Both Anakin and the Jedi race to "save" their "loved ones", fearing their imminent loss. And the dialogue between Anakin and Padme reflects the larger macrocosm: "How long is it going to take before we're honest with each other?" (i.e. distrust between the Jedi and the Senate), and, "You die in childbirth" (i.e. the Republic dies as the Empire is born). You seem to think that it's being suggested that the Jedi and the Sith are exactly alike; it isn't. What's being suggested is that they're similar than Obi-Wan is able to comprehend . . . and this is one of the reasons for Anakin's downfall. Lucas has used the prequels to frame Anakin's fall, and subsequent redemption, in larger terms. People not willing to get to grips with this are missing the eloquence and beauty of the story.

 

The Jedi being analogous to the bureaucrats who help bring about the horrible policies of the Empire is only looking on the surface though. They serve a similar role in the command structure, but the Jedi are far more moral and heroic than the officers. I agree completely that the Jedi's troubles with the Senate is similar but the difference is that the Jedi were guided out of a selfless desire to defend a democracy against the evil tyrant who was trying to subvert it whereas Anakin was guided by his selfishnes to try to save Padme from his dreams. I also don't buy the argument that the Jedi and Sith are similar in anyway more than organizational and surface aspects. They stand for completely opposite ideals. Lucas does frame Anakin's fall and redemption within the larger context for the soul of the Republic and the galaxy, but the Jedi are trying to save both Anakin and the democracy that was the Republic whereas Palpatine is trying to twist Anakin into Darth Vader and the Republic into the Empire.

 

If the Jedi ARE trying to save the Republic and Anakin, then they clearly did a poor job on both counts, wouldn't you say?

 

I never said they were terribly effective.

 

Wow, I only saw the line as: "Only a sith deals in absolutes (like that)" in response to Anakin's "with me or against me" statement. Yoda and the jedi order may be arrogant and flawed but I believe Obi Wan is intended to be a solid, centering character without hypocrisy.

 

I see the line and Obi-Wan that way as well.