This article could also be called “Obtaining Supporters: 101″

I was looking up movie show times the other night, and saw a title I wasn’t familiar with. “America: Freedom to Fascism“. I’ve never seen the movie, but here are my impressions from browsing the movie’s site:

You should go familiarize yourself with the site first. Or not. If you did, you’d see that this movie is attacking: 1) the Federal Reserve, and 2) the legitimacy of the income tax system among other things.

A few words about myself. I am a libertarian, meaning I want the most freedoms possible, which obviously means the least amount of government possible. Most libertarians (myself included) see the government’s role as being: Settle disputes between citizens, (our law and justice systems) and protect us from other countries (our military).

When this country first started, there was no income tax. There was no income tax until 1913. The government made most of it’s money from excise (import) taxes. All money was backed by gold or silver. Supposedly back then it was possible to actually exchange your money for the gold or silver it represented.

The Federal Reserve is not a government institution, rather, it is contracted by the government to manage our money. It is actually owned by many major banks, although I don’t think anyone really knows of all the people who own it.

Now, my first thoughts about the movie pertains to it’s title: “America: Freedom to Fascism”. Can I ask, what the fuck is wrong with the people who made this movie? Are they stupid? Is it director Aaron Russo’s intent to merely preach to the choir with this movie? He said he put “fascism” in the title to shock people. I admire what it takes to make such a bold statement, and to spread it all over America with your name on it. I do agree that in many areas America could be considered fascist. But you know what? The only people who will go see that movie now are the people who already think America is fascist.

All the people who love America and refuse to see it’s faults won’t watch it. I must assume that all Russo is after is street cred. If he really wanted to influence the way everyday Americans thought about their country he’d lure them in to see the movie first, then start shocking them.

That said, proving the illegality of income taxes is a poor aim for any movie. Everybody who’s looked into the issue of the income tax probably knows that it probably wasn’t properly ratified. Not to mention that the tax code is one of the single most difficult documents to follow and not even the IRS can explain who a lot of it does and doesn’t apply to. However, everybody today is already resigned to pay income taxes. YOU WILL ACCOMPLISH NOTHING, EVEN IF YOU DO CONVINCE EVERYONE THAT THERE ARE NO LEGAL GROUNDS FOR IT. All that will happen is, a new bill/amendment will be passed/properly ratified, and that will be that. Few senators (Ron Paul for instance, who I somewhat respect) will think twice about passing a bill that only requires everyone to do as they’re already doing, exactly as they already are.

As for the Federal Reserve, that’s really fucked up. A “fun” fact about the Federal Reserve:

-The Federal Reserve was voted into being 11:45 pm on Christmas Eve, 1913, after most of the senators had gone home to celebrate Christmas.

Making a movie about the Federal Reserve isn’t so stupid, except that you really can’t say anything about the Federal Reserve, which involves a giant group of wealthy bankers behind the scenes, without sounding like a conspiracy nut. I know, the truth must be told, but you’re not going to get Ma and Pa Kettle to think open-mindedly about the vast Conspiracy of the Federal Reserve if in every facet of the movie, including the title, you attack the country they love.

The website has a list of goals, all of which I’m assuming are addressed in the movie. Their first one is:

“Stop the polarization of America ”

And a good way to avoid polarizing a country is to publicly call it fascist.

I agree with a lot of it. I would like the Federal Reserve shut down. I don’t like national IDs, and I don’t like the idea of RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) chips being implanted into people. (which this movie’s trailer claims is being implemented in 2008) I agree with keeping the Internet “free” as in it’s content being free of the control of the government and ISPs. I also agree with jury nullification, want to restore the environment, but I don’t know what they mean by “Globalization” in regards to stopping it. If they mean Imperialism then I’m all for stopping it.

A lot of ideas to cover in one movie. Commendable in a way, but it won’t succeed. Give me an hour and a half, I could probably convince most people the Federal Reserve is bad. If I start to introduce tracking chips and national IDs into the conversation, they’ll probably just dismiss me as a nut. Also introduce jury nullification, environmentalism, Internet rights, and world governments, even if every argument is legitimate, most people will reside somewhere between denial and confusion, and will shut out almost every point I made.

Aaron Russo is a Libertarian. He makes a comment in an interview that can be seen on the film’s web site that states (quoting Mussolini) that fascism is really corporatism, the merging of a corporation and the government. That almost sounds anti-capitalist, I can’t say for sure if that’s how he means it. With that one reservation let me say that I would probably agree with most of the arguments made in the movie, I just can’t agree with the way they’re being made.

TJ Coolidge