This column was originally published in the Seguin Gazette on Friday, August 12, 2016. Though it is nearly four years old, the topic in this column is still relevant to this day.
For many people that know me very well, they know me for several things from being an active supporter of Autism awareness to an outspoken supporter for the Libertarian movement, but the first thing that they will probably say about me at the mere mention of my name is how much of a film buff I am. Due to this, several of my friends and family members have called me a living, breathing version of the Internet Movie Database.
After I became a Libertarian, the first thing that came to my mind was to find any film that promoted libertarianism in the best way possible, and eventually, I did. I came across an animated short film on YouTube called Make Mine Freedom. The film, produced by John Sutherland and presented by Harding College, was released in 1948 as an educational film about the positives of capitalism, and the dangers of communism. At the beginning of the film, the narrator explains about many of the freedoms that every American has, and how they keep our country strong.
Afterwards, the film takes us straight into its plot when we see a labor employee, a business manager, a politician, and a farmer expressing how everything is not fine in their state of living. We are then introduced to Dr. Ism, a sly salesman, who promotes a formula that the four men could have after they sign a contract that gives up their freedom. This leads up to the introduction to John Q. Public, who disagrees with the terms of the contract, and teaches the four men that capitalism has helped our country by using the creation and success of the automobile business as an example.
Soon, Public has the four men taste the formula that was Dr. Ism offered to them, and they experience a nightmarish world that shows what our country under communism would be like where the State controls everything from unions, businesses, farms, private property, and the words of local politicians. Afterwards, the four men reject the formula after Public stir them up by explaining that individuals who promote “class warfare, race hatred, or religious intolerance” are a danger to the rights given to all American citizens, and chase Dr. Ism out of town.
However, the sad thing is that we are already losing many of our rights. Today, we are seeing support for more government control, and it is the result of citizens being triggered with class warfare, racism, and religious intolerance. The culprit behind these actions is none other than the two-party system. We have individuals from both the Republican and Democratic parties who have created and passed unconstitutional laws that promotes unwarranted government surveillance on American citizens, programs and actions that results in unnecessary government spending that individuals are taking advantage of, and limiting the rights of free speech, purchasing firearms, and much more. We are also seeing candidates demonizing certain groups of people due to their religious beliefs, where they are from, how much profit they make, or how they are naturally. Even our system of free enterprise has taken many blows by cronies who corrupt it. These are the people who want government to rule over us in an authoritarian state. In this case, if this continues on, we will have no rights, and everything will be in the government’s power.
But, it is not too late to stop it. We still have time to prevent this nightmare from happening. We, as American citizens, need to fight back, gain back our rights, and limit the power of our government before it’s too late.
Make Mine Freedom: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVh75ylAUXY
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