Appearing in Aaron Russo's AMERICA: FREEDOM TO FASCISM is Joe Banister, Former Special Investigator, IRS-CID. A quote from Joe's appearance in the film:
"If Americans just learned that the IRS was actually knowingly deceiving them, then that would be enough for them to rise up and put a stop to it."
Read these biographies for other important interviewees:
Our Cannes premiere is sparking dialogue all over. Check out these international reports as they spread the word about Aaron Russo's important new documentary, AMERICA: FREEDOM TO FASCISM.
A Whiff of Anti-Americanism - TCS Daily (Cannes) - "Then there were the posters... These eye-catching works of art were plastered all over the entrance to the magnificent Hotel Carlton's Bar des Celebrites. At first glance the movie appears to be a left-winger's indictment of the current US government's invasions of privacy in the name of national security. But actually it's a pro-libertarian attack on the US income tax and on private banking...." [more]
Cannes Diary: Premieres & Charity - IBN Live (India) - "Another film to hold its international premier at Cannes was AMERICA.... Aaron Russo's hard-hitting political documentary connects the dots between money creation, federal income tax, voter fraud, and the implementation of Radio Frequency Identification technology to track citizens. Taking no sides, the film hints at the US government taking on the characteristics of a police state." [more]
America: dalla liberta' al fascismo - Cryptolife (Italy) - "La folla presente alla proiezione ha salutato con una standig ovation il regista, il documentario a mio avviso merita di essere visto." [more, translation]
Don't forget AMERICA opens in multiple cities, in multiple theaters, back here in America July 28.
The hits just keep on coming. Check out cover stories in the June 12 issue of The New American about Aaron Russo and his new documentary, AMERICA: FREEDOM TO FASCISM.
Lights, Camera - Activism! - "Well-informed Americans will be familiar with much of the evidence Russo has capably assembled..." [more]
Freedom Filmmaker - "One of Aaron Russo's 'few regrets' in life, he confided during a lengthy interview with The New American, was..." [more]
Even as freedom-movement press continues to shine a spotlight on AMERICA, mainstream media is also starting to take note. There's still time to donate before the first round of theatrical openings on July 28. Help make sure more of America gets to see AMERICA!
Many in the freedom movement already know about Aaron Russo's AMERICA: FREEDOM TO FASCISM. Now mainstreamnewspapers and blogs are taking notice of our new documentary. From the coasts (see Variety) to the heartland. Here's an excerpt from Missouri's digitalBURG:
"Neither left nor right-wing in perspective, the film concludes that the U.S. government is taking on the characteristics of a police state. In fact, Russo routinely bashes both Democrat and Republican parties in the website clips..." [more]
Keep spreading the word, and don't forget to link back to the donation page to help get the film out to as many American cities as possible.
Aaron Russo's AMERICA: FREEDOM TO FASCISM takes Cannes by storm. Then comes this insightful analysis on Hammer of Truth:
"It was expected that Russo would get lines and standing ovations at the local showings mostly advertised on the Internet to people within the freedom movement. Now that he's getting the same general reception at Cannes and in more mainstream reviews, it's an indicator that his film will have the same general impact with general audiences it's had with more targeted ones." [more]
Don't forget: More and more Americans will get a chance to see AMERICA when it reaches theatrical release across the US starting July 28.
Today the "bible" of the film industry, Variety, publishes an extended Cannes review of Aaron Russo's AMERICA: FREEDOM TO FASCISM. What do you think of Variety's treatment of this subject - and of the film? See comment section after these excerpts from the article:
"Libertarian-positioned docu argues almost persuasively that U.S. citizens are not legally required to pay federal income tax..."
"With his warm Brooklyn accent and affectedly folksy manner, Russo has a genial-cum-pugnacious presence onscreen and a knack for boiling down complex arguments and issues into easily digestible, 'Global Economics for Dummies' sound bites."
"Cornerstone contention in 'Freedom to Fascism' is that the 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was never properly ratified..."
CANNES, FRANCE - Aaron Russo's incendiary political documentary - AMERICA: FREEDOM TO FASCISM, which opens July 28 across America - had its international premiere at Cannes and won a standing ovation. The beach event was filled to capacity.
Caught in a moment at the May 2006 Cannes premiere of AMERICA: FREEDOM TO FASCISM are the film's director Aaron Russo and his friend Nick Nolte. "The information in this film is something everybody has to know," said Nolte, the lead actor in TEACHERS, a 1984 film produced by Russo and also starring JoBeth Williams, Judd Hirsch and Morgan Freeman.
Go to the YouTube page for code that allows you to host the trailer (2 minutes, 52 seconds) on your own blog or Web site. The feed comes directly from YouTube. Let's post it on as many blogs and other sites as possible. And don't forget to direct people back here to donate!
Appearing in Aaron Russo's AMERICA: FREEDOM TO FASCISM is former IRS Agent Sherry Jackson. "We The People Foundation ... put a full-page ad in USA Today on July 7, 2000 ... [with a] $50,000 challenge for anyone that could show the law [authorizing the IRS to collect income tax]" explains Jackson in the film. "And, you know, based on the research that I did throughout the year 2000, and that I'm still doing, I have not found that law. I've asked Congress. We've asked a lot of people, in the IRS, the IRS commissioner's helpers. They can't answer, because if they answer, the American people are gonna know that this whole thing is a fraud." See also:
Irwin Schiff - Income Tax Authority Jailed for Tax Evasion
Take a look at these sites - then come back here and donate to help the cause! - and you'll see how the blogging world is receiving Aaron Russo's "America: Freedom to Fascism."
The Debris Field: "I had my doubts about guest Aaron Russo because I thought it would be 3 hours of tax related talk. Luckily I was way wrong and Aaron turned out to be a great guest with many entertaining stories." [more]
Bigfish Rants: "The film is very provocative and is receiving standing ovations at its previews." [more]
Sensibly Eclectic Main: "Determined to find the law that requires American citizens to pay income tax, producer Aaron Russo set out on a journey to find the evidence. This film which is neither left, nor right-wing is a startling examination of government." [more]
1111PM: "So without asking for anybody's help, Aaron Russo set out to make this film, because he knew it had to be made. He put up 100% of the money to make the film. He invested two years of his life. He laid his name and his reputation on the line. Not just for the sake of his own freedom, but for yours, too, and your children's, and for millions of Americans." [more]
"Crowds formed, the cream of the crop, the well informed lovers of liberty in Utah gathered... A line for the 575-seat theater began to grow... Two great men in Utah felt it an honor to use their capital to rent this large theater for a $1,200 price tag... There were some in the audience who came as far away as Phoenix..." [more]
Thanks to everyone who came out for this advance screening of this important new documentary. Spread the word and donate to make sure more of America gets to see AMERICA!
Appearing in Aaron Russo's AMERICA: FREEDOM TO FASCISM is Irwin Schiff, a leading authority on income tax. Schiff claims the government illegally collects income tax since the 16th Amendment was never ratified. He has written more books on the subject than any other American, selling over 500,000 copies. On March 19, 2003, Federal Judge Lloyd George ordered Mr. Schiff to stop selling his book "The Federal Mafia," which has been in print for over 13 years. According to Mr. Schiff, the Federal Government is using the American people's preoccupation with the war in Iraq as an opportunity to squelch freedom here at home. Over the past three decades, the IRS and the federal government have prosecuted Mr. Schiff three times on a range of criminal charges, including failure to file tax returns and tax evasion.
POSTSCRIPT: After filming AMERICA: FREEDOM TO FASCISM, Mr. Schiff was sentenced to more than 13 years in prison for tax evasion.
Appearing in Aaron Russo's AMERICA: FREEDOM TO FASCISM is Congressman Ron Paul, MD (R-Texas). Congressman Paul has established a national reputation as one of the leading advocates for personal liberty in politics today. He is also one of the most outspoken leaders of Congress when it comes to the limits of constitutional government, lowering taxes, free markets, and a return to sound monetary policies based on commodity-backed currency. Colleagues and constituents can be confident of his consistent voting record in the House of Representatives since Dr. Paul makes it a rule not to vote for legislation unless the proposed measure is expressly authorized by the Constitution. In the words of former Treasury Secretary William Simon, Dr. Paul is the "one exception to the Gang of 535" on Capitol Hill.
Aaron Russo, director of AMERICA: FREEDOM TO FASCISM, is featured in this footage commenting to a packed house in St. Charles, Illinois, after a screening of his new documentary. In this 58-minute video:
Ripped from today's headlines, showing how the release of Aaron Russo's AMERICA: FREEDOM TO FASCISM will be more vital than ever to helping keep America free.
Fear Is Coin of Realm - by Jacob G. Hornberger - Study reveals that "fears that the deadly strain of bird flu would move through Africa and Europe in flocks of wild birds have so far proven unfounded." [more]
RFID Hacking Underground - Wired - They can steal your smartcard, lift your passport, jack your car, even clone the chip in your arm. And you won't feel a thing. Five tales from the RFID-hacking underground. [more]
Congress Readies Broad Digital Copyright Bill - CNET News.com - Copyright law would expand restrictions on software that can bypass copy protections and grant federal police more wiretapping and enforcement powers. [more]
From the May 15 edition of Coast to Coast AM, with guest Aaron Russo, director of AMERICA: FREEDOM TO FASCISM:
"Former Libertarian presidential candidate and filmmaker Aaron Russo argued that the American system has become fascistic and that there is no specific law that mandates paying taxes on labor.
"Big government is controlling people through the Federal Reserve, which he suggested should be eliminated. Instead, he believes the government should return to printing money backed up by their own gold reserves.
"It's time to 'create a new paradigm,' he urged, where citizens can take back the power that was originally secured for them in the Constitution. His new documentary, AMERICA: FREEOM TO FASCISM is a call to action."
Appearing in Aaron Russo's AMERICA: FREEDOM TO FASCISM is Katherine Albrecht, recognized worldwide as an expert on consumer privacy. Ms. Albrecht authored Spychips and founded Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering (CASPIAN). As director of the organization she founded in 1999, she advocates free-market, consumer-based solutions to the problem of retail privacy invasion. Ms. Albrecht regularly speaks on the impact of new technologies on consumer privacy and civil liberties, with an emphasis on radio frequency identification (RFID) and retail issues. She has testified on RFID technology before the Federal Trade Commission, the California state legislature, the European Commission, and the Federal Reserve Bank.
Appearing in Aaron Russo's AMERICA: FREEDOM TO FASCISM is Catherine Austin Fitts. Ms. Fitts served as Managing Director and Member of the Board of Directors of the Wall Street investment bank, Dillon, Read & Co., Inc. and she served as Assistant Secretary of Housing/Federal Housing Commissioner at HUD in the first Bush Administration. During her tenure as President and Founder of Hamilton Securities Group, Inc., the broker-dealer/investment bank and software developer successfully completed $12 billion of transactions and $500 billion of portfolio strategy prototyping the Solari model. Ms. Fitts earned a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from The Wharton School and she studied Chinese at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She serves on the board of the Gold Anti-Trust Action Committee (GATA).
Appearing in Aaron Russo's AMERICA: FROM FREEDOM TO FASCISM is former IRS Commissioner Sheldon S. Cohen. Cohen worked for the Internal Revenue Service in the 1950s and is widely considered one of the authors the IRS Tax Code. He progressed through the ranks at the IRS to serve as chief counsel and finally Commissioner of the IRS during the Johnson administration. At the time of the making of this film, Mr. Cohen was a partner in the Washington DC law firm of Morgan, Lewis and Bockius, LLP. He is currently a senior partner of Cohen & Goldstein, Esqs., LLP.
Appearing in Aaron Russo's AMERICA: FREEDOM TO FASCISM is a former Special Agent for IRS-CID, Joe Banister, CPA. In 1986, Joseph R. Banister graduated from San Jose State University with a degree in accounting, then worked in private practice for several years as a certified public accountant. In 1993, Mr. Banister joined the Department of the Treasury, IRS Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CID) as a Special Agent (criminal investigator). Unable to resolve conflicts between the way the IRS administered the Federal Income Tax and Mr. Banister's oath of office, he resigned from IRS-CID on February 25, 1999.
Appearing in Aaron Russo's AMERICA: FREEDOM TO FASCISM is G. Edward Griffin, a writer and documentary film producer with many successful titles to his credit. Mr. Griffin is listed in Who's Who in America, and he is well-known for his ability to research complex topics and present them in clear terms that all can understand. His book "Creature from Jekyll Island" examines the Federal Reserve system, international banking and the history of taxation. Mr. Griffin is a graduate of the University of Michigan.
Aaron Russo, director of AMERICA: FREEDOM TO FASCISM, behind the microphone on two important audio programs:
Coast to Coast AM with George Noory - LIVE, Monday May 15, 11:00pm (Pacific) - Aaron discusses his new film, covering the IRS, RFID Chips, the National ID, the Federal Reserve, Fort Knox and the gold that belongs to Americans. [Find local affiliate on coasttocoastam.com]
Financial Sense Newshour with Jim Puplava - ARCHIVED from May 13 - "Each one of us own our own life and we're free to do with as we wish as long as we don't commit violence, theft or fraud against another human being," says Russo. "Let's make America once again the place it once was ... a beacon of light for freedom all over the world." [Listen in RealPlayer, WinAmp, Windows Media and MP3]
Tax Foe Acquitted - Newsday - A Bay Shore accountant has been acquitted of income-tax evasion charges after he filed returns for 36 clients claiming that salaries cannot be legally taxed. [more]
US Tipping Mexico to Minuteman Patrols - Inland Valley Daily Bulletin - The US Border Patrol is keeping an eye out for Minutemen - and telling the Mexican government where they are. [more]
NSA Has Massive Database of Americans' Phone Calls - USA TODAY - The National Security Agency has been secretly collecting the phone call records of tens of millions of Americans, using data provided by AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth -[more]
"America: From Freedom to Fascism" screens at Cannes, May 22, on the beach. International press will accompany festival goers at this sunset screening. Thank you to all of our contributors! Your donations have made the trip to Cannes possible. A truly global audience will see the film and the buzz from Cannes will further our national distribution. Keep the donations coming as there is much to do in getting this film shown across the globe.
