In Search of Liberty
In Search of Liberty takes viewers on a patriotic journey showing the importance of the U.S. Constitution and its amendments. It educates and reminds people the values the Founding Fathers wanted to emphasize: civil liberties and limited government.
It begins with the famous Nancy Pelosi quote, that we must "pass the bill to find out what is in it," and how President Obama said he was going to use pen and phone to sign executive orders. In other words, who needs Congress to pass legislation? The important point to consider is that education has fallen into the hands of those who want to keep the people ignorant. The video shows both Democratic and Republican presidents during their inaugurations being sworn in and stating they will "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States." That's a far cry from what Pelosi and President Obama did.
Norm Novitsky, the director and producer, told American Thinker, "The United States of America is governed by a written Constitution, a landmark legal, philosophical, and political document that greatly limits the power of government; safeguards certain individual rights, such as freedom of expression and freedom of religion; and establishes a system of 'checks and balances.' It should be a bipartisan document. Unfortunately, Hollywood would not want to distribute the movie because of the subject matter, so we decided to use a robust social media campaign and do it ourselves."
The movie has Benjamin Franklin coming back to life, emphasizing how "[a]n investment in knowledge pays the best interest" to a modern-day family who is ignorant about the supreme law of the U.S. Key aspects of the Constitution are outlined, and important amendments, such as those guaranteeing freedom of religion and speech, the right to bear arms, warrants for search and seizure, and states' rights, are shown to be vital in everyday life. The Ellis family is enlightened on how a document that undergirded our country over two centuries ago continues to shape and define our modern nation. The U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and amendments are the forces that separate and balance the powers of government, safeguarding the rights of individuals and majority rule.
The reason for having Ben Franklin as the Founding Father who would guide people through the key elements of the Constitution: "[w]e wanted someone with a lot of interesting attributes including his use of gadgets. We were able to have a 21st-century dimension using cars and other technology."
The film explains the rule of law by making interesting points using football and poker games. It shows how people get upset if there is cheating or if the rules are not enforced. People in their everyday lives want to adhere to the rules, yet, when it comes to the most important rules of the land, many ignore the Constitution and feel that it is misguided as well as outdated. Novitsky noted, "When representation favors a certain group and disregards the Constitution, it is similar to a sports event where the referee shows bias. The point I wanted to make is that the Constitution should not be favoring any one person or group."
After seeing the movie, many should consider what is happening today. Novitsky wants Americans to understand that the president should be the one to execute the laws that Congress legislates. During the interview, the issue of DACA was brought up, where President Trump is blamed for causing the problem. Too bad more people do not watch this movie, because just maybe they would understand that the president is actually following the Constitution as he forces Congress to do its job.
Another issue addressed is the 2nd Amendment. Today, the president and others speak of reasonable gun control. The film has a quote: "[t]he problem with gun crimes is that people blame the guns." In other words, the gun is a tool. After watching this scene, people might think of other tools that will not work if not for the person. Take, for example, a pen. If both a gun and a pen are placed on a table, nothing happens. A person needs to pick up a pen, click it, and then actually point it to the paper for it to work. Similarly, a person needs to pick up a gun, point it at a person, pull the trigger. So is it the object that is to blame or the person?
Novitsky strongly believes that people must be aware of their constitutional rights. He stated, "George Washington said the Constitution is the people's only keeper and that 'the power under the Constitution will always be in the people.' Our first president did not say the government, but referred to the people." This is happening today, when Walmart, Dick's Sporting Goods, and other companies have decided on their own, and are not forced by the government, to have reasonable ways they will sell guns."
What he hopes to achieve with this movie is to "help people to rediscover the Constitution and bring it back into the hearts and minds of all people. After all, it was Thomas Jefferson who said, 'The greatest danger to American freedom is a government that ignores the Constitution,' and that it is important to 'educate and inform the whole mass of people[.] ... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.'"
The author writes for American Thinker. She has done book reviews and author interviews and has written a number of national security, political, and foreign policy articles.