Americans Have Lost An Important Lone Voice In The Woods...A Tribute To Aaron Russo
Dave Gibson
August 22, 2008
Freedom loving Americans lost one of their true advocates on August 24, 2007, when filmmaker and government watchdog Aaron Russo died after a long battle with cancer. Russo was a real patriot who spent the last 13 years of his life exposing our corrupt and power-hungry federal government. His disdain for what has become of our once great Republic along with his dogged determination in the pursuit of the truth, not only provided useful information but gave us inspiration as well.
Russo who was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1943 was a heavy-hitter in the entertainment business. He promoted bands such as Led Zeppelin, managed actors including Bette Midler and Susan Sarandon, and produced a Tony award-winning Broadway musical. He eventually began producing motion pictures.
Russo produced the following movies:
The Rose (1979)
Trading Places (1983)
Partners (1982)
Teachers (1984)
Wise Guys (1986)
Off and Running (1996)
Missing Pieces (1996)
In 1994, Russo produced a program called Aaron Russo's Mad As Hell, in which he tore into the march toward totalitarianism by our federal government, unfair taxation, and the lack of protection given our borders. The production also featured elected officials who spoke before a live audience in a forum-like setting. Because Mad As Hell heavily criticized Bill Clinton (particularly his support of NAFTA) and irresponsible government spending, no network or cable outlet would touch it. As a result, Russo sold it on home video.
In 1998, Russo entered the race for Governor of Nevada and came in second in the primary, garnering a very respectable 25 percent in a four-way contest. The following year he joined the Libertarian Party, which he said was his "true political home."
In 2004, he was narrowly defeated for his party's Presidential nomination. Russo outlined his platform by promising: "I will bring our troops home from every corner of the globe. I'll revoke the Patriot Act. I'll cut taxes, cut spending. I'll cut the size of government. I'll stop corporate welfare. I'll engage all nations in trade and commerce. I'll protect our air and water, and I'll protect our borders, but most importantly, I will protect our Constitution and the Bill of Rights."
In 2006, Russo made the documentary "America...From Freedom To Fascism." In his film he questioned nervous IRS officials, and interviewed people whose lives had been ruined by our government. The point of the production was to prove that there was no actual law which requires Americans to pay income taxes. Of course in the end, there was not one document uncovered by Russo, nor presented by the federal government which states Americans must pay federal income taxes...In my opinion, it is a very powerful and enlightening piece.
Russo was diagnosed with cancer nearly six years before he died. During that time, he continued to speak out against the loss of American sovereignty and warn his fellow citizens of the dangers we face as our Republic abandons our democratic origins and moves toward authoritarianism. He constantly sought to expose the truth about the 9/11 attacks and the government power-grab that followed. He wrote, produced, directed, and starred in the one-man production of his last film "America...From Freedom To Fascism," all while in the latter stages of bladder cancer.
Russo espoused the kind of beliefs that would have been merely considered as common sense 20 years ago, but today are somehow considered 'radical' by many. Fortunately for us, Russo never succumbed to the politically-correct, globalist notions which have taken hold of so many of our so-called elected representatives. He remained vigilant to the end.
Russo spent the last years of his life exposing the truth for the benefit of the American people. He was truly a selfless man as he spoke truth to power for all of us. He once told a reporter he wanted his epitaph to read simply: "Freedom Fighter"--I can think of no better description for the man.
With the Presidential nominees of both major parties seemingly indistinguishable from one another in their lack of commitment to Constitutional government, Aaron Russo is needed today more than ever. The best tribute we could give him, is to keep asking the tough questions of our so-called public servants and to demand that they restore the Republic as a nation of laws.
This election day, remember these incredibly sensible and powerful words: "I'm for the freedom of each person. The government is there to serve you; you're not there to serve the government." -- Aaron Russo
Thank you Aaron, we will not let your sacrifices go in vain.
Russo who was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1943 was a heavy-hitter in the entertainment business. He promoted bands such as Led Zeppelin, managed actors including Bette Midler and Susan Sarandon, and produced a Tony award-winning Broadway musical. He eventually began producing motion pictures.
Russo produced the following movies:
The Rose (1979)
Trading Places (1983)
Partners (1982)
Teachers (1984)
Wise Guys (1986)
Off and Running (1996)
Missing Pieces (1996)
In 1994, Russo produced a program called Aaron Russo's Mad As Hell, in which he tore into the march toward totalitarianism by our federal government, unfair taxation, and the lack of protection given our borders. The production also featured elected officials who spoke before a live audience in a forum-like setting. Because Mad As Hell heavily criticized Bill Clinton (particularly his support of NAFTA) and irresponsible government spending, no network or cable outlet would touch it. As a result, Russo sold it on home video.
In 1998, Russo entered the race for Governor of Nevada and came in second in the primary, garnering a very respectable 25 percent in a four-way contest. The following year he joined the Libertarian Party, which he said was his "true political home."
In 2004, he was narrowly defeated for his party's Presidential nomination. Russo outlined his platform by promising: "I will bring our troops home from every corner of the globe. I'll revoke the Patriot Act. I'll cut taxes, cut spending. I'll cut the size of government. I'll stop corporate welfare. I'll engage all nations in trade and commerce. I'll protect our air and water, and I'll protect our borders, but most importantly, I will protect our Constitution and the Bill of Rights."
In 2006, Russo made the documentary "America...From Freedom To Fascism." In his film he questioned nervous IRS officials, and interviewed people whose lives had been ruined by our government. The point of the production was to prove that there was no actual law which requires Americans to pay income taxes. Of course in the end, there was not one document uncovered by Russo, nor presented by the federal government which states Americans must pay federal income taxes...In my opinion, it is a very powerful and enlightening piece.
Russo was diagnosed with cancer nearly six years before he died. During that time, he continued to speak out against the loss of American sovereignty and warn his fellow citizens of the dangers we face as our Republic abandons our democratic origins and moves toward authoritarianism. He constantly sought to expose the truth about the 9/11 attacks and the government power-grab that followed. He wrote, produced, directed, and starred in the one-man production of his last film "America...From Freedom To Fascism," all while in the latter stages of bladder cancer.
Russo espoused the kind of beliefs that would have been merely considered as common sense 20 years ago, but today are somehow considered 'radical' by many. Fortunately for us, Russo never succumbed to the politically-correct, globalist notions which have taken hold of so many of our so-called elected representatives. He remained vigilant to the end.
Russo spent the last years of his life exposing the truth for the benefit of the American people. He was truly a selfless man as he spoke truth to power for all of us. He once told a reporter he wanted his epitaph to read simply: "Freedom Fighter"--I can think of no better description for the man.
With the Presidential nominees of both major parties seemingly indistinguishable from one another in their lack of commitment to Constitutional government, Aaron Russo is needed today more than ever. The best tribute we could give him, is to keep asking the tough questions of our so-called public servants and to demand that they restore the Republic as a nation of laws.
This election day, remember these incredibly sensible and powerful words: "I'm for the freedom of each person. The government is there to serve you; you're not there to serve the government." -- Aaron Russo
Thank you Aaron, we will not let your sacrifices go in vain.