America – The Movie

Last Sunday evening, I was one of the fortunate few hundred people who was invited to attend a preview of Dinesh D'Souza's new movie, America, in Nashville. To my surprise and delight, Dinesh was there, along with his beautiful and talented daughter, Danielle, already a published author whose first

book came out two years ago – while she was still a high school student. Dinesh spoke before and after the movie, then took a few questions from the audience. Afterward, he and Danielle waited in the theater lobby and greeted each one of us individually. No doubt, his hand was quite sore by the end of the evening.

When my turn came, I thanked Dinesh for the opportunity to watch the movie, then told him that in my opinion, it is a masterpiece. I then chatted briefly with Danielle, and advised her that she should be very proud of her father. (She assured me that she is.)

Why do I believe that America is a masterpiece? Because maybe once in a century, an author creates a work so powerful that it induces a major change in our entire social structure.

One such work is the 48-page pamphlet Common Sense, written by Thomas Paine and first published anonymously in January, 1776. Right from the start, it was enormously popular. Eventually, hundreds of thousands of copies were printed and distributed -- amazing in view of the fact that at the time, the thirteen original colonies had a total population of only about 2.5 million people. At least one newspaper printed the pamphlet in its entirety for the convenience of its subscribers. Throughout the colonies, there were public readings of Common Sense in order that those who were unable to read could also receive its message. Its impact on the American public cannot be overstated. Common Sense developed the necessary popular support which permitted the American Revolution to succeed in the face of overwhelming odds against the most powerful military of its time.

Next came Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin, first published in 1854. Once again, the work quickly became a monster hit. During the 19th Century, Uncle Tom's Cabin far outsold every other book on the market with the sole exception of the Bible. Although a work of fiction, the book so inflamed the public's emotions on both sides of the slavery issue that 7 years after its publication, the Civil War broke out. In due course, slavery was ended and the Constitution was amended to guarantee full voting rights to all citizens regardless of the color of their skin.

Dinesh's movie America is a monumental cinematic accomplishment which packs an enormous emotional wallop. In an age when fewer people read serious books, printed material, while certainly influential, can no longer generate the same degree of public interest as Common Sense and Uncle Tom's Cabin, particularly when it swims upstream against the prevailing intellectual current. Nowadays, in order to reach the public, it is necessary to go to them directly – over the heads of the intelligentsia and the media – with a powerful multimedia message. Dinesh has succeeded admirably. If a small fraction of the American people watches this film and absorbs its message, the effect will be electric. The fraction of the public with a burning desire to restore the American republic and the determination to see this unprecedented challenge through to a successful conclusion will reach critical mass. American ingenuity will take care of the rest. If we are sufficiently determined to rid ourselves of our present soft tyranny and restore Constitutional government to the United States, we'll figure out how to do it as we go.

It is vitally important that we all demand that our local theaters obtain and show America as soon as possible after its July 2, 2014 release date, then convince as many friends, relatives, and acquaintances as we can to go with us to watch it. If we're successful, we'll be able to recapture the Senate this November, stop any further encroachment on our freedom, and begin the arduous task of cleaning up the huge mess which Obama and the Democrats -- with far too much help from the milquetoast country club Republicans -- have made. The major part of the job will have to wait until January 20, 2017, when we hope to see the Obamas leave our White House for the very last time and be replaced by a Republican who intends to honor his oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution – so help him (or her), God!

If we succeed, future historians will note that our previously scattered and ineffective efforts were given focus and force by a movie conceived by a creative genius who was born in India, but who, like so many millions of others, elected to immigrate to the United States and become a proud American citizen – Dinesh D'Souza.