I first heard of “the documentary” during SHOT Show 2023. A number of my colleagues and friends had mentioned they were in or “so and so” was in, or filming, or scheduled to be filmed for “the documentary.” It was exciting and intriguing, but not too many people had much more information about it at the time. It was not until March 30th, when I got an email from the DC Project, that more about the series leaked out.
Ammunition for Debate on the Second Amendment
On April 11th an all-new, 9-part docuseries launches highlighting the reasons WHY we defend the Second Amendment and WHY gun owners carry firearms to protect those that we love.
Our leaders in Washington, DC are pushing harmful anti-gun narratives that don’t make you safer, but create more defenseless victims. They are lying to you! We want you to know the truth.
Sign up for FREE, 9-day access using the link below to directly support the mission of the DC Project. Using this link will help us to raise money and communicate our message of “Education, not Legislation”. Don’t forget to share the link with your friends and family once you have signed up.
The series is called Firearms and Freedoms and the premiere date has come and gone. There might be a little baggage on that premiere date thing. The sign up link is still active, HERE. However, the documentary is coming out one episode per day for free streaming, with only one episode airing per 24-hour period, and then the whole shebang gets trapped behind a paywall.
To date, they have aired five episodes and the series is worthy for sure. Broken up into different themes, the Jeff Hays production, hosted by James Saccomano, covers some of the hot-button issues of the Second Amendment today.
Episodes one through five have covered the following:
- Women and Self-Defense
- Kids and Their Safety Part 1
- Kids and Their Safety Part 2
- Mental Health and Firearms Part 1
- Mental Health and Firearms Part 2
The next episode to air will be on “Race and guns,” which should roll out the evening of April 16th.
Individual interviews are cut up and sewn into different portions of the film as it progresses. There are also long form narrative driven interviews in each of the episodes. Some of the stories that you’ll hear include:
- The story of Stephen Willeford, the “barefoot defender,” and his heroic acts stopping a mass shooting at a Texas church.
- Shirley Watral, the Florida state DC Project Delegate, tells the harrowing story of suffering through domestic abuse and being held captive, unable to escape. Watral wrote a book, Heels to Holster, about her ordeal, which I reviewed in 2021 here at Bearing Arms.
- Sean Whalen, the CEO of Lions not Sheep, gave commentary on bringing ideals back into society, and the importance of rugged individualism. Whalen talked about philosophies that served him well in order for him to succeed.
- Tim Kennedy, former member of the military, author, former UFC fighter, and all around badass, talked about the challenges of navigating through the world of activism. Kennedy in particular spoke about the stigma and flack that so-called pro-Second Amendment voices may give him, when he’s opening up dialogue with our friends on the other side.
- Donna Anthony, an Alaska police chief, DC Project Delegate, firearms instructor, and advocate for the law-abiding to be armed, spoke extensively about hardening our schools and school safety. Anthony pulled from her experience from years in law enforcement to speak to many of the problems we’re faced with today.
- From Walk the Talk America, both Jake Wiskerchen and Michael Sodini spoke about their work together, as well as their work independent of WTTA to bring them to where they are today. Wiskerchen talked about many things, but specifically about the stigmas which the mental health profession self-imposes. Sodini, from a firearms trade stand point brought his perspective to the work that’s he’s now doing to aid in bridging the gap between the firearms industry and mental health profession. Sodini and Wiskerchen first graced the pages of Bearing Arms in 2021 when I covered the story of Connie Wray, from The Next Stage, and her dealing with the loss of her daughter from death by suicide by a firearm.
- Mary Forgues, a survivor of a violent encounter and DC Project Delegate, told the gut wrenching story of her attack and eventual escape.
The docuseries has been jam-packed with facts, figures, and information from some of the most formidable minds in the Second Amendment world. Episodes from the series can still be caught until April 20th HERE. Once the free viewing period is over, the episodes are to be trapped behind a paywall. So if you haven’t caught the first four episodes, you still can catch episodes five through nine.
Other personalities in or potentially teased to be in the series include:
Kendra Geronimo an anti-trafficking advocate, Alison Adams a firearms instructor and DC Project member, Clark Aposhian the Chairman of the Utah Shooting Sports Council, Dannielle Dupree a domestic abuse survivor and advocate, Kevin Michalowski the USCCA Executive Editor, Beth Alcazar the USCCA Editor at Large, Tony Simon from the Second is for Everyone Diversity Shoot, Nick Wong from the Coalition of New Jersey Firearms Owners, JP Sears comedian and actor, Tucker Max author, Jeff Gonzales former Navy Seal, Mychael Waller advocate, Kari Grayson firearms instructor, Jacob Paulson the founder of ConcealedCarry.com, Kevin Dixie trainer and founder of an anti-violence program, Maj Toure founder of Black Guns Matter and activist, Tim Schmidt the founder of USCCA, Cindy Zumwait from the DC Project, Robyn Sandoval a DC Project board member and instructor, Dianna Muller a competitive shooter and founder of the DC Project, Kari Grayson a Texas member of the DC Project, Melissa Schuster-Presbitero from the DC Project, Dr. John Lott from the Crime Research Prevention Institute, Chris Cheng an advocate and Top Shot contestant, Philip Smith founder and President of the National African American Gun Association, Dudley Brown the founder and President of the National Association for Gun Rights, Holly Sullivan the President of Connecticut Citizens Defense League and a board member of the DC Project, Craig DeLuz the host of Morning Coffee with Craig, and more!