DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT 

The greatest obstacle to solving a problem, I have found, is the inability to recognize when there is a problem.

The failures and crimes of our society have been wearing me down since the turn of the century.  There reaches a point where my heart is simply too heavy to bear it all, I become overwhelmed, inert.  But there is something miraculous in our society to look forward to: Elections—an opportunity to change the direction of our government and see what other Americans are thinking and feeling.  It’s exciting, this national rotation of our representation.  It gives us all hope.

But what if all the never-ending campaigning and fundraising, debating and smearing—what if it’s all some dog and pony show or a pageant of political pretense and empty posturing?  What if no matter how bad things get in our country and the world, those ruled by greedy interests continue to lie, cheat and steal their way into power, as has been abundantly documented in this film and others?  I believe that our world becomes one without hope.

The purpose of this film is to show the world that where there is election fraud, there is also hope.  Voter suppression not only happens, it has become a new national pastime.  “Free For All” is an election protection wake-up CALL TO ACTION for the American people.

While setting the record straight through this film in the twilight of the Bush years offers clarity and comfort for so many alienated Americans, more important is spreading the awareness that our electoral process requires year-round citizen oversight.

So many Americans refuse to even consider that our elections could be corrupt and hijacked.  They will insist it doesn’t happen, without providing any examples of the process’ integrity.  While people shrug off “conventional” political scandals like embezzlement, bribes, kickbacks, and so on, for some reason, there exists the adamant denial that anyone would cheat in elections.  Somewhere, someone, who we don’t know, wouldn’t let them do that.  Perhaps it’s because the implications are too disturbing, and as Americans we pride ourselves in a sense of indisputable order.  We all make mistakes.  Some of us are just better at owning up to them than others.

My hope for people watching this film is that they not only question who is counting their vote, but how they make assumptions in truth.  I welcome the scrutiny of my film; I only urge that the viewer apply that same critical thinking toward what we’re told by the media and government.

What is past is preface.  We learn from the previous stolen elections and prepare for the next chance for change.  Because not only do we have to take back our democracy, we have to do it now, before agents of suppression institutionalize themselves at the helm of our society.

- John Wellington Ennis