From the August 2004 Idaho Observer:

Interview with Brent Johnson

Brent Johnson is the voice of Freedom Radio and the founder of Freedom Bound International. One of America's true freedom fighters, Brent Johnson is on the air Monday through Friday from 6 p.m.-7p.m. ET and can be found on WWCR at 12.160 MHz or via the Internet at www.freedomradio.us. The Idaho Observer and the American Sovereign Brent Johnson have been corresponding since 1997 but never met until last June when both were in attendance at the Gathering in Denver as a show of support for Rick Stanley (The IO, July, 2004).

We found that we had many things in common philosophically, politically and both had a keen interest in using “counterpropaganda” tools that work. Based upon areas of mutual interest, with the help of his able and dedicated partner Lee Parker, we arranged for the following interview to take place and, later that same afternoon, I appeared with Brent on Freedom Radio to discuss effective means of disseminating information beyond the choir.

Following are the relevant points discussed in our interview of August 6, 2004.

DH: Good morning, Brent. Let's begin by finding out where you came from and what prompted you to pursue personal freedom for yourself and other interested Americans.

BJ: I was born and lived the first 30 years of my life in New York. One day I watched no less than two dozen people intentionally avoid helping a woman who was having car problems. It took about five minutes of my time to help her out, so I was five minutes late, big deal -- but these other people could not be bothered. It was at that moment I decided that I had to get out of New York.

DH: If that was your impetus to get out of New York, what was your impetus to get involved in sovereignty issues?

BJ: I got in my 1972 Ford Pinto (the best car I ever had) and took a 9,000 trip around the country and decided to settle in northern California. That was 1985.

I then ended up in a situation, not knowing anything, where I 'owed' the IRS money. So I made an arrangement with the IRS. I was making just enough money as a convention organizer, actor and stage production manager to pay my basic bills and my IRS stipend. I thought my life was over. A woman told me that I did not have to pay the income tax. She put me in touch with information that allowed me to stop paying. She pointed me in the right direction and I just kept going.

DH: When did you start the American Sovereign radio program?

BJ: I believe it was January, 1994. But, before having my own program, I literally made myself a radio personality by calling into radio shows to talk about sovereignty issues. In those days what I was talking about was a big deal because no one else was talking about it. Then I got my own show on WWCR and it became very popular.

Now you have to remember, I have a theatrical background where everything is in the presentation. I had to incorporate what I knew from past experience into my new venture.

DH: So, from past experiences you developed a radio presentation format people find interesting and informative. How do you test your audience's level of understanding and how deeply you can challenge their conditioned world views?

BJ: I can go a lot farther with the shortwave show because the listeners are already pretty knowledgeable about our issues.

The syndicated show, on the other hand, is much different. Syndication is a world of corporate politics and advertisers and the listeners represent a wide spectrum of beliefs and knowledge. So I break the show up into several segments. One is called “The Barr Report” with former Georgia Rep. Bob Barr. Bob is eloquent and, as a former congressman, former prosecutor he lends credibility to the issues we discuss on the show.

Another segment is called the “Conspiracy Corner.” We discuss the “conspiracy” with credible people. In this way, topics mainstream thinkers generally associate with “conspiracy theories” begin to be legitimized in their minds.

DH: How do you measure the effect your show has on the listening audience, particularly with regard to your syndicated show?

BJ: For 10 weeks last spring we were on AM radio in southern California. I found that liberals thought I was for Kerry and was on their side and conservatives thought I was for Bush and on their side when, in fact, I am not on anyone's side. I am on the side of truth, I am on the side of freedom and I am on the side of the rule of law and people can feel that. Plus, we have people asking us all the time when we are going to be back on AM radio in the LA area -- the show was really popular because we discussed the events of today from the perspective of how they affect our life, liberty and property.

DH: And this is the key to your show being popular among mainstream audiences?

BJ: I believe we are in a war on freedom. I believe this society is being turned into a socialist fascist society. This is not political jockeying, this is a war. There is a psychological battle going on. This will not be won or lost in the courts, it will be won or lost in the hearts and minds of people. People naturally want to protect their lives, their liberty and their property.

DH: When we are dealing with an expanded audience of mainstream thinkers, what topics are you finding to be on the forefront of people's minds?

BJ: Most people seem to be focused on the stories being reported in the mainstream. What I have found is that my listeners know there is more going on than what is being reported. So I air these topics -- not by parroting or debunking the mainstream version -- but by discussing how they affect the life, liberty and property of individuals in a free society. These are the things people should really be looking at. For instance, all sorts of things have happened since 9/11 that have directly affected American life, liberty and property. By explaining how the Patriot Act is being enforced and the war on terror is being waged based upon conclusions from investigations that did not properly consider or preserve the evidence, and how those things are impacting their personal freedom, people begin to listen.

I teach people real time ways of protecting their life, liberty and property. I use the issues of the day to show people how their lives are being affected in ways they find hard to deny.

DH: Are there any final thoughts you would like to leave with our readers?

BJ: The law itself protects no one. The law does not protect you from the lawless; the courts do not seek justice and the law doesn't protect you from criminals. Never give out any more information about yourself than is absolutely necessary.

Freedom revolves around the preservation of life, liberty and property.

Freedom is our greatest gift and our most awesome responsibility and you must be prepared to die for it. If there is nothing for which you are willing to die, then you can easily be enslaved because all someone in authority has to do is threaten you and you will do as you are told.

People unknowingly give up their freedom with licenses, social security cards and by participating in government entitlement programs.

It is fundamentally immoral to have the government support you in any sense. Therefore, if you ask the government to help you in any way, you have given up your rights and, therefore, your freedom.

Even while you are protecting your liberty, government is trying to find your property and take it from you. They train their people to take your property. They find your property through your liabilities. If you have no liabilities, they cannot find property. I can teach you how to have full access and use of property without claiming any liability for it. Keep in mind that pieces of paper do not protect property, it is how you behave that protects your property -- and your life and liberty.

Note: Our conversation lasted for about an hour. We went into many areas of mutual interest that digressed from the topic at hand, which was to discuss how we can expand the pool of people who understand basic principles of freedom.

Johnson's website at www.freedomradio.us has links to the entire spectrum of thoughts, philosophies and reporting of current events reflecting his emphasis on protecting one's life, liberty and property. The site also has a couple of unique features: It has, downloadable by chapter, the Anti-government Movement Guidebook and links to the Total Government Awareness website -- the people's response to the government's desire to know everything about you. (DWH)