On April 7, Sam Adams impersonator Tom Niewulis came to US Digital for an interview with David Madore.
Video one timeline:
00:00 Niewulis (pronounced New-vall-us) explains that Samuel Adams’ character gives him the motivation behind impersonating the historical figure. Niewulis says Samuel Adams was an interesting character, a devout Christian, a father of the revolution, a very active forefather, a great businessman and a lawyer who understood economy.
02:29 Niewulis continues by describing Adams’ father who helped start a “land bank.” When the government went bankrupt it consumed the assets in these types of banks and Adams stood to lose his property. Niewulis tells what happened when Adams petitioned the sheriff.
05:20 Niewulis says Adams did a lot to help people understand truth, freedom and liberty. Madore says Adams had a good background when it came to the principles to form a nation.
06:12 Niewulis says that one of the enterprises that Adams’ father left to him was his malting business. Samuel Adams beer of today started with this Samuel Adams.
06:44 Niewulis says that Adams’ father was the first person to organize longshoremen in an effort to create a business environment that was profitable for all. Niewulis and Madore talk about the difference between unions then and the unions of today.
07:57 Niewulis and Madore discuss the values of our founding fathers and how they both believe it is important to go back to the writings of a man like Samuel Adams in order to pass those values on to the next generation.
09:19 Niewulis says that Adams’ writings were the inspiration for him to impersonate Samuel Adams and take him on as “my alter ego.” Although some were destroyed, there are still some 2,000 pages in existence written by Adams or about Adams.
10:43 Madore asks Niewulis what a good source would be for people who want to learn about Samuel Adams.
11:30 Niewulis says books are good resources but bringing Samuel Adams to life is the best way to learn about him. The specific book Niewulis says is recommended by Glenn Beck, was written by Ira Stoll, entitled, “Samuel Adams: A Life.”
Video two timeline:
00:21 Niewulis explains how his impersonations of Samuel Adams began.
01:51 Niewulis lists Adams’ passions, the first of which is natural law. Niewulis says Adams didn’t contribute to the Declaration of Independence because he was working on the Articles of Confederation.
05:33 Natural law was a concept acceptable to everyone except overlords and kingsmen which made it necessary for commoners to fight for the rights to freedom and liberty.
06:59 Madore explains top down government vs. bottom up government. Niewulis explains that top down government was normal in Adams’ day and the American people and colonists were the ones that helped cause a fracture in the structure.
09:52 Madore states how America is unique in its bottom up example of government.
10:14 Niewulis explains the difference between classical education and indoctrination and how classical education caused America’s founding fathers to read and study pure examples of democracy in order to establish our nation.
Video three timeline:
00:00 Niewulis talks with Madore about the United States governments. He says the American people’s expectation is that we elect the most knowledgeable, wise, virtuous person to represent them.
01:04 Madore states that the Constitution was written in order to limit the powers of government and ensure the rights of the people are protected. His believes the Constitution has been turned upside down. He says it seems the Constitution today is limiting the people to ensure the freedom government.
01:57 Niewulis discusses the time of Carl Marx and Marx’s influence on America, which causes the government’s philosophy to change. He says Carl Marx came on the scene in the 1850s so by the 1900 his whole thought process got lost within local government and churches. What we now know as “social gospel” got its start in the late 1850’s and 1860’s. Humanist and socialist John Dewey came on the scene in the early 1900’s, influencing education.
03:42 Niewulis defines a humanist and a socialist and mentions communist Carl Marx. Madore discusses private property rights in light of socialism.
05:37 Madore states his opinion that private property rights are foundational to American law. Niewulis says it is for this reason that Adams pressed that elected officials be people of wisdom, moral character, and be tested so that they rightly represented the people. If an official didn’t represent the people, the people had power to withdraw the official.
07:26 Niewulis talks about Thomas Jefferson’s belief that if people are ignorant of their participation in government, they have the right to lose it all. Madore emphasizes the importance of American people learning from history. Niewulis says Americans have fundamental foundations to act upon.
08:38 Madore says America has departed from the foundations and gives an example of when 30 years ago in Southern California, if the representative didn’t reflect the will of the people, they could be recalled. Now in Washington state, there is no recall when representative is rogue and doesn’t reflect the will of the people. Madore says it’s an abuse of power.
09:55 Niewulis says that there are so many distractions that keep participation in government to a minimum which is why he tries to educate the electorate to participate more. Madore repeats Niewulis’ sentiment: The healthiest government is most insured when people are engaged.
11:53 Niewulis talks about the fundamentals of government and a survey of elected officials and how few have ever read or understand the constitution.
Video four timeline:
00:36 Niewulis and Madore talk about other people that do impersonations of historical figures to make history come alive.
01:43 Madore talks about his frame of mind when he was in high school. He didn’t see the value of history.
02:18 Niewulis says that in 1957, the educational system changed from teaching history to teaching social studies and civics. The perspective of what was being taught was “clipped” by the time Niewulis says he and Madore were in high school. Niewulis says he believes this educational format change caused a misunderstanding of the value of participation in government is.
04:22 Madore talks about how profound the Declaration of Independence is and how America should cherish it. He talks about his opinion of comments like, “the constitution is a living document.”
06:40 Niewulis says if taken at its word, the constitution clearly helps to solve arguments in legislation and gives an example of the legislation of the new health care plan. He says the health care plan is a gross, horrific violation of the American people’s freedoms and liberties.
07:38 Madore says this violation should be a reminder to Americans to participate.
