Ben Makinen writes: I have filed a civil lawsuit in Washington state and multiple FBI, IRS and other federal agency complaints to protect my First Amendment right to release this movie that PBS distributor NETA dropped due to a coordinated smear campaign.
I also hope you take an hour to watch the film which is a beautiful statement to the wonderful contributions that come from the native, black, and gay communities historically marginalized by the predominant narrative.
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Filmmaker Ben Makinen has officially filed a complaint with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) alleging a coordinated online campaign of defamation, reputational sabotage, and digital interference—led by federally funded nonprofit leaders and artists—to suppress the release of his PBS-approved documentary Echoes of Tradition.
At the heart of this firestorm is a chilling question:
Are nonprofit cultural institutions using tax-exempt status and federal grants to retaliate against independent artists who tell inconvenient truths?
Echoes of Tradition explores Native American and LGBTQ+ contributions to jazz and was supported by the very artists now trying to censor it. With signed releases in hand and national PBS distribution secured, Makinen was blindsided by:
– False public claims of “non-consent”
– Coordinated smear campaigns by grant-funded actors
– Fabricated claims of a Kennedy Center incident—debunked by the center’s own president
– DMCA abuse to suppress legal assets
– Shadowbanning and festival blacklisting within hours of the first defamatory post
The results?
– $350,000+ in lost deals, gigs, and momentum
– A silenced PBS release
– A second documentary shelved
– Cancelled speaking engagements
– And a dangerous precedent for artists everywhere
(Case ID redacted for legal and security reasons — full documentation available upon request.)
“I’ve spent my life standing up for people who need a voice. I am not afraid to challenge power. Echoes includes stories told directly by Native, Black, White, Creole, 2SLGBTQIA+, and non-Native artists—all united by love for jazz. Two cast members who once championed this film are now leveraging identity politics and institutional backchannels to shut it down… without even watching it. This isn’t about race. It’s about power.”
This is only the beginning.
Additional federal filings have been submitted to the appropriate oversight offices. All documentation, legal filings, and witness accounts are on file and available for investigative journalists and civil rights watchdogs.
Echoes of Tradition remains viewable for free at: https://www.patreon.com/BenMakinen
Featuring: R. Carlos Nakai, Endea Owens, Ingrid Jensen, Tanya Darby, Shirazette Tinnin, and more.
This isn’t just about one film. If this campaign succeeds, no independent filmmaker is safe.
For press or legal inquiries:
Ben Makinen
Executive Producer | Bmakin Film
Director of Litigation
Red Road Legal – Indigenous media rights advocacy initiative
media@redroadlegal.org https://www.bmakinfilm.com
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POTUS Derides Copyright and State Rules in AI Action Plan Launch
By Mohar Chatterjee, Politico
In remarks delivered at a “Winning the AI Race” summit hosted by the All-In Podcast and the Hill and Valley Forum in Washington, POTUS said stringent copyright enforcement was unrealistic for the AI industry and would kneecap U.S. companies trying to compete globally, particularly against China.
“You can’t be expected to have a successful AI program when every single article, book or anything else that you’ve read or studied, you’re supposed to pay for,” he said. “You just can’t do it because it’s not doable. … China’s not doing it.”
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Go here to read more of this story:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/trump-derides-copyright-and-state-rules-in-ai-action-plan-launch/