Liberty video screening draws mixed reviews

The Prince William County anti-illegal immigration resolution has garnered all kinds of attention, and not all of it has been flattering.

Eric Byler wants to change that.

Fresh off completing a second version of the video compilation titled "9500 Liberty" with filmmaker Annabel Park, Byler thinks the county still has a reputation unfounded in reality, thanks to an incomplete understanding of the resolution.

"[The video] is a way to clear the county's name," said Byler, who believes the current version of the legislation passed in April is a workable solution and a fair outcome to a democratic process gone awry thanks to political pressure applied by local and national organizations.

The hour-plus film -- which the two plan to enter as a feature documentary in the Sundance Film Festival -- highlights the resolution from its origins last fall to its current state. Along the way, the filmmakers cover the contentious public hearing on Oct. 16, 2007, and have on-camera interviews with current and former supervisors, county employees, resolution proponent and Help Save Manassas president Greg Letiecq and others.

The video focuses on how the final pieces of legislation were put together for the April 29 vote, as well the highly publicized issue involving county police Chief Charlie T. Deane and his meeting with the Mexican consul this spring.

The reaction to the film ran the gamut, after its showing Friday night at Trinity Episcopal Church in Manassas.

Chris Pannell, who left Help Save Manassas this spring, praised the video. Woodbridge Workers Committee Nancy Lyall enjoyed the film, but expressed her outrage at the resolution.

City Councilman Jonathan Way said the presentation was interesting but that he learned nothing new.

"It was far less contentious and argumentative than I thought it might have been," Way said.

Conversely, Help Save Manassas member Maureen Wood said the video was one-sided, made Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey A. Stewart look like a fool and the filmmakers and she would never "see eye to eye on this issue."

Byler said the impetus for the video came from his friends outside of Prince William, who brought the

illegal immigration issue in the county to his attention. Byler conceded that he became less inclined to show both sides of the story as the filmmaking went along. He said he witnessed the climate of intolerance grow during the process.

In December, Byler elaborated on some of his filming experiences while testifying at the Civil Rights Commission meeting in Prince William County and voiced his opinion about the resolution during citizens time on April 22 and April 29.

When Byler realized that the county's ultimate product differed substantially from the first effort, he wanted to make sure that was conveyed in the video and during Friday's question and answer session.

Unfortunately, Byler said, some of the mainstream media made it seem as if the resolution was toughened when in fact it was a watered down version of the original resolution.

"When you say that '9500 Liberty' is not objective, that '9500 Liberty' has a perspective, well that is true," Byler said. "We have a perspective. And I think the problem is that the packaging so often [from mainstream media] is that this is an objective news story, [or this is] an objective television spot. That is where the deception is...because nothing is truly objective and nothing lacks perspective. So if you read an article and it only quotes Corey Stewart, that is a perspective right there."

Supervisor Martin E. Nohe, R-Coles, attended Friday along with fellow supervisor W.S. "Wally" Covington III, R-Brentsville. Nohe, who had ample face time on the video, said the the film was clearly biased but appreciated that Byler made an effort to put the resolution into a much larger context than just portraying the two polar opposite views on the issue.

"This movie clearly has its good guys and bad guys and I was Alfred the Butler," said Nohe, referring to Batman's confidant. "And I am glad because if the movie would have been nothing but two sides of the story, no one would have understood it."

Staff writer Kipp Hanley can be reached at 703-369-5738.