Ice-T will narrate a pro-gun documentary, “Assaulted: Civil Rights Under Fire,” which will debut in theaters across America on June 20. The film, which advocates for Second Amendment rights and challenges the audience to see the gun control argument from a new perspective, is directed by Kris Koenig. Koenig cast rapper and actor Ice-T for his personal story, The Blaze reported.
Ice-T’s narration, paired with expert analysis, drives Koenig’s points home. Koenig said Ice-T is a talented narrator who adds profound value to the film’s goals.
“Ice has got an incredible voice and when you hear it against the words that we wrote it just really, really works,” he said, noting the importance of including African Americans, especially in light of past civil rights offenses. “He’s also a bridge to the black American community … the Second Amendment was denied to blacks in this country all the way up to the 20s.”
Koenig dissects how the focus on banning guns after recent mass shootings like the Newtown school shooting and the Aurora theater shooting should really be on historical constructs and personal freedoms.
“I’d like the public to walk away and look at gun control not as a mechanical device issue, but look at it as a civil rights issue,” he told The Blaze. “It is part of the Bill of Rights — it’s part of our natural rights as human beings to have the ability to have self-defense, and yet our lawmakers have looked over that civil right and are willing to embrace restrictions in the name of votes.”
While he knows the pointed statements in the film likely won’t resonate with far left individuals, he hopes it opens up a more critical discussion.
Koenig said that politicians should be looking beyond the rare mass shootings and instead focusing on the factors causing people to commit the crimes.
“I think it’s really disingenuous that we turn our back on the mental health issue,” Koenig said.
“Basic American civil rights are being threatened by efforts to constrain the Second Amendment. Gun control debates that focus on gun technology and not the roots of gun violence are not helping to resolve the issue,” commented Kris Koenig, “Assaulted” executive producer, director and writer. “‘Assaulted: Civil Rights Under Fire’ examines the original intent of current gun laws through the examples of important moments in U.S. history – because balanced information is critical to ensure that we balance public safety concerns with our civil liberties.”
Distributed by High Top Releasing, “Assaulted” will be playing in limited release beginning Thursday, June 20th in more than a dozen U.S. markets, including: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, among others. Moreover, through a partnership with Tugg, the film is available for special screenings nationwide. The web-platform enables individuals, organizations and non-profits to host their own theatrical events and share the film with their local community.
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