The movie is about a Department of Homeland Security agent, played by Jim Caviezel, rescuing a young girl from sex traffickers.
- July 4: “Sound of Freedom” was released.
- July 11: SB 14 failed in the Assembly Public Safety Committee. The vote was 2-0, with six No Votes Recorded (NVR). A majority is needed to pass a bill in a committee, in this case five votes. NVR effectively counts as a No vote, but allows politicians to say they didn’t vote No.
- July 12: USA Today reported, “Why ‘Sound of Freedom,’ Jim Caviezel’s controversial child sex trafficking film, is a hit.”
- July 4-12: Left-wingers began attacking the film.
![Image from "Sound of Freedom" movie which will be released on July 4, 2023. (Courtesy of Angel Studios)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F06%2F19%2Fid5343218-1937792-Web-Rez-1200x800.jpg&w=1200&q=75)
That just gave the movie even more publicity. People wondered why the Left was attacking a movie defending kids against the demonic traffickers—and flocked to see it at the box office.
- July 12: Gov. Gavin Newsom got involved. He obviously didn’t want the rejection of this bill hanging over a potential presidential run.
“Newsom said Wednesday he was surprised the bill had stalled. He said he called Grove to talk about the bill, telling reporters that the call ‘is indicative of my desire to see what we can do with it.’ Newsom said he ‘cares deeply’ about the issue, noting he signed a state budget last year that included $25 million for services for children who had been victims of sex trafficking.
![Governor Gavin Newsom speaks to reporters at AltaMed Urgent Care in Santa Ana, Calif., on March 25, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F07%2F13%2Fid5395253-Gavin-Newsom_Santa-Ana_15_JF_03252021-1200x800.jpg&w=1200&q=75)
“‘I want to understand exactly what happened yesterday,’ Newsom said. ‘I take it very seriously.’”
- July 13: SB 14 passed the Assembly Public Safety Committee 6-0, with two members listed No Vote Recorded, Assemblymembers Mia Bonta (D-Oakland) and Isaac Bryan (D-Culver City). Both also abstained on the July 11 vote.
- July 14: The Legislature adjourned for its summer recess and will return Aug. 14. The Senate passed SB 14 on May 25, 40-0. And it’s certain the Assembly will pass it in a month, followed by Newsom’s signature.
![The California State Capitol building in Sacramento on April 18, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F07%2F11%2Fid5390478-State-Capital_JF_04192022-1200x800.jpg&w=1200&q=75)
Lessons Learned
The impending victory of SB 14 brought some lessons.First, in a political sense, this bill is a victory for the super-minority Republicans in the Legislature. They have just eight of 40 senators and 18 of 80 in the Assembly, freezing them out of most policy decisions. But when they advance a bill that resonates widely among Californians, they can get things done.
Also instructive are the comments from viewers, such as, “After finishing my degree in 1997, I packed up my wife and daughters and left for good. I saw what was coming, but I NEVER thought that it would get this messed up. As native it breaks my heart to see what has happened.”
Third, fighting for America now can be discouraging. Not a lot of wins lately. But “Sound of Freedom” and the SB 14 votes show we can fight back—and there’s a large audience out there eager to hear our message and join us. The fight is just beginning.