Merlin Miller

Merlin L. Miller is an American independent film director, writer, and producer. His works include the 1998 television film A Place to Grow, starring Gary Morris, and the 2000 film Jericho, starring Mark Valley. During the 2000s he founded a Tennessee-based production company, Americana Pictures. He has also written articles for the Barnes Review and the Occidental Observer.

Miller is the 2012 presidential nominee of the American Third Position Party.

Early years

Miller (born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa), is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, and has commanded two United States Army units. Following this, he says, he worked as an Industrial engineering manager for Michelin Tire Company. In 1985, he graduated from the University of Southern California with an MFA degree in Cinema/Television.

Miller says that, in his childhood, he admired Walt Disney and Davy Crockett.

1989–1992

In 1989, Miller produced and edited Devil Rider, a horror movie starring Tag Groat as the title character. In 1991, Miller produced David Heavener's crime film Prime Target, starring Heavener as policeman John Bloodstone and Isaac Hayes as Captain Tompkins.

In 1992, Miller co-produced the action film A Mission to Kill, starring William Smith as a mentally unstable Vietnam veteran, Boris Catuli. Tag Groat, who played the title role in Devil Rider, also appeared in this film.

1998–2000

In 1998, Miller returned to the film business with A Place to Grow, which he wrote, directed, and produced. The movie starred country singer Gary Morris; actors John Beck and Wilford Brimley, as well as hobo music artist Boxcar Willie, also appeared in it.

In 2000, Miller produced and directed a western movie, Jericho, with Mark Valley as the title character. Retired Marine Corps drill instructor R. Lee Ermey appeared in the movie, as did Buck Taylor and country artist Lisa Stewart.

Shift in philosophy

During the 2000s, Miller began to take on an increasingly paleoconservative political stance. He also became harshly critical of Hollywood, claiming that it "surreptitiously seeks to destroy our European-American heritage and our Christian-based traditional values, and replace them with values that debase these traditional values and elevate minorities as paragons of virtue and wisdom....Today’s motion pictures, in concert with other forms of mass media entertainment, are the greatest enemies to the well-being of our progeny and the future of our country." Miller has also accused Hollywood of being under "Jewish-Zionist control"; he cites Kevin B. MacDonald as influencing this view. He has attacked celebrities such as Quentin Tarantino and Madonna, saying that they are "dysfunctional" and "come from traditional Christian or European-American backgrounds but are notorious for spurning those values." He has cited Mel Gibson and his self-marketed movie The Passion of the Christ as inspirations.

Miller also spoke at the 2008 national conference of the Council of Conservative Citizens, an organization he is a member of. Miller has stated that while he does not share all the views of the COfCC members, and rejects "extremist stances", he nonetheless agrees with the group's statement of principles. Miller states that he "doesn't like" interracial marriage; however, he does not support outlawing interracial marriage, either. Miller has denied being anti-Semitic, instead claiming that he merely opposes "favoritism" granted to Jews in the film industry. He also opposes illegal immigration and what he refers to as "wide open borders" in the United States.

After his return from Iran in 2012, he wrote on his website that he realised that the people who wanted a war between the US and Iran are "globalists (international bankers and their multinational beneficiaries). They control Israel, the American media and most of our politicians…and by extension our foreign policy."

Americana Pictures

Miller's shift in views led him to found Americana Pictures, based in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, Miller's current home. According to its mission statement, the company aims "to develop, produce and market quality motion pictures, which promote fresh talent and the best of traditional European-American ideals." Americana Pictures' first film was said to be about the USS Liberty incident, which he referred to as a "shocking Israeli attack" on the United States.

In 1998, Captain William McGonagle, commanding officer of the USS Liberty wrote President Clinton, confirming Merlin Miller's version of events. Captain McGonagle was awarded the Medal of Honor during the engagement between US and Israeli forces in the Mediterranean during which 196 of 271 crew members were killed or wounded.http://www.ussliberty.org/mcg2prez.htm

He said he was planning to produce The Liberator (which was to be based on the history of Arminius and the Battle of the Teutoberg Forest).

Other activities

In 2008, Miller contributed $200 to the presidential campaign of Republican Congressman Ron Paul. He also served as a delegate for Paul's campaign.

He wrote a favorable review of the Martin Campbell movie Edge of Darkness.

Presidential candidacy, 2012

In January 2012, Miller was nominated by the American Third Position Party for President of the United States in the 2012 election. He is first presidential candidate ever nominated by the party, which was founded in 2010. He has gained ballot access in Colorado, New Jersey and Tennessee.

In September, Miller met with Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmedinejad for nearly 20 minutes and discussed a number of issues, including what both Miller and Ahmedinejad view as the "Zionist-controlled media" in the West. Miller publicly defended Ahmedinejad as someone who has been unfairly demonized in Western media and who cares about his people. Ahmedinejad gave Miller a collection of poems by Omar Khayyam.

External links

• Americana Pictures
• 2012 presidential campaign website