The big news today: Archaeologists unearthed George Washington’s boyhood home. 
And to further obscure one of our great national legends into falsehood, there was no sign of a hatchet, a cherry tree stump, a powdered wig, or wooden teeth.
In the opening minutes of FREE FOR ALL!, I question that tale we all learned in school: That the founder of our country was so honest, even as a kid, he proclaimed: "I cannot tell a lie: It was I who cut down this cherry tree."
Because if this is our paradigm for truth in America, what does it say when that story isn’t even true? Should we be disillusioned about that, or just give the benefit of the doubt that young George surely meant well, whatever he was doing?
Giving ‘the benefit of the doubt’ is uniquely American — that’s how most people’s faith in our elections work. Another term: Blind Faith. How come there is no similar term like "The Benefit of Questioning" or "The Benefit of Making Sure For Your Damn Self"?
This historical riddle in my film introduces the ongoing question I pose of my subjects, "What is Truth?" This is intended to prompt the audience to assess what their standard of Truth is, and look beyond childhood tales and blind faith.
Thus, going by what was and was not found at Washington’s home, this is what Truth we can piece together: There are no signs he was an aspiring lumberjack; but there are signs that our first president toked up often, and perhaps dreamed up a whole new government while baked.
Here is what the archaeologists did find: "They also discovered a well-used pipe bowl, blackened from smoking, that was marked with a Masonic crest. Washington joined the Fredericksburg Lodge of the Masons in 1753."
In fact, George Washington grew Hemp. He wrote in 1794,
"Make the most you can of the Indian Hemp seed and sow it everywhere."
So what of this inspirational American tale about deforestation and taking responsibility for your destructive actions—something our current President George could learn a lot from?
Bah, it was probably dreamed up by stoners anyway.
