136. Too Much 1984, Not Enough 1776 | Topher Field | The Feds

<p><strong>How far should obedience go when the government crosses the line?</strong></p><p>🔥Recorded at FreedomFest 2026, Stephanie Weidle sits down with Australian filmmaker, author, and political commentator<strong>Topher Field</strong> for a gripping conversation about Melbourne’s COVID-era lockdowns—and the moment he decided that his conscience required civil disobedience.</p><p>Topher recounts curfews, military checkpoints, protest bans, arrests, police confrontations, and the personal cost of becoming one of Australia’s most visible lockdown opponents. He explains why he believes limited government can survive<em>only</em> when <strong>ordinary people are willing to place limits on their own obedience.</strong></p><p>👉The conversation explores the psychology behind mass compliance and why standing up can cost you friendships and professional security. Topher details how<strong>nurses and teachers</strong> changed the course of Australia’s resistance movement and what Americans can learn from Melbourne’s experience.</p><p>00:00 — Welcome<br>01:15 — Meet Topher Field<br>06:12 — When Topher began questioning the COVID response<br>14:09 — Life under Melbourne’s curfews and lockdown rules<br>16:24 — Military checkpoints and the “Ring of Steel”<br>17:53 — The beginning of Australia’s resistance movement<br>25:51 — The psychology behind mass compliance<br>29:26 — Why limited government requires limited obedience<br>34:12 — “Too much 1984 and not enough 1776”<br>39:19 — The day Topher decided to break the law<br>44:51 — Police escalation and rubber bullets<br>48:07 — The protest that changed everything<br>51:18 — Creating <em>Battleground Melbourne</em><br>52:47 — Why citizens must “limit their obedience”<br>54:12 — A police officer who sacrificed her career<br>56:40 — The one action every American can take</p><p><strong>Topher Field is the director of</strong><a href="https://www.topherfield.com/documentary" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener"><u><em><strong>Battleground Melbourne</strong></em></u><u><strong> </strong></u></a><strong>and the author of</strong><a href="https://store.topherfield.com/products/good-people-break-bad-laws-book?variant=46807648764226" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener"><u><em><strong>Good People Break Bad Laws</strong></em></u></a><strong> and</strong><a href="https://store.topherfield.com/products/good-christians-break-bad-laws?variant=49664444531010" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener"><u><em><strong>Good Christians Break Bad Laws</strong></em></u></a><strong>.</strong></p><p><strong>Check out his website:</strong><a href="https://www.topherfield.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener"><u><strong>www.topherfield.com</strong></u></a></p><p><strong>Follow Topher:</strong><a href="https://x.com/TopherField" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener"><u><strong>https://x.com/TopherField</strong></u></a></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>🎧 Listen to</strong><em><strong> The Feds</strong></em><strong> on </strong><a href="https://jameserdman.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener"><u><strong>Substack</strong></u></a><strong> &amp; all other platforms:</strong><a href="https://taplink.cc/fedsforfreedom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener"><u><strong> </strong></u></a><a href="https://taplink.cc/fedsforfreedom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener"><u><strong>https://taplink.cc/fedsforfreedom</strong></u></a></p><p><strong>🇺🇸 Visit our Website:</strong><a href="http://fedsforfreedom.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener"><u><strong> </strong></u></a><a href="http://fedsforfreedom.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener"><u><strong>FedsForFreedom.org</strong></u></a><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>🏃 Follow us on</strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/feds4freedomusa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer nofollow noopener"><u><strong> </stro