The Balkanization of America

by Ira Tabankin

  “Do it quickly, if the Americans know all of our plans, they will attack us. It’ll take time for Puten to send us more equipment since he’s started his plan to conquer Europe. We’re going to have to make do with the support we have.”

  @@@@@

  Some of the citizens of the LSA aren’t as enthusiastic over the new rules, regulations and taxes being forced on them. Many living along the borders decide they made a mistake joining the LSA, some petition their town councils and mayors to secede from the LSA and join the USA. Fistfights break out in town council meetings; police have to be called to remove the battling parties. Towns that vote to secede are often visited by the LSA national police who convince the citizens the error of their way. The ring leaders are usually arrested and sent to re-education camps; most are never seen again.

  @@@@@

  Parents are unhappy they’re losing control of how they can raise their children, even the types of toys their children are allowed to play with are mandated by the state. Children and parents in the LSA are upset water guns are outlawed. In Severna Park Maryland, four ten-year boys are arrested for having a running Nerf gun battle through three backyards. Someone called 911 to report kids with guns were running around her house. Within minutes fourteen, heavily armed SWAT officers are dispatched to arrest the gun-toting domestic terrorists. The boys are arrested and sentenced to five years in jail. The children’s parents organize a protest against the arrest of their children who were just being boys. Many in the community join the parent’s protest march, the national police arrive to break up the protest. The boy’s parents are arrested for disorderly conduct; they are found guilty and sentenced to five years in a re-education camp. All press coverage of the boys and their parent’s arrest is censored. In Asbury Park New Jersey twenty, teenagers plan a Friday midnight water gun fight. They figure no one will see them in the middle of the night. Fourteen boys and six girls plan the area for their epic game. They place reflecting tape on the borders of the field they plan to use for their night game. They tape light sticks to their shirts so they can find each other. At midnight the teenagers meet at the park; they carry super soakers filled with water tinted in different colors, so they know who hit whom. They were broken into four teams that fought each other.

  At 12:32 AM the kids are soaked, laughing and covered in multicolored water when five police cars surround the park. The police surprise the soaked kids, one lifts his super-soaker spraying one of the police cars in yellow tinted water; the police officers still inside their cars slip out, their side arms are drawn, they yell at the kids to drop their weapons. The kids don’t know what the officers are talking about, they don’t have any weapons; one sixteen-year-old girl laughs spraying an officer with red tinted water; he fires at her thinking she sprayed him with a dangerous chemical. The other officers hear the gunfire; not sure who fired first, they open fire on the teens. Seconds later, fourteen teens are dead, and two wounded. The officers are awarded for stopping a gang of domestic terrorists. The teens’ parents are furious their children were gunned down in cold blood. The press is given pictures of the dead teens with real guns lying next to them. Guns planted by the officers. The officers are given bonuses for taking out a gang of domestic terrorists.

  Police overreaction becomes common in the LSA. The best officers moved to the USA. Drivers are stopped on their way to work so the police can search their cars for any contraband. Probable cause is expanded to cover police officers having a suspicion there might be contraband in a car. The LSA courts rule search warrants aren’t required for police to stop and search cars, search private homes, or download information from personal cell phones and computers. Invasion of privacy no longer exists in the LSA. It’s all for the greater good and security of all. The LSA is simply making a better country for the children to grow up in.

  Parents of school-age children object to the LSA mandated unisex uniforms for all schoolchildren. School lasts 11 months; half of the school day is taken up by political education. In order to be fair to all, the LSA mandates there are three sexes, male, female and transgender. Every school, public and government building has to provide separate accommodations for all three. While open displays of religion are banned, open sexual displays are legal and encouraged. Sex education is taught through the use of live actors performing in front of the class. The school day lasts from 9:00 AM to 5: 00 PM, enabling all children to be fed three government supplied meals.

  Chapter 31

  President Brownstone addresses the country saying, “My fellow Americans, I’m happy to announce my administration has decided to expand our production of oil and gas. With the addition of Alberta, we’ll be the world’s largest oil producer within six months. We’re going to stop importing oil within four months. Never again are we going to be sending trillions of dollars to countries that use our funds against us. We’re going to use our resources to create North American jobs and pay off the country’s debt. We’re going to use our resources to improve the lives of each and every one of you. Lower oil costs lead to lower prices in all sectors. Due to our change back to the gold standard our inflation rate has already slowed to a very manageable two percent. I’m also pleased to inform you that we have reached a new trade agreement with China. In exchange for a trade agreement, China has agreed to not seek any additional territory. China has also agreed to accept the US dollar and purchase government bonds if we need to sell them. Premier Xing and I have agreed to a face to face meeting next month. We’re in the process of expanding our seventh fleet to ensure the Pacific stays peaceful.

  I’d like to take a moment and address President Puten. Mr. President, we urge you to cease your invasion of Europe. We urge Russia to return to your borders and leave Europe in peace. America and China are prepared to offer Europe assistance to resist you.

  My fellow citizens, our life is improving every day, our real unemployment rate is 8%, this is a total rate that includes those who’ve fallen off the unemployment rolls and have ceased looking for work. Many of these people are re-entering the workforce. Many are getting their first job in years. I’m happy to report America is putting our people back to work. The engine of our economy our small businesses are hiring and expanding at an unprecedented rate. Our low corporate tax rate has helped companies expand their business.

  Ladies and Gentlemen, we’re really entering a recovery. This time, it’s real. You can see this yourselves; prices for food and energy are going down, and employment is going up, take home pay is increasing. I’m confident everyone will be sharing in the country’s growth.

  To our neighbors in the LSA, I extend our hand in peace and friendship. We wish you well. To Acting President Reid, I say, stop trying to attack our people. Stop trying to create chaos in the USA, if you continue, we will lock down our borders and cut off trade with you. We will cease selling you food and fuel. Stop dumping people you no longer want on our front door. We are no longer going to accept those you find undesirable. You promised your people a worker's paradise, that paradise covers all of your people, not just those you deem worth it. You committed to your people for a free national healthcare system, honor the commitments you’ve made to your citizens.

  I promised to not ever take over fifteen minutes as such, good evening. God bless the United States of America.”

  President Reid and Vice President Polsi laugh at President Brownstone’s comments. “Harold, we both know he’s not going to turn away our needy. We can send him a message that if he doesn’t continue to accept our people we’ll let them die; their deaths will be blood on his hands. We’ll promise to keep the numbers a secret, so he doesn’t appear weak.”

  “You’re correct; he’s not going to stop selling us food or fuel. His people won’t accept ours going hungry. Once their news programs show our hungry children the public outcry will be so loud he’ll have to send us, food and fuel or he’ll be impeached. That would be a fitting end to his administration. Facing the same end, he brought upon President Obsma.
”

  “Harold, by the way, how is President Obsma doing?”

  “Nanny, I’m sorry if I haven’t kept you up to date. I know how much you care about the man’s well-being I’m sorry to say his condition is getting worse. I’m not sure how much longer he’ll be with us.”

  “What are we going to do when he passes?”

  “We’re going to declare a national week of mourning and continue on the path we’re on.”

  @@@@@

  While life is constantly improving in the USA, it’s not going as well in the LSA. High costs and inflation have taken a toll on the average citizen. Many consumer items are hard to find. The hardest are paper products. The LSAs mandated pure water rules have stopped the production of all paper products. Newspapers, advertising materials and books are completely digital. Schools convert to tablet computers. School children are taught how to write on their tablets. All school books are stored on their tablets. Each child is issued a tablet and is expected to use it for at least five years when due to technology advances the tablets are replaced.

  Homework and class work is submitted through the web. What most of the school children and their parents don’t realize is the government uses the tablets to spy on everything the tablet can see and hear, every keystroke is recorded. The LSA government can remotely turn on the video camera and microphone to see and hear what is happening inside the children's homes.

  Spying is common in the LSA. Almost every street corner has video surveillance cameras mounted on them. In many neighborhoods, streetlights have cameras and sensitive microphones built inside of them. Facial recognition software is constantly kept running in the background. Every person living in the LSA has to carry a national biometric ID card. The card doubles as a new social security card and drivers license. School-age kids use the card for admittance to school buildings. All new cars sold in the LSA are mandated to have a new black box that records where the car has gone, at what speed and even if the driver was wandering on the road. The car’s speed is automatically compared to the posted speed limits, anyone driving more than 5 MPH over the speed limit is electronically sent a ticket. Anyone who receives five tickets in a 12-month period discovers their ID card won’t start their car, their right to drive is turned off for 30 days. Taxes are collected based on every mile driven.

  People accept the constant spying on them as a trade-off for security. When their car is involved in an accident, the black box automatically calls for help, when an air bag deploys, the black box calls for help. If the black box senses the driver has had too much to drink the car won’t start. A new generation of ID cards is being developed that will enable the government to track a person just by the card. RFID chips combined with receivers built into the security camera systems will enable no more lost children. No one will have to worry about the elderly of ill wandering off; the ID cards will track those allowing help to arrive quickly. The LSA national press loves the new tracking technology. They run stories on how many lives the technology is going to save. How many needless deaths are going to be avoided because help is going to be automatically dispatched when it’s needed?

  @@@@@

  Most of the LSAs food comes from the US or from abroad. Every truckload from the US is stopped at the USA/LSA border for inspection. The value of the shipment is taxed which is due and payable at the border crossings. This forces the drivers to carry gold and silver coins to pay the import tax. Knowing this; criminals wait for the trucks just before the border crossing locations to hijack or rob them. The US reorganizes the Border Patrol arming them with automatic rifles, machine guns, and armored vehicles. The Border Patrol and criminals battle each other along a 1,000 miles border on the west coast. The US deploys armed drones to break up criminal groups.

  @@@@@

  Many people living in the LSA aren’t happy with the government totalitarianism. It’s illegal for groups of five or more to meet in public. One-time book codes and hand signals are used to communicate since no one trusts emails or phone conversations. All know the national police monitor and record and review all communications. For different reasons many couldn’t move out of the LSA, they decided if they had to stay they were going to risk everything, including their lives to try to force the LSA government to change. Many had been members of militias before the breakup of the country. Weapons were once again legal in the USA, but still illegal in the LSA. Militias in the USA smuggle weapons into the LSA. The West LA Militia plans an attack against the Cuban base at the Ex Naval base located at Point Mugu. Their plan is to attack the base from both land and sea. The militia’s first goal is to recruit some of the women who work at the base. The LSA government hired hundreds of women as “social workers” to provide their guest Cuban military with “female friends.” The women are happy to help the militias attack the LSA for drafting them into prostitution. The militia asks the women to get keys, watch cycles and access codes to the base. Ten nights later the West LA militia using small black inflatable boats slip onto the base from the Pacific Ocean. One hundred men and women slip into the base from the boats.

  They slip in from the rifle range which is unguarded. The militia uses the access codes the women provided to get into the inner base where they kill four security guards. Taking the guard’s uniforms they replace the guards allowing them entry to the next checkpoint where they surprise and overpower the guards manning the main gate of the base. Silently the militia gains access to the base armory where the militia arms themselves with the latest Russian assault rifles the AK97 that fires a 5.45 mm Amax caseless round at 3,800 fps from a 14” barrel. The AK97 uses a round 90 round magazine. The round easily penetrates the US military’s body armor. The Russian round also penetrates the new Russian body armor enabling the militia to give the Cuban’s a nasty surprise. The militia dresses in Cuban uniforms allowing them to walk through the camp unnoticed, they surround and attack the officer’s quarters, capturing the Cuban Colonel and two captains. The balance of the Cuban soldiers surrenders to the militia who transfer them to a US freighter standing just off the base. The Cubans are taken out to sea where a US battle group waits to interrogate the Cubans. Samples of the Cuban armor and rifles are given to the Americans in payment for their support. Once dressed and armed in the Cuban uniforms the militia takes the Cuban vehicles to the next base where they surprise the Cubans. The militia is able to take over the small forward Cuban base. They share armor and weapons with other militia groups in Southern California who plan to attack LSA national police offices. Most of the LSA national police are armed with 12 gauge shotguns and M4s, which won’t penetrate the Russian armor, the police are going to get a nasty surprise, they’ll never forget.

  @@@@@

  Evening on the German border doesn’t end the fighting, night vision, and thermal sights allow the two armies to continue fighting all night. Germany is down to 60 tanks and 150 armored personnel carriers. The German Air Force has been decimated by the Russians. Many times a German fighter finds itself being attacked by three or four Russian fighters. Germany has 28 fighters left none without any battle damage. The German Prime Minister places a call to President Brownstone. “Mr. President, we’ve been able to slow the Russian advance, but not stop it. We’ve lost most of our ability to fight the Russians. We’re now defenseless. Is there anything else you can send us?”

  “Madam Prime Minister our two other SSGNs are in the Pacific, it will take them five days to get into missile range. The two we leased to you won’t be rearmed and in the range for another seven days. Our long-range bombers are going to have to fight their way through the Russian air defense network to get into range. Neither of us wants to turn to nuclear weapons. The only other weapons we have that can slow the Russians a little are air-launched cruise missiles. We’ve recently changed over their warheads from conventional to nuclear; it’ll take us a couple of days to change them back and test them. Germany is going to have to lease the B52s; we’ll put German national markings on them,”

 
; “Mr. President, we’ll lease a squadron of your B52s, we may need them in order to give our people time to escape from the Russian advance.”

  “Madam Prime Minister, same terms as with the submarines.”

  “Not a problem, I’ll have a group of our air force officers arrive at your base in the UK today. The Parliament and I are going to leave Germany and set up a government in exile in London.”

  “I honestly think that’s your best option. What have you heard from France?”

  “Mr. President, they’ve massed their forces along our border. The French Prime Minster informed me that they would only fight if they’re attacked.”

  “I understand, I don’t expect them to fight for long. The Russians are going to hit the French with over 4,000 tanks.”

  “The British have offered to host us. They too said they need their forces in case the Russians attack them.”

  “My advisors think the Russians are going to stop at the channel.”

  “That’s logical. My staff shares the same thought.”

  “Madam Prime Minster, order your troops to disperse and become insurgents. Attack the Russians rear areas and their supply chain which grows longer every day.”

  “Mr. President, I’ll be in touch from London.”

  “Goodbye and good luck.”