Freedom vs.Tyranny

by Ira J. Tabankin

  A reporter from the New York Slimes newspaper stands and asks, “Mr. President, isn’t adding 15 million more people to the unemployment rolls a serious issue? We’re already at the lowest percentage of working Americans in thirty-six years.”

  “John, as I’ve just said, this is good news, we’re going to provide for these people and re-educate them for new careers that will provide them with higher benefits and better pay than they had before. Selling firearms or building firearms isn’t a job anyone should want. It’s a job that covers the employee’s hands in the blood from the victims the guns they built or sold killed. Is this how anyone wants to go home to their family? Covered in innocent blood? Would your children want you to come home from work covered in blood? It’s also not natural for people to work all night in bars or dark restaurants. People sleep at night and work during the day. I’m helping these people. Many of these people hated their old jobs, they’re now free to do what they’ve always wanted to.”

  “Mr. President, Richard Bayson, ABD News, sir, don’t you think the problem is that the people don’t understand how large your heart is and depth of your caring?”

  “Richard, you’re correct; part of the issue is too many people, like those at Wolf News and those on talk internet, aren’t pleased with anything my administration does, all they see is a black man sitting in their White House. They’re racist, married to their bibles and guns. They have not evolved into the 21st century. We as a nation have to help these people. We should come together to support these poor people who are confused. We need to help them. As Americans, it’s our task to help those who need help. When any natural disaster happens, America is the first to respond. As Americans we have huge hearts; we give billions to charity, as a people we care for the needy, the hungry, the lost and now with the Affordable Care Act, we care for the sick. As such, I’m happy to report we’ve built hundreds of new special education locations to help train those who are stuck in the past. We’re going to help cover the relocation and transportation costs so these misguided people can be educated into our modern society. We’ll teach these people the error of their ways and help them see their problems, in order to solve a problem one has to admit they have a problem. We’re going to spend whatever is required to help the misguided among us; we’re going to drag these people into the twenty-first century. We’re going to open the first of these new-re education schools next week. The friendly TSA officers, who we've all come to trust, are going to assist the agents of Homeland Security to transport families to these new schools. Plus, these families aren’t going to have to pay a single penny for their new higher education. Their children will go to school. The unemployed will learn new trades that they’ll be able to use when they're released.”

  “Mr. President, Robert Van from NBX news, how long will these families stay in these schools?”

  “Robert, I’m glad you asked that, they will have the opportunity to stay in these schools as long as it takes, we wouldn’t be the nation we are if we don’t care for our people. There’s no rush; we will fund this program from the increased taxes on the 1%. We’re also getting close to the launch of the new national sales tax that will fund the transformation of our economy into the twenty-second century. We’ll jump-start our green industries and finally shift our country away from petroleum; Detroit needs a gentle push to shift all of their production over to green automobiles. Look at the current price of gasoline, at $8.50 a gallon, our people are having to make a decision between fuel or food, by going green no one will ever have to make that decision again. We have more renewable energy than the entire world’s petroleum. America is going to stop importing oil. The cost of gasoline may jump until the new green systems are up and running. However, it’s a small price to pay to transform America into the twenty-second century. I’m asking every reporter in the room to report the truth, not the lies of those caught in the past, Report our bright future. A future so bright we’re all going to need sunglasses,” With that, the President puts on a pair of sunglasses, which his staff hands out to all of the reporters, who put them on smiling.

  The room erupts into cheering and applause that goes on for five long minutes, every time the President tries to continue, the room is still cheering the re-education of so many Americans who just “don’t get it.” Finally, America will come together as one, no red or blue, just one united country.

  The President continues, “In the past six years, we’ve accomplished so much, yet at the same time, there are people who are trying to hide their firearms. These are people who don’t understand the sacrifice everyone has to undergo so that our children don’t grow up in fear of being gunned down on their playgrounds. There are people who hate me and this administration; these people are plotting, are trying to return us to the old ways, the ways that failed so many families. I’m asking everyone to keep your eyes and ears open. Listen to your neighbors and friends, listen when you’re shopping, and listen when you’re having your morning coffee at Starbucks. I’m asking every American to listen to those around you. If you hear something, anything out of the ordinary, pick up any phone and call 1-888-DHS NOWW. If your tip leads to an arrest, you will receive a reward of $5,000 tax-free. We have to protect each other. We have to work together to protect our children. Your actions may save my daughters’ lives. Your neighbors’ call may save your son’s life. No call is wasted. If you hear anything, call.”

  @@@@@

  “We the people…say NO more.” Messages start appearing across the country, hand painted billboards; hand painted posters on the side of barns and buildings; large banners hung over bridges and overpasses. No one seems to know where they come from. In the mornings, they just seem to appear. Bright yellow Gadsden “Don’t Tread on Me” flags sprout up like daisies on a warm spring day. As fast as the billboards and Gadsden flags appear, Federal agents cut them down or paint over the messages. It’s become a game; the messages and flags go up at night and are taken down in the morning. No matter how many times Federal agents remove the signs, they reappear. The internet is flooded with new message boards used by patriots exchanging messages and like thoughts. The FCC tries bringing down the sites as fast as they appear.

  The Republican Senators return to the Senate; they march into the chamber wearing the same dirty clothing they wore when they were taken to Manassas. Senator Cruise walks directly to the podium, pushing the Senator from Nevada out of his way, “Senator Cruise, you are out of order, you should know better then enter the chamber in your current condition. You know you never lay a hand on another Senator. I’m asking you to leave the chamber, change, apologize and you may return.”

  “Go fuck yourself, you and the President kidnaped us, we were held against our will. I’m here to say; the house is going to bring articles of impeachment against the President, the Vice President and the Attorney General. We will then try them here in the Senate, if you try to interfere, I promise you, you will be very sorry. I promise you, you’ll go to jail for a very long time.”

  “Senator Cruise, I think you’re mistaken; the house isn’t going to bring any charges against the President, to do so, would mean the House and anyone here who supports these articles of impeachment is a racist. To bring charges against the President is now considered hate speech, which is a federal crime, the AG has issued new regulations, as such there’ll be no impeachment.”

  “Senator, yes there will be, we will impeach the President, the Vice President, the AG and everyone else in government who is a traitor, I think you should be on the list too.”

  @@@@@

  “Captain Grover any problems with Operation Brimstone?”

  “No General, everything is nominal.”

  “Very good, I have a new assignment for you and your team. We’re expecting Federal Marshals to try to serve Admiral Zander with new orders; most likely firing him as CNO and then arresting him for murder. Captain, those papers, and those marshals shall not enter this building. Is this clear?”

  Smiling,
Captain Grover says, “Yes Sir, with pleasure sir.”

  “Captain, I don’t need to know the details, and I don’t need any trophies, please try to handle the situation in a quiet manner.”

  The Captain snaps a salute; he turns and leaves the general’s private office, where his top two Lieutenants are waiting for him. “Sir, new orders?”

  “Yes, follow me into the cave, we have a lot to discuss.”

  The three men enter a secure conference room, called the cave because it’s small and dark. “Our new mission is to stop some Federal Marshals from serving Admiral Zander any paperwork. The CIC wants to fire him and then have the AG arrest him.”

  “Sir, what are our ROE?”

  “Hide the bodies where they’ll never be found.”

  “I knew I was going to like this assignment.”

  “I want our people to man the main entrance gates to the Pentagon. No federal agent, or marshal gets in, none, if they give you any problems, escort them to the basement interrogation cells. Tell them you’re taking them to meet the Admiral.”

  @@@@@

  Within an hour of the President’s speech, the DHS 800 number is overloaded, no one can get through. Once connected the phone stays connected, even hung up, the phone still holds the line, the user finds they can’t make any other calls; their phones remain locked for 24 hours.

  Anonymous floods the internet and every Federal Government phone and fax line. Every federal fax spits out, “We the people say NO MORE. We are Anonymous.”

  At 6:00 PM EST, every television broadcast is interrupted by a person wearing a white Guy Fawkes mask, he looks into the camera, “We are Anonymous, we are here to warn the United States Government that the internet is free for everyone. The internet is not to be censored. The internet is not to be blocked by the small minded. We are Anonymous; we have a warning for the United States Government, if you continue to censor and monitor the international web we will block all of your access to the outside world, your telephones, your faxes, your televisions, your computers will be frozen. Your satellites are useless to you if you can’t connect to them. We are Anonymous; we have a warning and a message for the people of the United States, wake up, your leaders are leading you to ruin and enslavement. Wake up before it’s too late. Rise up, we will help you, we can blind the government, we can make them deaf, we will help you if you rise up and show us you want your country back. We are Anonymous. We are now returning your television to the regularly scheduled broadcasts. We are Anonymous; we are here watching and waiting for you to show the spirit we know is inside every one of you.”

  The President goes crazy watching the screen; he starts throwing things around the Oval Office. He breaks a thousand-year-old vase whose pieces tear a 250-year-old painting of George Washington. “I want them found and hanged!”

  The President’s Chief of Staff says, “Sir, we don’t know who they are, or where they are, which is why they go by the name of Anonymous.”

  “I don’t care, find them, use every computer in the damn NSA to track them down, I want them all hanging for crimes against humanity.”

  Chapter 13

  “Middle America” that area between the two coasts usually ignored when the media flies between New York City and Los Angeles erupts in disgust over the President’s remarks. Banners, billboards, signs on barns, bumper stickers all scream their distrust with the Federal Government. People, who never thought about politics now, find it their number one discussion topic. Local newspapers tried running bold headlines speaking against the President’s plans, only to be shut down by the new DHS censors. Local coffee shops and dinners in the Bible Belt find people whispering and looking over their shoulders. People who’d been friends since grade school no longer trust each other, no one is sure who might be listening and calling the DHS number. Shortly after dawn, the talk at Joan’s Dinner in central Iowa is the explosion at the local department of Agriculture building, the office and all of their vehicles exploded and burned to the ground sometime around 3AM. In a very unusual move, the local volunteer fire department was delayed in getting to the fire, not arriving at the site until 4:50AM, after all of the damage was done. The local fire chief was interviewed, he said, “It’s not our fault; we’re a volunteer department; we can’t go to the fire until our crew arrives. When the siren was sounded, and the address broadcast, most of our crew called in sick, there must be a bad flu going around.”

  The reporter asks, “Chief isn’t it funny that the crew was able to report in and put out a different fire at 5:10AM?”

  “Not at all, some flu’s last 24 hours, some only a few hours, I guess this flu hit my people very hard, but didn’t last long, thank God for that. I stand behind my people.”

  That evening the local office of the Department of the Treasury, which also housed the central Iowa IRS offices exploded and burned to the ground,. The fire alarm didn’t sound at any of the stations. The Chief promised the local TV station he would have someone check out the alarm system. In the middle of the interview, the station alarm sounds. A local restaurant has a fire in one of the fryers, while the reporter is standing in front of the station, a truck leaves, within two minutes another leaves empty, the reporter asks the chief, “I thought you couldn’t send a truck out without the crew?”

  “You’re correct; however in this case the crew is already on site, most eat there, they called in saying just send the truck with their equipment on it.”

  “Why couldn’t that have happened for the fires at the two government fires?”

  “My people weren’t hanging around those offices.”

  “Chief will you be able to ensure the people that your crews will respond to any calls for fires?”

  “Of course we can, as long as the alarms reach us. I’ve heard that there is a problem with the company the government uses for their security monitoring.”

  “Can you share anything with our viewers?”

  “I understand that the workers went on strike, something about not wanting to work for a communist.”

  “So you’re saying if the company doesn’t report the fires you can’t put them out?”

  “I’m happy you understand that very simple issue.”

  “Chief, that doesn’t sound fair to me.”

  “Why isn’t it fair? How can we put out a fire if we don’t know about one? I hope your station doesn’t use the same security firm as the Federal Government does.”

  “I think we do.”

  “Then don’t catch fire or have any other major issues.”

  These scenes are repeated across the Mid-West where average Americans are fighting back any way they can.

  @@@@@

  The new President of the Republic of Texas opens his first press conference.

  “Sir, John Straight from Wolf News, how are the people of Texas responding to the President’s new executive orders?”

  President Lawson responds, “John, most Texans are laughing. And, by the way, I’m the President of Texas that the other man is a dictator most Americans are going to resent electing.”

  “Mr. President, what are you doing for money?”

  “Son, you already know the answer to that question don’t you? However for everyone else watching, we use gold and silver coins and plastic currency cards that are backed by our reserves of gold, silver and oil. We’ve issued very few paper bills. It’s much safer to use the plastic cards, they have a smart chip and a pin; they’re very safe, even if one is lost or stolen the thief would need the pin and match the data embedded in the small chip on the card. Our system is almost un-hackable.”

  “Sir, Jose Aguilera from the Latin Slimes, how are you planning on handling undocumented workers?”

  “Senior, I think you mean, how am I going to deal with illegals aliens? I’ve tasked the Rangers with picking up every illegal alien they locate; we’re providing them free transportation home. “

  “Sir, if I may, a follow-up question?”

  “Yes?”

&nbs
p; “Isn’t this their home?”

  “Not if they entered our country illegally.”

  “Sir, many arrived here as children, they….”

  “Then they’ve had enough time to get right with the law of the land, it could have been here in Texas or in America, either way, if they didn’t care enough to try and become legal then we’re going to help them relocate. They’re lucky we’re not charging them for the move.”

  “Sir, if the situation in America turns violent, what are you going to do about it?”

  “Same as most of you, watch it unroll on my cable Wolf News programs.”

  John Straight laughs and nods towards the President, who nods back.

  “Mr. President, Rob Clearstone-Audrey from ABX, could you say something about the LGBT community?”

  “Rob, what would you like me to say?”

  “Will you allow LGBT to become citizens in Texas?”

  “Of course, we don’t discriminate, however there will be no LGBT allowed to teach our elementary school children.”

  “Sir, a followup?”

  “Yes.”

  “Sir, isn’t that discrimination against the LGBT community?”

  “Maybe, but that’s the law that has been passed by the Texan Congress and signed by me today.”

  “Sir, I protest…”

  “You’ve had your follow-up.”

  “Sir, Alex Bright from NBX news, will you send troops to the border with America?”

  “Alex, the Republic of Texas, will patrol our borders. A nation that doesn’t have borders isn’t a nation, is it? We’re also going to build a 20 foot wall along our border with Mexico.”

  “Sir, why not have open borders?”

  “Because then we wouldn’t be the Republic of Texas would we? If anyone could walk in and demand benefits how long would we be a nation? How long do you think the average Texan is going to sit still paying for those people’s welfare? We in Texas believe everyone is welcome, as long as they follow our laws and enter with a visa.”