The Smiths and Joneses (22 page)

              “Carol, you’re right, I realize it now. I came to say I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have made the statements to Leon I did. I’ll apologize to Leon on air if that’s what you’d like me to do.”

              Bob looks at his wife, “Wolf, this is the second time you’ve crossed the line trying to push your progressive bullshit. If you can’t agree to be a host and not fill the show with your own propaganda, we’re not going to have a choice except to resign.”

              Wolf realizes he’s in a real bind. If they resign, it won’t just be the end of his career but also his life, he knows President Bloomberg will have him and his family exiled to the north, left there to freeze. “Bob, Carol, I’m willing to do anything you ask in order to regain your trust and for you to remain in the program.”

              Carol responds, “Wolf, we realize if we resign, your career, and most likely Sean’s is over. Frankly we don’t care much what happens to you, we do care what happens to Sean, so we’re going to continue with the program. We ask you to not bribe any member of our family again.”

              “Carol I agree.”

              “Good, when do you want to continue the program?”

              “I’ll check with the director; I’d say as soon as the two of you and the kids can join Sean and I in the living room.”

              “Give us no more than five minutes.”

              While the Joneses are away from the cameras, the viewers are watching various people on the street discussing what they’ve just seen.

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              The Joneses return to the living room where Sean and Wolf are waiting for them. They stand when the Joneses enter the room, Wolf says, “Bob, Carol, Leon and of course Beth, welcome back.”

              Beth looks at Wolf saying, “I think you got a time out didn’t you?”

              “Yes Beth, I got a timeout. I promise to be good and not get another. Beth would you like to tell everyone watching about your school?”

              “Can I have another brownie first?”

              “Beth, don’t you think you’ve had enough brownies for one day? Eating too many sweets full of sugar isn’t good for you.”

              “Mr. Wolf, Mommy bakes the brownies without sugar she uses something yellow in them.”

              “Do you mean something that comes from a yellow box or a yellow powder?”

              “Silly, it comes from the yellow box. Daddy uses it in his coffee.”

              “I understand Beth, but some people don’t think that’s good for you either,”

              “Why? My mommy says it’s OK.”

              “Beth. We limit the amount of sweets children can eat, do you think that’s a good idea?”

              “Why? Shouldn’t Mommies and Daddies decide? Why would a stranger tell me what to eat? You don’t know what I like.”

              “Beth, we do it to make sure you grow up healthy.”

              Frowning, Beth looks at her parents, she says, “I don’t think it’s your business to tell me what to do. I listen to my mommy and daddy. I don’t know you, why would strangers come in my home to tell me what to do?”

              “Because we’re helping your mommy and daddy ensure you grow up healthy.”

              “My mommy and daddy don’t need your help.”

              “Beth, how do you know they don’t need help?”

              “Because they’re my mommy and daddy, they know everything. They know what I need, they know what’s best for me and Leon.”

              “Let’s get back to your school, tell everyone what your school day is like.”

              “OK, I’m in the second grade, we have ’rithmitic, reading, social studies, art, gym and lunch.”

              “Beth what do you have for lunch?”

              “Mommy makes me a sandwich and packs an apple or orange and usually a cookie. I buy milk at school.”

              “Do most of the other children buy their lunch or bring it from home?”

              “’Bout half bring it; we trade different things; we put our fruit and snacks on the table in front of us to see what everyone has.”

              “Beth, is that a good thing? Didn’t your mommy make your lunch for you?”

              “Yes, she knows we all trade, she gives me extra cookies for trading.”

              Wolf looks into the camera, “Everyone, let me ask you this question, should children be allowed to trade their lunches with each other? Are the children getting the right nutrition? Are they getting an equal value for what they’re trading? Who supervises these trades? Who ensures that the food being traded isn’t spoiled or doesn’t contain anything one of the children may be allergic to? We believe all children deserve to have a lunch with a balanced nutrition value, food that’s healthy and not possibly allergic to anyone. Viewers, is that a system you would like your children to have for lunch?”

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              While Wolf and Beth discuss her lunch, Tweeter and Facebook are exploding with posts. Many posts that the LSA lunch program is better because it ensures children have a nutrition filled lunch. Others post that it’s the parent’s job to provide lunches for their children. Some post that the Joneses, like most USA households, provide too many sweets to their children. Their children are going to grow up fat and lazy because of the excess amount of sugar in their diet. The LSA press office issued a release stating that to protect the LSA citizens, the LSA taxes sugar and limits the amount of sugar any child can consume in a day. Sugar is a poison that has to be limited in the diet. The LSA monitors the number of calories and the nutritional value of all meals in the LSA. USA posts proclaim the LSA is a giant “nanny state” which has gone too far in banning bagged lunches and labeling sugar as a poison. Facebook is overwhelmed and crashes numerous times due to the number of people trying to post their views. Tweeter reports their network has slowed due to the number of people trying to tweet. Many attempt to post pictures and cartoons supporting their views.

While Wolf is questioning Beth, the television displays, computer displays and smart phones all go black; a small dot of light is centered in every display. People try to reset their devices; they try to turn devices on and off when the small dot of light grows in brightness. The small dot starts to expand when a siren sounds, “Attention those in the LSA and the USA, we are Anonymous; we have taken control of your electronic devices. We want to tell you to stop fighting among yourselves; there are larger and more important issues to deal with than how much sugar or how many cookies a child should consume in a given time period. Millions of you are acting like children. Beth and Sissy act better than most of you. We had hope that those in the USA would see the right path; we had hope those in the USA would follow the path as laid out by the founders. We hoped education and the truth would bring forth the light of understanding. We had hoped this program would show those in the USA how an unchecked progressive government would grow out of control and take control over almost every aspect of one’s life. We had hoped those in the USA would see the value of freedom. You are getting wound up and distracted by discussions of meaningless bullshit. Don’t allow yourselves to get fooled by the on air fools who are trained to twist the facts to their own story. You are being manipulated. Wake up and see what the progressives have built behind their walls. Wake up and see the truth. We are now returning control of your devices to you. Use your devices in the search for the truth.”

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              Wolf continues his interview with Beth, “Beth what do you study in social studies?”

              “Mr. Wolf, we learn about the founding of America. We learn about President Washington and his fight against the British.”

              “Do you learn about the slaves or how the Americans stole the land from the Indians who were here first?”

              “No, or not yet. What do you mean stole the land?”

              “Beth, before America was founded, it already had many people living here. There were many Indian nations. The white man came and made war on the Indians. The white man stole the Indian’s land and killed all of the Indians.”

              “Mr. Wolf, we learned that the Indians fought against the settlers with the French, so they weren’t all killed.”

              “Beth, very few remained to fight with the glorious French, who fought to protect the Indian’s rights. The American settlers tried to take the Indian’s rights away from them.”

              “Mr. Wolf why did the settlers want to hurt the Indians?”

              “Beth because their skin color was different from the settlers. They were called ‘Red’ while the settlers were all white.” 

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              Bob’s face has turned a deep red; he’s working hard at holding his temper in check. Carol reaches over to hold his hand. She whispers, “Honey let him go, Sean will have his chance soon enough.”

              “Carol, I don’t like them using Beth for their political bullshit. She’s a child. He’s plainly using her to push their beliefs. It’s the very thing we worried about and were assured they wouldn’t do. I should have known better than to have trusted the networks. They don’t care who they hurt or crush as long as they win. I’m getting ready to end this.”

              “Please let him go, Beth is very smart, she’ll realize his tale doesn’t match with what she’s already learned. Children aren’t as dumb as most childless adults think, give her a little time.”

              “OK, if you say she’s not getting hurt, I’ll let it go a little longer. The progressives see everything as racial.”

              “It’s the only way they can build their foundation of lies.”  

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              Beth looks up at Wolf, “Mr. Wolf that’s not what my teacher said. Since she’s a teacher, and you’re not, I’m going to believe what my teacher told us. I think you’re telling me a story.”

              Sean laughs saying, “Wolf, I think she’s got you there. She’s right; you’re not a teacher. Everything you say is tainted with your own political viewpoint. Everything you’ve told her is designed to push your own agenda. Even a seven-year-old can see through you. She hasn’t had history rewritten to suit your own version of it.” 

              Wolf responds, “Sean, it’s the USA that doesn’t recognize the actual history of the country. We teach our students the good and the bad, not just the good. We teach them we stole America from the Indians. We used slaves to build our economy, and we robbed the southwest from Mexico. We fought wars for oil. America isn’t lily white and pure. America’s history is based on greed.”

              Sean responds, “Wolf, there’s much more to our history than blood.”

              Before either can continue Bob says, “Gentlemen, how about putting all the talk about blood on hold, Beth is only seven. Do you really need to use a seven-year-old to make your points?”

              Sean says, “Bob, you’re correct. I’m sorry. Beth, I hope all the talk about blood didn’t gross you out.”

              “Mr. Sean, it’s OK, I’ve heard worse on the school playground.”

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              Wolf turns to face Carol, “Carol, is it still the law that a child needs to have all of their inoculations before they can start school?”

              “Yes, they need to have a physical every year and a doctor’s signed report.”

              Leon says, “It’s the same for sports, even though I had a physical before school, I needed another before I could apply to any of the school sports teams.”

              Wolf asks, “Is that so the school isn’t liable for any injury?”

              Leon responds, “I don’t know about being liable, but I can give you an example; Karl, one of my friends, was not allowed to try out for football because the doctor found he had a bad heart valve. It would have been dangerous for him to play football. In fact, they took him out of gym because of it.”

              Wolf replies, “Leon, this is why the LSA system of playing is just that- playing. When you have to play to win, you can injure yourself or others. Have you seen others injured playing sports at your school?”

              “Of course, it’s part of the game. We get sprains and even broken bones all of the time. We heal and continue. It’s part of the game. My gym teacher says he learned when he was in the Navy SEALS, that pain is weakness leaving the body.”

              Wolf continues, “Leon, wait one minute. You have an ex-Navy SEAL, one of the military’s assassins, teaching children? I know about the Navy SEALS; they are trained to kill. They killed Osama; they are the President’s kill team. Are you afraid of your teacher?”

              “Huh? Why would I be afraid of Mr. Gleason? He’s one of my best teachers. He teaches us about the real world. He wants us to win. He pushes us to win the championship. My school has won five state championships since Mr. Gleason started at the school. Before him, we had never won. He’s great. If you met him, you would like him. He’s quiet yet you just know every word he says, he says for a reason. You don’t want to disappoint him. He teaches us not to disappoint ourselves. He teaches us teamwork. We drill as a team; we play as a team; he has a saying over his desk, ‘There’s no I in team.'”