Second Term - A Novel of America in the Last Days (The End of America Series Book 1)

by John Price

  The newspaper’s lead editorial writer, Tim Matheson, a strong supporter of the President, who had written both editorials endorsing him in his two runs for the White House, took a slightly less adversarial approach in his comments, “OK. I don’t see any BIG problem here. A bit unusual, but maybe this agency has some good ideas they can share with us. We might develop several future editorials based on what we learn from this CCC person this afternoon. See everybody then. Cheers.”

  As was the norm, the Editorial Board convened at 3 PM to shape tomorrow’s news, in print form. None were shocked that their visitor wore an official CCC green shirt, as there were many federal employees now who wore that official uniform. None were surprised that their visitor actually showed up as announced in the letter from the DOJ, as they had all read it in advance. But all were flabbergasted when they looked up to see that their guest was Jim Mooney, a former reporter from the paper, who had been laid off over a year ago, in a newspaper staff downsizing, caused by lower newspaper revenues. Mooney had been rumored to be having trouble finding a job. Obviously, though, he was now employed, and by the United States federal government. He was accompanied by an armed TSA Agent.

  “Well, Jim, it’s great to see you again,” Editor Ziegner said warmly. He had liked Mooney as a reporter, whose beat had been to cover the Kentucky State House in Frankfort for the Colonel-Journal. He regretted the owners’ decision to let him go. He knew when Mooney was let go that coverage of what went on in State government would suffer, and that state employees who were tempted to cross the ethical line were encouraged by seeing a reporter watch dog like Mooney move on.

  Jim Mooney appeared to be happy to see his former comrades in publishing. He brought with him a digital recorder, a large expandable file folder and a reporter’s note book, which he opened once he and his TSA companion were asked to sit at the conference table.

  “Jim, we’ve all read the letter from the Deputy AG from Washington. You’re an old pro at this stuff, so what gives? The letter didn’t say why you’re visiting us, only that a CCC Conservator would be stopping in to visit. Congratulations, by the way, on your new employment.”

  Jim Mooney hesitated, coughed once, looked down and then said, “Thanks, Gordon. Here’s the deal guys….there’s a new sheriff in town. I’ve been deputized to help him out. With the new McAlister anti-hate speech law now in place, things are changing and changing fast. The old days of throwing around any old words we wanted to throw around are over.”

  “What the heck does that mean, Jim? We don’t use hate words here, never have. We’re really careful about what we write. You know that. You, of all peop….”

  “I don’t think you get it. Most people don’t get it….yet, that is, though they will soon enough. This new law allows the government to eliminate hate speech. Hate speech is defined in the McAlister Act as speech that negatively attacks a public official. All of us here would agree that’s a bunch of baloney….off the record….that is. Just because I criticize a public official, that shouldn’t get me in any trouble, right? Well, that was then, and this is now. Negative public official attacks are a thing of the past. Everybody still employed in the news editorial biz is going to just have to get used to it. Television stations don’t usually run editorials anymore, so they’re not an issue. Once the newspapers are brought in line, that just leaves talk radio and Fox, and I hear there are big plans by the White House for both.”

  Ziegner responded, “Jim, I’m not horribly shocked that the government wants to shut down criticism, that’s been the case since government started. Dictators usually have no sense of humor when it comes to persons who oppose them. Lest we forget, it wasn’t too many years ago that negatively criticizing public officials in Europe could get you imprisoned or shot.”

  Mooney quickly said, “Gordon, let me just give you a little tip here. That comment, implying that the McAlister Act, or the federal government, or the President, or the Congress, whatever, whomever, are in any way like Nazi Germany or Fascist Italy, could get you charged with a Hate Speech Act violation. So, be very careful. I’m just warning you.”

  A distinct chill could be felt across the room. No one wanted to say what they were really thinking about the threat made by the federal employee in their presence. The chilly silence was finally broken by the City Editor who perceptively asked, “Jim, you’re here for more than just a warning to us to watch our spoken words, aren’t you?”

  Mooney opened up his large expandable filing folder and withdrew several pages. “Afraid I am. I’ve been given the assignment by DC of going through all the major editorials in this paper for the last several months. My job is to highlight negative attacks on public officials. At first, I thought that meant just federal officials, but they interpret that part of McAlister to include all public officials. So, this print-out is a listing of all of the paper’s attacks, on all public officials, arranged by date.”

  “Does it include the two editorials in which we endorsed your boss, the current occupant of the White House? Were those considered negative attacks, hunh, Jim?”

  “No reason to get snippy. There are parts of this I don’t much like either.”

  Ziegner was becoming less and less comfortable not only with what Mooney was saying, but also with even remaining in the room for such a discussion, “Jim. Hold up a minute, buddy. Don’t you….didn’t you….see any First Amendment problems with going through our editorials, as a federal employee, and picking out what the government may not like that we printed. And then, much worse than that, coming in here to the newspaper and telling us what you….what the government….doesn’t like. Talk about chilling our First Amendment rights. Are you going to tell us next what we can print in the future? Are you going to be our newspaper’s government paid censor?”

  “Umh, guys, look….I told you there’s a new Sheriff in town. The Sheriff’s not allowing anyone to violate the law which prohibits folks from speaking ill about him. If you don’t like it, run for office and repeal McAlister. In the meantime, get used to obeying the law. As for censorship, we all got a memo directing us to never use that word. The memo said some people might think it has bad connotations. Well….I guess so. But what’s going to be happening is going to feel a lot like censorship.”

  “Clarify please, Jim,” asked Tim Matheson, the President’s biggest supporter in the room. “What’s going to happen? I have the distinct feeling I’m not going to like this at all.”

  “It’s simple, really. But you’re right, you’re definitely not going to like it. Our office will need the draft version of the next day’s editorials, by e-mail transmission, no later than two hours before your afternoon Editorial Board meeting convenes.”

  “For what?” Editor Ziegner asked, incredulously.

  “As I said, it’s very simple. We’ll do a quick review, just to make sure that the words in the drafts comply with the law, zip you back a quick approval, or changes, as the case may be, and that’s it. You go to press.”

  “Say what? Changes? As the case may be? Does that mean that you will edit our editorials? If we write that we question whether or not the President’s proposal is right for America, you can write back and say, no, change it to the President’s proposal is right for America’? Am I getting this correctly?”

  “That’s pretty much it, folks. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but, like I said, times change, the laws change. Stuff happens. You’ll still be selling newspapers, and stuffing them with Sunday’s overflowing ads, it’s just that your editorial page will be more people friendly.”

  “Don’t you mean more President friendly, Jim? And, the funny thing, though it’s not funny at all….the ironic thing….is that we’re usually, though not always, in his corner.”

  “Well, that will just have to change to always. I’ll look forward to tomorrow’s editorial drafts, the new Sheriff’s deputy starts work then. Have a good afternoon.”

  Ziegner couldn’t control himself, though he sensed that he should be q
uiet and become a good and obedient servant to the new order. “Jim, if we tell you, your agency - the CCC, the federal government, all of you, that we’re not going to comply, that we’re offended by this assault on our Constitutional right to a free press, and if we lead the charge to expose all this to the public? What then? You didn’t tell us what the downside is of we don’t let you censor our words, though I suspect I know the answer. I want to hear you, as a former journalist, say the words. What are we threatened with for non-compliance?”

  “Look, Gordon, we both used to be journalists. I’m no longer a member of the fourth estate. I’m now a part of the government. I took an oath to enforce the law. We’re going to do that. Now, to answer your question. If we don’t see immediate compliance, if you don’t send us your drafts on a timely basis, sent every day, the newspaper will be fined a very significant monetary fine for every day of violation. The fines will vary by the size of the paper, but for a good-sized paper like the Colonel-Journal, fines could be $25,000 or even higher for each violation. The feds are very serious about this. Once fined, the burden is on the paper to show why it shouldn’t have to pay. It’ll cost you mucho dinero to fight the fines. If there are a series of violations, since the feds don’t have a sense of humor, the next step will be to file criminal charges against the owners and, yes, the editors. The new regs will say that the paper can’t pay your legal fees to defend yourself, you’ll have to come out of pocket for that. Is that clear enough? Did I leave anything out?”

  Jim Mooney shut off his recorder, gathered his notebook and stood to leave. The TSA Agent, who had said nothing, also stood to leave. Three of the five editors were staring at their guests with their mouths still open in unbelief. Another had his head down in his hands. The fifth was wiping away a tear from his cheek. The meeting was over. Likewise, freedom of the press in America.

  The next day, the newspaper sent drafts of its proposed editorials by e-mail to CCC Conservator Jim Mooney at his Regional CCC office for review. At the same time, Gordon Ziegner tendered his resignation as Editor of the Louisville Colonel-Journal. He then called his oldest son living in Panama to tell him that he had resigned from the paper and would be visiting him soon, with the high likelihood that he would be emigrating from the U.S.

  SEVENTY TWO

  Dallas, Texas

  Pastor Jack Madison’s church is located in the Park Cities suburban area of northeast Dallas. The upscale area is made up of University Park and Highland Park. Park Cities boasts several larger community and evangelical churches, some with several thousand members. Jack Madison’s church was growing, had almost two thousand members, and was considered as one of the areas up and coming churches. His congregation was a diverse mixture of age groups, with many young families, but also with retired couples who enjoyed his Bible-centered teaching.

  This Sunday’s service was expected to be packed out, as it had been promoted with billboards and some radio advertising. Jack and his Board knew that they faced the potential of a disruptive interruption during the service, so they hired a few off duty policemen and women from their local suburban police forces. As the service started on Sunday morning all was peaceful, with no protestors outside the church. But peace was not to be.

  After several minutes of spirited and worshipful singing, Pastor Madison strode briskly up to his pulpit, with his Bible and his notes firmly in hand. Spiritually speaking, it was show time. He had thirty minutes, max, to make his point, repeat it and make sure everyone understood it. Tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them and then tell them what you just told them, as he had learned in seminary.

  Jack laid his Bible and his notes on the pulpit, said a silent prayer and looked out over his congregation. What he saw caused him to stop. Scattered among the congregation were several, maybe as high as 20 or 30 people, all wearing identical green shirts, the uniform of the CCC. Why hadn’t someone noticed this during the seating time and warned him, he wondered. Not that it was any huge deal, he thought, everyone’s welcome here. Whomsoever will may come, as they say. Still, he would have liked a heads up. I won’t change a word of what I have planned to say, he swiftly concluded. Maybe some of these government employees will respond to the Gospel through this visit today, he comforted himself by thinking. But, he did have to admit that his stress level went up considerably, as anyone could attest whose father who had been arrested for his words. Memories of the earlier visit in his church office by two FBI agents added to his anxiety.

  Pastor Madison began with his traditional greeting, “He is risen.”

  “He is risen, indeed”, responded the congregation, using a first century greeting exchanged by Christians.

  “I welcome you all to our church. We’re a church that emphasizes the study of God’s Word. Before we look at the Word, though I’d like to welcome our first time guests here with us today. So please stand if today is your first time to be with us, and the Deacons will give you an information packet about what we do as a church in this community and how you might fit in.”

  As Jack looked across the sanctuary he only saw a handful of first timers standing, scattered across the room. None of the green-shirted Conservators stood to be recognized. “Come now, I see several, maybe as many as thirty, first timers who have not yet stood, all in those sharp green uniform shirts. We welcome our friends who work for the Civilian Conservation Corps, which has a long and noble history of service in this country. One of my distant family members served in the CCC in the 30’s, building national parks, so we welcome you and ask to stand and be recognized.” None did. “Well, that’s fine, that’s OK, you’re always welcome here any time. Now, let’s open our Bibles and see what the Lord has to say to us today from His Word.”

  As he opened his Bible, Jack looked down at the two Conservators seated just to his right on the first row. He noticed that both had lapel microphones attached to their uniform collars, and both appeared to be leaning slightly forward, as if anxious to get all of his words recorded. He never had any doubts that his words could be used against him. He was more than well aware of his father’s entanglement with federal authorities over his speech in Austin. In addition to which his church recorded and broadcast locally in the Dallas-Fort Worth area his morning services, including his sermons. He wasn’t keeping secret his message. Which made him wonder, fleetingly, as he looked down at his notes for his next point, why the government felt it needed to record his words spoken in the sanctuary? They could just turn on the local cable channel. But, they may have worried that Jack wouldn’t broadcast the words that they were most interested in. They just didn’t know Jack, he smiled to himself, at his own feeble attempt at humor. Oh well, he concluded, let’s give ‘em somethin’ to talk about, as the country song says.

  “As many of you know from the radio spots and billboards, this month’s sermon topics are centered on this question– What Does the Bible Teach on Perversion?.... Please turn your attention to the video screens.”

  A segment from the movie, The Princess Bride, appeared on the sanctuary’s three large video screens. In the clip the movie’s male and female heroes are standing at the altar in front of a verbally challenged cleric, who says, “Mawwaige. Mawwaige is what bwings us togwether today. Mawwaige, that bwessed awwaingement”. The clip ended to widespread laughter. Pastor Jack followed it with, “my accent won’t be as good as the cleric in one of my mom’s favorite movies, but, it’s true….marriage is what brings us together today. Where did the idea of marriage come from? What is marriage? Does marriage have any purpose in this modern age? Is it really a blessed arrangement? Why shouldn’t anyone, or any group of someones, be allowed to marry? Is marriage in danger of extinction? These are all questions, along with others, that we will examine today and in the next three week’s sermons.

  “First, where did the idea of marriage come from? Who thought it up? I’m going to read to you a few sentences from a sermon given by a Swedish Pastor named Ake Green. Pay attention to what he said, becau
se he was arrested and convicted by the Swedish judicial system for what he said. As you listen to the beginning of Pastor Green’s sermon, ask yourself if you think his words are hate words. The Swedish government charged and convicted Pastor Green with a hate crime for these words. Here are Pastor Green’s opening few paragraphs:

  “From the beginning God created humans as man and woman. We begin in Genesis 1:27-28:

  "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."

  “Here, God's Word clearly states that you were created to be Father and Mother - as man and woman - designed for parenthood. The Lord states that very clearly here….The marriage institution is also clearly defined in Genesis 2:24, where it says:

  "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."

  “Only man and wife are referred to here. It is not stated any other way; you can never imply or interpret it to mean that you can have whatever sexual partner you wish to have. ….”

  “What was it that led to these cities (Sodom, mentioned 30 times in the Bible, and Gomorrah) perishing, losing their dignity, disappearing from the face of the Earth? It was because they lived in homosexuality. It will be the same on that day when the Son of Man is revealed; consequently, this is a sign of the times we are facing. As people lived in the time of Lot, so shall they live before Jesus returns. This is something we cannot deny in any way. Jesus says that the lifestyle of Sodom shall be active in the whole Earth before the coming of Jesus. The one who represents this lifestyle today goes against God's order of creation.”