I remained wrapped in my warm fortress of blankets to shut out the cold that had set in after the heavy snow-fall. My wife already left the bed to go to work, but I didn't have to. I'm not some unemployed stay at home husband, I'm a teacher. School had been cancelled due to the snow, so I could stay home. After a few minutes, I couldn't sleep, and I got up to use the restroom. When I got to the slightly ajar door I heard my wife speaking on the phone above the rush of water from the shower she had been about to take. I know it's impolite to eavesdrop, but my wife works for a highly secretive agency of the government called the CTU (Counter-Terrorism Unit) and I was never told anything about her job; I was curious. What I heard shocked me to the core.
"Torture? Of course, don't be stupid. When have we not tortured our prisoners?... So what if he's a United States citizen? Has that ever stopped us before?... Look, I know your new, but you've got to get with the program. We don't tolerate sedition. He won't ever be speaking against our policies again. In fact, he won't be speaking at all ever again." Then she laughed. She laughed.
I never knew just how heartless and cruel my wife could be. I had always trusted that she kept us safe, secured our liberties and all the things her agency claimed they did. After what I heard, I think it's clear that is not their intention. I was furious, but how could I let her know? She, along with her agency, would treat me much the same as the man they had just discussed.
I quickly darted back to the bed and feigned sleep until she left. Then I got up and thought over what had just happened. If they knew I knew the things I did, then I'd surely be imprisoned, tortured, and killed, but how could I stand idly by and let such atrocities continue? It was a quandary I was unprepared for, and I struggled over the issue for many days after. I'm sure the man they planned to torture has already been killed. After days of self-debate a thought occurred to me. How would our Founding Fathers have received such news? Well they would have spoken loudly and angrily against such wickedness and blatant violation of the natural rights of man.
I steeled myself against the inevitable repercussions and began to write. I wrote for hours on end, quit my job so I would have more time. I told my wife I was writing a novel. She seemed very excited about it, but who knows if she feels anything at all? In 2 weeks I finished an essay on what I had heard, and what I believed must be done about it. It was no Common Sense, but its message was clear. This has to stop.
That was when things got difficult. No matter what publisher I went to, no one would print it. They were either afraid of what the CTU might do, or they simply didn't believe it. I went to publisher after publisher, big ones, small ones, nearly bankrupt ones, all turned me down. I was frustrated and sick and ready to give up, when I passed an antique store and saw an old printing press that looked like it belonged in the Colonial era. I rushed inside and asked the store owner how much it cost. The price, as usual, was absurd, but I paid without hesitation. I wasn't in a position to bargain.
I took some time to learn how to operate it, then published my paper nationwide, anonymously of course. I'll see what comes of it. Hopefully real change comes about. Hopefully the people believe, and become outraged enough to do something about it. We'll see. This will probably be the last thing I writ; more than likely I'll be arrested and tortured, even killed perhaps, but I'm going to try and go into hiding. This is the start of something new.
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