While living in Canada she spent a lot of time thinking and applied her education, expanding on ideas and theories that she initially conceived before going to college.
President Fields-Turner believed in the 19th Century concept of Manifest Destiny and that it was a human birthright to colonize other planets besides Earth. To promote her sentiments and describe how those goals could be achieved she wrote out several letters, articles and essays that simplified and clearly expressed those viewpoints for everyday people. They were published on several popular internet and news sights over the years and got her noticed.
Her collected works became known as the Space or Second Turner Thesis.
Using low risk criminals to help colonize Mars was just one of her visions. She created a number of high profile public works programs that put a lot of people back to work rebuilding large metropolitan areas like New York City and Rio De Janeiro that were abandoned and neglected for many years after The Plague. Fields-Turner also introduced measures to promote population growth such as making birth control illegal, lowering the legal age of consent for sex to thirteen and offering incentives (cash, ration and/or housing) to single mothers.
Mars Colonization proponents appealed to both sides of public opinion when painting their picture. It did not make sense for the government to spend tax dollars on housing criminals who were not a major threat to anyone. Sending petty-criminals to Mars (or the Moon in some cases) was obviously a win-win solution. Individuals would be given their freedom back in exchange for helping with colonization efforts. Australia was used as a historical an example to justify the initiative, noting that it was initially used by the British as a penal colony during the late 1700’s.
The Council of Ministers and most citizens unanimously agreed with the idea.
More on Theory vs Practice
What the public was not told is that living on Mars is not much different than living in a prison. Martian colonies are crowded and very restrictive. There are almost as many security and military personnel here as there are ordinary colonists.
It’s not like I can just walk out of my assigned compound and take a stroll outside whenever I please or hop on the monorail to go visit my cousin on the other side of the planet. Everything here also involves filling out a lot of paperwork and getting appropriate approvals; including getting a roll of disposable toilet wipes.
These events all happened over thirty ago years, before I was born. As much as I might complain, I really don’t know any different.
Crime and Punishment
Young people on Earth who are caught (usually by Guardians or their teachers) indulging in non-essential activities that are not associated with one of The Four Recognized Religions such as listening to jazz music, playing baseball, tap dancing, reading inappropriate books and writing for pleasure are publically shunned by their parents (who are also obligated to pay a small fine) then punished with extra chores or community service.
It’s considered normal for rebellious children and teens to be curious and partake or experiment with anti-social behaviors once in a while, but there are limits
Those under eighteen caught with banned music or books usually get off pretty easy in my opinion. After receiving several firm warnings (both unofficial and official) from Guardian associates, habitually defiant teens are sent to rehabilitation camps where free time is significantly restricted and sentenced adolescents are watched more closely by trained professionals. Anyone who spends time at these kinds of facilities is not considered a criminal; they are treated like special education students with individual education plans that require more intense forms of supervision.
However, anyone over the age of eighteen who is convicted of intentionally possessing illegal materials or (like in my case) was determined to have been an accomplice of someone who intentionally possessed banned books are not given second chances. They get sent to Mars Row, no exceptions.
Mars Row for most inmates is not much different than getting sentenced to life in prison, except that there is a small chance that your name will get drawn in the CLS, Colony Lottery System. If that happens your sentence is rescinded and they send you to Mars or the Moon. Only harmless offenders like me are placed on Mars Row.
Authors of banned material have it the worst of all. Writing those kinds of books is the socio-legal equivalent to treason. After being convicted they are tied to a stake and burned alive. Their execution is live-streamed then achieved for future viewing. It’s done to discourage other people from doing the same. I only know of one instance of this happening during my lifetime but I’ve seen videos listed for at least five other writers in the past.
Upstanding people don’t waste their time anymore on purposeless endeavors such as reading and writing fun, especially when there are so many community vegetable gardens that need tending to or numerous opportunities to volunteer.
I find it hypocritical how it’s OK for a teen to get drunk, high or have sex now but illegal for them to read Harry Potter or listen to recordings of once famous musicians like One Direction or Lady Gaga and God forbid dance to it.
Granny used to get frustrated when she learned about kids in our community getting punished for doing things she was encouraged to do when she was young. Her father used to chase boys who were interested in asking her out on a date away with a baseball bat. Today parents have no problem with teen pregnancy or smoking marijuana.
More On Entitlements and Communals
As I stated earlier; single mothers qualify for special government benefits and programs.
Those who live with one or both parents get extra food, energy and Internet data rations for their household, along with free daycare. Girls that want to just have a baby so that someone can adopt it are given a cash stipend after the child is born and are placed on a special list that qualifies them to purchase a single family house, the next time they are pregnant (with or without a partner).
Unmarried men and women with children whose parents are deceased live in special housing facilities called Communals. Communals are residential campuses where tenants are provided with a furnished two bedroom apartment. Elementary and vocational school classes, religious services, a cafeteria, a health center, public transportation, daycare and job placement assistance are all within walking distance of those living complexes.
Religious services were not included in the first Communal project plans.
Most religious leaders don’t approve of anyone having children out of wedlock and have been petitioning to lower the marriage age to fourteen from eighteen for years. They were also not very fond of the idea of grouping so many young people together in one place without some form of ethical or spiritual support.
Conservative Islamic and Christian-Jewish representatives were especially concerned that Communals would become breeding grounds for subversive behaviors amongst the young people living in them. What came to be known as The First Great Compromise, the government granted each of the Four Recognized Religions authorization to maintain a regular presence on Communal campuses and freely recruit new members from the ranks of residents living there.
In exchange for being allowed to promote their religious beliefs, practices and traditions within Communal communities each of the Four Recognized Religions are also expected to pay taxes and contribute additional funding to help support the Communals that they have chosen to establish themselves within.
The average Communal usually has two or three places of worship. The only locations where all four are equally represented are in very large multi-cultural cities like Hong Kong, London or Constantinople.
Unfortunately this Church-Government arrangement had caused problems in some Communals where orthodox and conservative practitioners of the Four Recognized Religions have become more prevalent. Crimes against non-members or members who do not choose to strictly follow church doctrines are committe
d and the local police are forced to intervene to resolve problems; which is not looked on highly by religious and government authorities.
Individual branches of the Four Religions have been temporarily banned from operating on specific Communal campuses for up to five years because of these instances. It’s also not unheard of for controversial ministers and imams to be removed from their Communal positions as a means to avoid penalization.
Guardians of Morality satellite offices are sometimes opened in these locations too. They help keep the peace, foster stability and encourage goodwill between residents and religious organization by enforcing positive universal behaviors and overseeing small scale group projects.
Literacy and Trees
In the past literacy and libraries were almost synonymous. Possessing a book usually meant that one could read. Historically libraries were places where collections of books were kept and people could go to those places to borrow those books and read. There were libraries in schools and towns supported them. Individuals even had private libraries in their homes of all the books they acquired for their families to read.
Today that is not so. The only traditional libraries that exist now are under the strict control of the Four Recognized Religions and not