Chapter 28
On December 21, 2156, at 2:30 pm, a special broadcast canceled all regular scheduled programming to show a tactical swat team storming Classroom 22. Harley and I were the only two students not in attendance that the day. Written on the blackboard behind Mr. Borinski was a quote from Thomas Jefferson,
"Those who forgo freedom for security deserve neither."
It was a horrific assassination, justified by the normal terrorist label, but the UCW had no Idea the storm they unleashed. An anonymous source dropped a video dump of all Mr. Borinski's lectures. Millions of copies of this book were disseminated and within days the new American spring began to flow. We based the Movement on the non-violent teachings of Gandhi and Martin Luther King.
On December 22, 2160, four years later, the UCW relinquished all governing rights as well as its right to issue currency to the general of the resistance, Harley Gasner.
On December 25, 2160, the United States of America formally announced its intention to re-establish the democratic republic. On February 8th, 2161, I, Olga Verdusco, only twenty-three years old, will be sworn in as the first democratically elected president in more than 145 years. I leave you with this: words on a page changed the course of history and sparked a rebirth of freedom.
The End
Speech #1, Matthew Mattox
Denver, Capitol Building
“Good morning Denver... we gather here on the steps of the Capitol building, to exercise our first amendment rights. There has been a great injustice, and we will not sit idle and watch as the will of the people is forcefully ignored. This country was conceived in the womb of discontent because mother England refused to give our people a place at the table. Now it is more than two hundred years later, and mother Washington is making the same mistake. The people of the great state of Colorado have lifted Washington’s curtain and behind it seen fascism. Our politicians have been bought and paid for by corporations who seek to eliminate any threat to their bottom line, even freedom.
We should be cautious, because though the fire of independence burns deep in our hearts this is not a time for retaliation with violence. We must not stray from the ideals of the Constitution. We must not become that which we fear. We must stare down the ravenous beast of greed.
If we can do that, if we can hold strong, we will place the burden where it belongs: on the steps of the White House, because ultimately there are no elected officials in the DEA, CIA, FBI, or the ATF. We need our officials to understand we will no longer be beholden to those companies who are more concerned with profits than the security and longevity of our great nation.
Let it be said, that in the great land of opportunity, we did not falter in the face of adversity, and we did not give up our ideals of freedom for the false sense of security.
The war on cannabis has led us down the dark path that Eisenhower warned us about. As he left office, he said,
“In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.”
The danger to America has grown to be much more than what he imagined, and these companies are profiting from the status quo. Over the past 80 years they have spent billions on marketing campaigns aimed at demonizing a plant.
No need to ask yourself why. We know why: fear, and greed.
On November 6, 2012, when the great state of Colorado joined Washington state in the legalization of cannabis we finally put our foot down.
We have had enough.
We will no longer be lied to.
We will not allow a group of pampered politicians from halfway across the world to control our destiny.
Like our forefathers before us, we will not accept the thumb of oppression. Instead, we have asserted our right as a state to determine our own fate.
Thank you.”
A man in the crowd starts to chant, "States’ rights." He and a chorus of the same spread out through the crowd.
Speech #2, Matthew Mattox
Bar near Coors Field
“War is the perpetual cycle we find ourselves in, not out of necessity as some would have us believe, but in the pursuit of profit. Let’s face it, war is big, big money, and the past hundred years has made those who invest in it extremely wealthy. Dwight D. Eisenhower warned us of the military industrial complex and its influence over policy. Instead of listening to what he said, we collectively shut out the truth and now we are left with the war in Iraq, the war in Afghanistan, the war against terrorism, and the war on drugs. These are the wars we are in right now, and this list doesn’t include the dozen or so other wars we have been involved in since Dwight left office.
This is our country, one in which profit has somehow outweighed common sense. But that ends now. We will no longer take the back seat in our self-determination. We will no longer listen to the hate and fear that has divided us. We are ready to make good on the promise of liberty and cut the shackles of fear that we have allowed to enslave us.
I would like to put on notice all the politicians and CEO's who have sold out our country. I tell you --- we’re coming for you. We’re not coming for you with guns, knives, or bombs. We’re coming for you with the mighty hand of justice and you will be treated as the traitors you are.”
Speech #3, Matthew Mattox
Sterling, Colorado
“ ‘We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, and each of us is granted by the creator, the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’ This statement is more than just words; it expresses our culture, our tribe, our desire as a species to embrace freedom. 226 years ago, our forefathers set out to create a nation of free men, a nation who believed in the inherent good within a man of reason. Our Constitution was written in the blood of sacrifice and upheld despite the tyranny of intolerance. As hard as it's been, we have overcome all obstacles and in our wake are the greatest advancements in human history.
Sadly, today, those advancements are coming from somewhere else. Do you know why?
The liberty that allowed us these opportunities has been systematically regulated away, not by a vast conspiracy but by a population living in fear. Thomas Jefferson said, ‘A man who values security over freedom deserves neither.’ Prohibition of hemp and cannabis has failed at every level, but no one has been hit harder than small farmers. Today around the world farming communities like yours are cashing in on hemp, but not here. Why? Fear.
It's not the closely related cousin cannabis, which you may know by its slang term marijuana, but industrial hemp. It's cheap and easy to produce and can provide everything from food to the gas that runs your car. So why is it illegal? Fear.
We have a chance here in the great state of Colorado, to step out beyond the strangling grasp of Washington and exercise our state’s right to self-determination.
No one here cares if the DOW Jones will lose some of its market share or if private corporations lose their spot at the succulent tit of big government.
We want to make an honest living, and let’s face it, we want to free ourselves from the subsidies that have squeezed out the little man.
Today is a new day in this great country. Today we stand up and tell the federal government that we will no longer need a bodyguard watching over us like a frail child. No, today we step out of the shadow of fear and embrace our old friend and trusted confidant, liberty.
Thank you.”
The End of the Weed War
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The Freedom Files
Berkeley, 2191
Dax’s studio apartment.
I put down the book The Weed War and began thinking about what I would say to Abby about it on Saturday. The 8x10 room was large for a single man during the corporate times, but since the second revolution the badlands were opened up, and people flooded them, hoping to start farms and new lives. I couldn’t see myself leaving the city, so I stayed and a larger room became available. It’s so strange having this much space. I can’t even imagine what the people did in 2019 with their huge mansions in the place they called suburbia. The pictures are so crazy. It was if they believed they had no effect on their environment. After reading The Weed War it’s easy to see why. They were manipulated in their free society the same way we were in the corporate days. The Germans from World War II were also manipulated into a hate-driven ideology which became their downfall. The people who bankrolled the Nazis then turned their sights on the world and began the same routine. These people or groups of families were driven by fear of the Communist movement which erased the inequity of the past and stripped the wealthy of their property, possessions, and money. Fascism became their only hope; Bonito Mussolini said that ‘Fascism should rightly be called corporatism.’ I find it strange that they didn’t see it, as it was right under their nose. They even participated in it freely, giving away all that they had by voting for fear and hate.
It is astounding the positions the people would fight for even in the face of reason and absolute scientific proof, which shows us just how dangerous power can be. They justified the laws by lying or pandering to political or religious factions that they knew people would vote for. Divide and conquer that is what they did.
I took notes as I thought of the things Abby would hopefully think were witty or deep.
I woke up the next morning with my face in my notebook and my pen still in my hand. Luckily I had moved to the bed at some point, so I wasn’t stiff everywhere.
***
When Abby walked in and the light caught her silky gray hair, my breath was stolen by her beauty. As she walked straight toward me, her grace made it seem like she was floating. I leaned in and gave her a hug, trying not to get too close. My racing heart would be even more revealing than my bright red face.
“Hello, Dax,” she whispered as we embraced.
Time stood still for a brief moment.
“I’m so happy you were able to make it,” I said before waving over to her seat.
She slid into the bench seat and I followed, doing the same directly across from her. We had our pleasantries, ordered a meal, and some drinks and began our dissection of The Weed War.
I can’t remember the fine details about the conversation, because I was unusually tongue-tied and enamored with this woman, her wit, her words and her mastery of communication. When I talked, she stared deep into my eyes, hanging on my words and she never interrupted me. After every point I made she would repeat the gist of my assertions, then pause to think of her retort. At first the silence was uncomfortable, but I realized that in those pauses I could see her as she truly was, perfect. I don’t mean perfect like those people from the twenty first century and their plastic faces. No, Abby was perfect because you could see the wisdom in those lines, in that hair. Yes, she was beautiful, but hearing the depth of her mind made me long for her touch and magnified her beauty a hundred fold.
We ate and talked for hours until they kicked us out because they needed the table. I walked her to apartment complex only a few blocks away on the same level of the city. As we approached the front door to her building, my heart began to race and my mind splintered into a thousand different thoughts. Should I kiss her? Was this a real date? Should I ask for her number? Luckily, before I could make any headway on my own, she reached down and grabbed my hand, turned, pulled me in, and kissed me. I nearly fainted from the rush of blood to my head. Her lips were smooth and soft and her perfume was intoxicating.
“Thank you for the lovely date, Dax, it was just divine.” She smiled and handed me a piece of paper. “Here is my number. You can call me at any time.”
I didn’t know what to say, I felt like I was a young boy lost in a boyhood crush and when she finally kissed me, my words failed me.
“Ok.” That’s all I said.
I couldn’t believe it. She smiled like a Cheshire cat, turned around, and left me standing there.
“Ok.” I couldn’t think of anything better to say than OK. Needless to say, the maglev train ride home was one of mixed emotions, but overwhelmingly it was the positive side that won. I’m pretty sure I found myself even skipping a few times between the stop and home. Who skips? Apparent I skip when my heart has been stolen.
***
The Freedom Files
Class 3
University of California, Berkeley, 2191
Tuesday’s class couldn’t come soon enough. Abby and I talked on the phone a number of times, but I just didn’t want to wait to see her. I even looked up some awesome quotes to use in class so I could impress her. We arrived at the same time and found seats near the front.
The former President entered the room from the back of the stage as was her normal routine, fumbled through her things, pulled out a stack of old books, and lifted one in the air before asking, “Who can tell me what this is?”
Gasps filled the auditorium. Then a young lady in the front of the class blurted out that it was the only remaining copy of her diary, the one her brother published after her death.
“Yes.” The president smiled and closed her eyes for a second. It was clear that the book in her hand held a great deal of significance for President Verdusco, because in all my years I had never seen her show her emotions until that moment. She opened her tear filled eyes and said. “When Harley and I wrote The Weed War, we hoped for change, but we never fully grasped what our actions would bring. This diary opened our eyes and ultimately led us to all of the works that we will be reading in this class.” She set it down on the podium took a deep breath and dove in. “So you read the weed war and I’m sure you did your homework on its importance to the revolution and the second constitution. That being said, what amendments were added, using this book as our justifications and why?”
I was called on first, and an upwelling of pride flushed through me before I began. “The first amendment added because of this book was, the money out of politics amendment or Amendment 29, which calls for general funds to be distributed equally between candidates and prohibits politicians from accepting money from anyone as it is a form of bribery. Thomas Jefferson wrote about it in the early stages of the union. ‘Vast accession of strength from their younger recruits, who having nothing in them of the feelings or principles of ’76 now look to a single and splendid government of an Aristocracy, founded on banking institutions and moneyed in corporations under the guise and cloak of their favored branches of manufactures, commerce, and navigation, riding and ruling over the plundered ploughman and beggared yeomanry.’ Unfortunately they were unable to stop this aristocracy in the 1700’s, and in 1994 the storied twentieth century philosopher Norm Chomsky wrote of Jefferson’s assertion, ‘The end of democracy and the defeat of the American Revolution will occur when government falls into the hands of lending institutions and moneyed incorporations.’ We had to add the amendment, because the money took away the power of the vote and allowed for manipulation of the system. If we were to live up to Lincoln’s words ‘Government of the people by the people and for the people.’ we needed to even the playing field.
“Wow, someone did their homework,” Abby whispered when I finished.
“Excellent, Dax,” President Verdusco said. “Does anyone else care to expand? Maybe something from Adam Smith.”
A guy behind me said, “Adam Smith dismissed corporations as a leftover remnant of the Middle Ages and the dismal failure of the feudal period.”
The president smiled. She knew someone would take her bait and like a skilled angler, she slowly reeled us in. “The American system of economics was slowly whittled away by those moneyed corporations Jefferson so eloquently spoke of. It was replaced with Objectivism, Fascism and a laissez faire economic approach that relied heavily on Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations. Sadly, with the climate of manipulation, the people failed to check their sources. Instead, they relied on the media and their elected officials to give them the truth. It’s comical that corporate politicians could quote from Adam Smith in one hand and kowtow to their corporate masters in the other and convincingly tie the two together. Joseph Gobells said. ‘If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.’ So what was this lie and how did it affect our decisions in the second continental congress?”
Hands flew up, but she didn’t call anyone. Instead, she pressed a button on the podium and a hologram of words appeared above her. She pointed to the first set of words with a laser pointer. “Invisible Hand,” she read slowly, “is the first part of the lie and tied to Adam Smith. The architects of this lie were smart, using fear of Communism and anything tied to it as the boogey man. They chose only portions of Adam Smith’s economic theory and failed to heed his warnings about the concentration of wealth and externalization of production costs. These men of industry and financial wizards alike ignored Mr. Smith’s positions on trade, on corporations, on power, and on class. They tied the invisible hand to God, implying that governments were interfering with the divine plan and used politicians and the media to spread their lie.