We have just concluded a relatively long miniseries called AFTERMATH, presented here for your reading enjoyment. Aside from the supernatural aspects, the story raises certain real-world questions. Why do so many people assume that in the face of a global disaster, the governments of the world would create a dystopian society? Is it really feasible for the government of the United States of America to consider moving its entire population into camps? Who and why would anyone want to exercise that much control over the people in our country?
Taking these questions one at a time, let’s look at both best case and worst case scenarios:
1. Why do so many people assume that in the face of a global disaster, the governments of the world would create a dystopian society?
The best case scenario is that not every government feels the need to do so. It is entirely possible, maybe even probable, that our government would look at such intervention as a temporary measure to restore order and nothing more. The President, contrary to modern fiction and sometimes the current one’s own belief does not retain ultimate power in the country. In certain emergency situations, he is permitted to bypass Congress for several months, he is certain offices of the Federal Government, and he is the Commander-In-Chief of the Military. Bypassing Congress will undoubtedly anger both parties and is an almost certain ticket to impeachment. The offices that the President controls is usually through their budget, telling the FBI to drop a case will certainly get it leaked to the media and create the kind of firestorm that even a President can’t tolerate. Except in very rare cases, the military is not permitted to act on U.S. soil. Besides, these are our sons and daughters, husbands and wives. While they are trained to take orders, they are not robots and are as likely to throw their guns away as they are to fire upon their own citizens.
The worst case scenario is that the government of the largest population on the planet is communist and totalitarian. China is joined by several smaller states in this and even Russia, a nominal democracy now, has become much more as it was during the cold war. Put a very left-leaning President and government in place, and it is possible that we would be living out George Orwell’s 1984 for the rest of eternity. All of this would be for our own good, of course, at least according to the government. The President would not rely on our military to take action, he would be more inclined to ask for United Nations’ Peacekeepers, men and women from foreign countries, to take over the responsibility for maintaining order. These foreigners would not only not have any emotional attachments to the people living here; many have an active hatred of the United States and its inhabitants.
The reality is probably somewhere in the middle.
2. Is it really feasible for the government of the United States of America to consider moving its entire population into camps?
The best case scenario is that enough people would still survive whatever catastrophe we are talking about that it would be impossible to fit them all into camps. There simply isn’t enough concertina wire and who would you get to guard that many people?
The worst case scenario is a little more frightening because of the preparation already in place. FEMA has been given extraordinary powers when it comes to any disaster. They have the legal right to confiscate anything you own that even the lowest level administrator in FEMA deems necessary to the cause of helping the country. That means that some kid with no degree and an ax to grind because he is a friend of the administration, can go from door to door in his neighborhood and literally demand everything that they own to be given to FEMA. But don’t worry, you’ll get a receipt for it! This is one way to force you into a FEMA camp, when you have nothing left, where will you go for food and shelter? While conspiracy theorists claim that ‘FEMA death camps’ have already been built in the U.S., I have to think that it is unlikely. Why tip your hand before you had to?
The truth is probably closer to worst case than best case.
3. Who and why would anyone want to exercise that much control over the people in our country?
This isn’t a best case/worst case kind of question. Who and why come down to basic human motivations. Put simply, if you can control others, you protect yourself and your offspring. No government official that I know of thinks along the lines of, “Heh, heh, heh, I’m going to pull people’s strings like a puppet just because I can!” Most people are motivated by greed, lust, hatred, love, and arrogance.
If the average person has the power, they will do what they can to hinder and harm those that they consider their enemies. So, if you can control others during a disaster, you can keep those that you believe would hurt you away and provide the best for yourself. Unfortunately, the people that we elect as our leaders are just that, people and they are going to do the same thing. The difference is that they will somehow convince themselves that it is all ‘for our own good.’ The problem that we have, continue to and will always face is that there are others that really do believe that they know what is best for us. Our freedom does not and never has mattered to them, only their freedom matters because only they know what is best. We see it daily with the current administration, and the worst part is that they young people, those that we call millennials, accept it because they want someone taking care of them.
On October 26, 2001, we gave up more essential freedoms in this country than on any other day. From that day on, virtually every area of our lives has been affected, and we have seen more erosion of our liberties. How much more we allow is up to us. The dystopian future I describe in my stories and books is on our shoulders. Do we say goodbye to the Constitution in favor of some imagined safety that does not and cannot exist? Or, do we take the future into our own hands and make this country what it once was, what it was meant to be?
The choice, as it always has been, is ours.
If you are interested in the world of the Senses Novels, I suggest that you begin with book one, the #1 Best Selling AURA. All of the Senses Novels are exclusively on Amazon.
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