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Post by Odin on Sept 22, 2009 20:32:37 GMT -5
"Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time," ::Odin quoted soberly; his line a speech from Churchill. He believed in democracy, so much so that he had spent months irritating his acquaintances by urging them to vote in the last election, because their livelihood had depended upon exercising their rights. They had lost the election, but not for want of trying on his part.
He still exercised his rights, those guaranteed to him with his citizenship: freedom of speech, freedom of association, of privacy, of the press, of petition...he made great use of those, particularly the last two with his job. He valued those rights. He had also seen with his own eyes what could happen when the government gave too much power to individual citizens and was then unable to reign them in. After all, in the end, Project Wideawake had been a private endeavor; the government had formally scrapped the program.
No, he valued rule of law; he wasn't an anarchist. He had lived his childhood and adolescence as one of the weak, and he could never willingly submit to the idea of a country where only the strong ruled. That was masochistic; it was also nauseating in its own right.:: "I'm thankful too. I'm also aware of how people react to fear - of the unknown and of perceived threats. There's talk of reintroducing the Mutant Registration Act, and that's unsettling."
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Post by Nadia Davich on Sept 23, 2009 15:59:54 GMT -5
A look of concern washed over Nadia's features. She hadn't heard of the possibility of the Act's return. Something like that would force even more mutants, especially the children, to go into hiding, trying to pretend they were completely human. Her organization could be in jeopardy for the few still willing to participate in groups. "It's more than unsettling. It's... awful.
"And it's unfair." She shook her head slowly, trying to contain her anger. "Just because they--we--have a different genetic makeup... Shouldn't the government then ask others to register? Those with disorders or others that might be a threat? Everyone in this country would be on a list."
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Post by Odin on Sept 23, 2009 19:23:45 GMT -5
"It's unfair," ::Odin agreed, and his fingers found the rim of his glass, which he traced idly. It was supremely unfair, as well as awful, but as he had spent too many nights awake contemplating the worst case scenario, he didn't wish for those thoughts to haunt him during this meal. He was aware of the dangers, far more than many, as he remembered the sentinel he had seen, and knew how it could be used...when its technology was so similar to his powers...
He had to think of the chatter as unsettling, for it was a result of human fear. If the government enacted the plan...then it would surpass awful and become terrifying. Until then, it was unsettling chatter, and of course, unfair, because it targeted a small segment of the population for something they could not prevent. Not for actions, but for existing. It was unfair, and it was morally wrong. Meeting her gaze, he said,:: "It's easiest to pick on the most common enemy, those with the greatest ability for potential harm. A mutant destroyed the Golden Gate Bridge; mutants can do any number of things on a greater scale than the average human. Both for the common good or for destruction." ::That was a nod to the healing effects of her tears, which he had read in her genes. He continued,:: "These are the same people who wanted to identify all homosexuals as potential AIDS carriers and round them up in the 1980s and wanted to sterilize the mentally ill. They're the same people who want to stop immigration or who think that all minorities are poor and addicted to crack, that anyone who doesn't go to their house of worship is a heathen, and that people are poor because they're lazy."
::That hit a bit closer to home than he'd intended, and he blinked away the rant.:: "If it were up to these people alone, they'd want everyone else in the country on a list. They're a vocal minority, thankfully, and they can't be reasoned with. It's the ones in the middle of the road who don't think about consequences and who are being fed propaganda who can make the majority for registration, and they're the ones who need to be convinced otherwise by putting a face with the word 'mutant.' A face that isn't Magneto's."
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Post by Nadia Davich on Sept 24, 2009 15:41:50 GMT -5
Nadia listened to him quietly, her anger growing as he put words to her own thoughts. That putting mutants on a list was only the newest thing in a long tradition of trying to falsely 'better' the world. With the few bad seed mutants, as she liked to sometimes call them, the government wanted to contain all of them with the so-called horrible mutant gene. Punish all to get to a few. The concept made her sick inside, and she crossed her arms over her chest to push away the feeling and to try to calm her emotions, knowing that the angrier she got, the more her accent came through.
She nodded at his final comments. Yes, they were only a few, but they were loud. And if they could get the rest of the people allied with them... she didn't want to think about it. Fortunately for now most of the people around the country had more important things to worry about. Nadia was afraid for when their priorities might change. She was afraid that the democracy she loved so much would turn into the form of government she had lived back in '80s Ukraine.
"Yes. But sadly most of the mutants who could be used as a figurehead, a good one, they want to stay in hiding." The young woman shook her head sadly. "And the ones who are in the public eye, don't stay there for long, preferring to hide behind stone walls." She looked at him, her gaze unwavering. "Perhaps some day soon, someone will come to represent us. Someone with good intentions."
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Post by Odin on Sept 25, 2009 15:34:59 GMT -5
"It's not easy being a figurehead," ::Odin said, and he sympathized with those who simply wanted to live their lives uninterrupted. Nothing was so simple, but it was a benign desire on their part.:: "Particularly with the risk of violence. But...I think you'd like my publication; everyone is out in the open, and we work towards the goal of putting a better public face on mutants, even if it's a plurality."
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Post by Nadia Davich on Sept 25, 2009 15:48:27 GMT -5
She smiled. "Yes. It does sound interesting." Nadia uncrossed her arms and relaxed a bit, now that the conversation was turning to a new topic. "Perhaps, when I am more settled, you could run a small ad? For my little group? When does your next issue come out?"
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Post by Odin on Sept 27, 2009 14:16:01 GMT -5
::A smile crossed Odin's features; he was always looking for more advertising. He nodded,:: "I would be happy to; I can either give you my card, or take yours. As for our next issue, in a few months. It's a stop and go process."
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Post by Nadia Davich on Sept 28, 2009 15:54:19 GMT -5
Nadia nodded and turned her head down to sift through her purse. Finally she found what she was looking for and clicked the clasp closed before turning back to look at him. "Here..." she held a small card out to him after scribbling something on the back. It read: Underground Mutant Enterprises
Nadia Davich
555-8348 "Call me, any time." She smiled. "I have no permanent address as of yet, but I am currently at the Hilton. I wrote the room number on the card." Nadia settled back in her seat and continued the conversation. "Stop and go you said? You have no set publication date?" |
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Post by Odin on Sept 29, 2009 11:09:18 GMT -5
::Odin took the card from her and read the front, a smirk on his lips because it was so reminiscent of his own card. More so when she mentioned living out of a hotel; one might think he'd met his female counterpart. He turned the card over to read her room number, and then slipped the card into his shirt pocket. As for her question...:: "We're a small office, and we're still getting off the ground. Set publication dates are a luxury we've yet to earn."
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Post by Nadia Davich on Sept 29, 2009 15:07:54 GMT -5
An amused smile came across her features. "Yes, I know how hard it is to get your ideas off the ground, especially from scratch." Her own small operation had taken years for her to even get to the point where it was now, and it still wasn't anything that could be taken as remotely large. "I wish you all good luck with your publication."
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Post by Odin on Sept 29, 2009 15:57:13 GMT -5
"Thank you," ::Odin said sincerely. He had more experience with setting up his own business than was necessary to go into at this conversation. Instead, he could thank her on behalf of the office, for they needed all of the luck they could get in these turbulent times.:: "We're a dedicated group, despite the small numbers."
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Post by Nadia Davich on Sept 30, 2009 16:07:41 GMT -5
((Figure it's time to wrap up this thread, haha.))
"I'm sure you are." She smiled. Nadia took a moment to glance at her watch then and noted how late it was. Surprising how quickly the hours had went by. She motioned for the check when she looked up. "I should really be getting back to my hotel. It's been a long day." Nadia smiled at him again. "Thank you for the dinner conversation."
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Post by Odin on Sept 30, 2009 18:53:34 GMT -5
((OOC: It has been underway for a while.))
"It was my pleasure," ::Odin told her honestly. He had genuinely enjoyed her company, and he looked forward to further negotiations.:: "I'll be sure to call."
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Post by Nadia Davich on Oct 1, 2009 15:21:55 GMT -5
"That would be wonderful." She stood up and pulled a few bills from her wallet, leaving them on the table. Nadia was about to depart when something crossed her mind. So she dug back into her purse, coming up with a small stack of her cards, about a dozen, to hand to Odin. "Here... in case you run into anyone."
She smiled then and gave him a small wave before heading towards the door. Pausing in the doorway, "Until next time," then disappeared out onto the street to hail a cab back to her hotel.
[to Room 384...]
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Post by Odin on Oct 1, 2009 20:49:52 GMT -5
"Take care," ::Odin wished her, taking the business cards from her and putting them into his jacket pocket. He'd distribute them at the office later. He checked the bill, was thoughtful a moment, and then ordered a coffee before paying. It would be the best way to end the night.::
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