08-30-2016, 09:06 PM
Although Evie had hardly been able to sleep the previous night, one would never know it. Her makeup was flawless, both it and her hair were professionally done. Everything from her nails to her smart pantsuit was carefully calculated to exude a sense of professionalism, while accentuating her youth and beauty. Her speech as well had been agonizingly picked through word by word, every detail carefully crafted for maximum effect. She had to be vulnerable, yet strong; speak technically, yet be engaging. It was a study in contradictions, and it would be her finest masterwork yet.
Pundits and politicians were already making comparisons between the Power and gun control, especially in the Democratic Party. It was rare in politics to find an issue that no one had staked a position on. However, the sudden appearance of magic meant that the people in power were scrambling to find solutions – or, more importantly given it was an Election year, to find constituencies. Protecting individual freedoms of Powered-people neatly aligned with the Libertarian, and to some extent the Republican, Parties. Therefore, Democrats seemed to be staking out an opposing position just for the sake of having an opposing position. That was the biggest danger her Party was in, and the biggest challenge that she’d face. Evie had to convince liberals that supporting the rights of Powered-people was a liberal cause, but not go so far as to have reflexive backlash from conservatives. She needed to craft a speech that would rally the Left whilst not alienating the Right. It was a careful tightrope walk.
Evelyn smiled tightly as she rose from her seat in the crowd. She very intentionally did not make eye contact with Speaker Holden as she approached the podium. It wasn’t exactly… encouraged for freshman Representatives to go rogue and make unplanned speeches in front of the House and Senate, especially not while being introduced by a Secretary of the opposing Party. Evie tried not to think about how much her political career hinged on this being received well. God had gotten her through worse trials in the past.
“Ladies and gentlemen, and those whom identify otherwise…”
Evelyn smiled into the camera, giving her best warm grin. “I am sure that you’re all confused about why Secretary Trano invited me to speak today.”
Her grin turned rueful. “As I’m sure many of you can guess, the Secretary didn’t just give me the podium out of spirited bipartisanship. This is an immensely personal issue to both of us. You see, when I was a teenager, my best friend, Madelyn Trano, succumbed to the Sickness.”
An excited murmur broke out through the room. Evie didn’t like using Maddie in such a crass way, but it was necessary. Their friendship was hardly a secret, nor was the fact that she hailed from Nick’s home district. It would’ve take the investigative reporters watching the broadcast less than ten minutes to have uncovered it.
“This is a very trying time for all of us. Many of you are scared and confused. I know because I am as well.”
Evelyn paused and glanced around the room, making sure to catch the eyes of both the majority and minority leaders. They both seemed somewhat impatient and unimpressed, although it was in a subtle way. That would change soon. “And as is natural for those who are frightened, it would be easy for me to continue hiding, to continue denying a part of myself.”
Now she had their attention. “But I am not in the habit of hiding my head in the sand when things get hard. No, as the great Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said: ‘There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but he must take it because his conscience tells him it is right.”
And if someone remembered that Dr. King said that in reference to his opposition to the Vietnam War… well, her positions on the subject of war were no secret.
Evelyn had struggled to find the exact wording to use to describe her abilities. The fact was “Powered-individuals” was prohibitively clunky. If she was clever, she could coin a term for a generation or more. It would be one more way to establish herself as an expert in the field of Power. She had an obligation to God to spread His praise, and in truth it was His power that she channeled. However, Trano would doubtlessly have a fit if she admitted it, and unfortunately talk of Jesus wasn’t so popular among her base. However, there was a subtle way of glorifying Him, and letting all who spoke of it unknowingly reference His power.
In her studies of the Gospel, Evie had come across a particularly compelling phrase. Theologians had described the Holy Spirit as the ‘channel’ through which God’s power is manifested. The word ‘channel’ had resonated with her. It seemed to describe her power perfectly. She was not so arrogant as to believe that she was divine herself, for she was merely a conduit through which Jesus could act on the world. She could surrender herself to the Holy Spirit, and use it to channel God’s power. She wasn’t Powered; she was merely a gate through which power could flow. Although she couldn’t openly praise Jesus, she could correct the misconception that mortals could be ‘Powered.’
“When I was fifteen years old, I developed the Sickness. After I recovered, I discovered that I could channel the Power.”
Shocked murmurs burst out through the room, growing in volume until the sound was cacophonous. Evie stood at the podium serenely, giving a long pause before raising a hand purposefully. The chamber fell silent as people gazed at her fearfully. Her pose had been carefully calculated to mimic that of other channelers who’d used their powers in public. She was hoping that the shock effect would control the room before hysteria could breakout and had gambled correctly. “Please! My fellow congressmen and women, do not be afraid. Although I am a channeler I am not here to dazzle you with pyrotechnics or erect monuments to my own greatness.”
Evie huffed derisively. “No, that would be pointless. Because unlike some countries, the United States of America isn’t ruled by whomever can make the largest display of power. In the United States, we believe in democracy, in rule by consent of the governed. We believe that by electing Representatives to debate and peacefully discuss controversial topics, we can create a society of law and justice. We believe that through our words, we can give voices to the oppressed and ensure that every citizen is ensured the inalienable right of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
“So no,”
Evelyn said forcefully. “I’m not here to make an egotistical display of power. Today I stand here to do what countless other Congresswomen before me have done: talk.”
Evie paused meaningfully, glancing around once more. This time all eyes were on her, some staring in trepidation, and some in admiration. No one had missed her less-than-subtle references towards Ascendancy. They were all terrified of his display, but if she had her way, then in one speech they would begin to see it for what it really was: a childish cry for attention and respect, a reflection of the worst aspects of the CCD, rather than the best. “Nearly seventy years ago, the city of San Francisco elected to the position of City Supervisor one Mr. Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man in the nation to be elected to public office.
“Since then, our country has grappled with questions of the place of alternative sexualities and gender identities in public life. And I’m very happy to say that we found ourselves on the right side of history. However, Supervisor Milk was one of the first, and his words are still poignant today. He famously said: ‘All men are created equal. No matter how hard they try, they can never erase those words. That is what America is about’.”
Evelyn paused, staring pensively out into the crowd. “All men are created equal,”
she mused. “That’s what we keep coming back to as a society. For decades… for centuries we’ve struggled with questions of equality. Would all men be equal? Would women be equal? How equal must we be; in what manner would we be equal? Could we be separate but equal? And yet…”
Evie stared once more into the eyes of her fellow Members of Congress, she let her passion show in her vision as she stared directly into the closest CSPAN camera. “And yet, inexorably we come to the same answer, over and over again.”
Evelyn stressed each word. “There is no facsimile of equality that can replace that which our founders spoke of. There is no freedom but the sweet liberty promised to each and every one of us from the very moment our great nation was founded!
“My fellow Americans!”
Evie cried. “Make no mistake. We have fought this battle already, so many times. And yet in each instance the spirit of liberalism that has fueled our progress through the centuries has prevailed. Discrimination based on creed or national origin… discrimination based on immutable factors like gender or sexuality… discrimination based on race or ethnicity… discrimination of all kinds and colors has been defeated time and time again. We as a nation constantly reject the notion of persecuting others based on things over which they have no control. And make no mistake, the ability to channel is as immutable as those other factors I previously mentioned.”
Evelyn cleared her throat, and shuffled the papers on the podium as if she were reading from her notes. In truth, she had the statistics memorized verbatim. “The Sickness, as it called, was always thought to be quite unusual. Most diseases affect those who have the weakest immune systems: the children and the elderly. That the so-called illness struck teenagers and young adults in the prime of their life was always odd, but other infirmities have been known to do so. What was more remarkable was the fact that it struck males and females at notably different age ranges. For women if could be considered part of puberty but not so for men. There is no known infectious agent that acts this way. And the Sickness was never shown to be communicable in any way. Therefore biologists have long theorized that it was a genetic ailment, something inscribed into the very DNA of those who bore it.
“What was even more remarkable was that the Sickness seemed ubiquitous to all humankind. It struck men and women at equal rates, and showed no preference for skin color or ethnicity or national origin. That fact led scientists to believe that it must be a gene that developed early in our species’ history, that predates the origin of Homo Sapiens itself, a gene that for whatever reason has become activated now. It is believed that the Sickness gene is embedded so deeply in our cellular memory that it may be integral to the concept of humanity itself.”
Evie paused. “Nikolai Brandon claims that channelers are linked to the Sickness, and so far there is no reason to believe he is wrong. All channelers who have outed themselves publicly have stated that they are Sickness survivors. And so, if all channelers survived the Sickness, and the Sickness originates from our very DNA…”
Evelyn chuckled. “I suppose what I’m saying is that I was born this way.”
The brunette grinned beatifically. “And like every other oppressed group in the history of this country, equality will grace us. To everyone, in this great chamber and outside, who preaches hatred and bigotry, I have one simple message.”
There were many such people here before her, and she met their eyes gleefully. They had the look of a prey animal which had just realized the snare was closing around them. “We will not tolerate your intolerance. The arc of history bends ever closer to liberty, and you are once more on the wrong side of it.”
Evelyn turned towards the CSPAN camera, staring directly into its lens. “To all of my fellow Americans who are not channelers, I ask you this- no, I beg you. Do not allow yourselves to be misled by those who claim to be speaking in your favor. We are your children and your parents. We are your friends and your lovers, your brothers and your sisters. Although many of us may not have come out to you yet, we are there, inevitably. All that is required for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing. Do not allow those in power to do evil in your name. And do not forget that the Sickness strikes every society equally. Look at your children. Look at your grandchildren. Someday, they may have the Sickness. Someday, they may channel the Power. And someday, if you do not speak up, you will have to answer to them when they ask you why they are allowed to suffer the indignity of inequality.”
Evelyn once more looked into the camera, but this time her expression softened. “And to those of you who are like me, those of you who are channelers… I ask you to stay safe. There is a hate group that calls itself the ‘Atharim’. Their goal is the genocide of our entire race.”
Evie grew stern, her appearance hardening. “But I swear to you that I will do everything in my power to ensure your safety, to ensure that these murderers are brought to justice.”
The brunette smiled softly. She allowed some moisture to brighten her eyes. “I know you’re scared,”
she said quietly, voice echoing in the silent room. “To fear is to be human. But do not lose faith in those that love you. Do not lose faith in the unending goodness of which humankind is capable. Do not lose faith in the spirit of this great nation, which has time and time again proven itself to be a champion of liberty and justice, unlike any in the world. For hope is as innate to our humanity as is our fear. And hope is a far sweeter companion.”
Evelyn turned her gaze to the politicians before her. She raised her hands as if to embrace them. “My fellow Members of Congress. We sit here today because centuries ago, a group of radical free thinkers dared to dream of liberty. They had the audacity to envision a world in which everyone was equal. I beg of you, do not allow your fear to lead you to commit actions antithetical to their noble project. Instead, join with me in hope for a better future. Join with me, and with Secretary Trano, to create a tomorrow where channelers and non-channelers alike can work together to ensure liberty and justice for all.”
The Representative smiled out at the silent crowd, nodding in satisfaction. “Thank you.”
Evelyn stepped back off the podium as the room erupted with noise.
Edited by Evelyn, Aug 30 2016, 09:42 PM.
Pundits and politicians were already making comparisons between the Power and gun control, especially in the Democratic Party. It was rare in politics to find an issue that no one had staked a position on. However, the sudden appearance of magic meant that the people in power were scrambling to find solutions – or, more importantly given it was an Election year, to find constituencies. Protecting individual freedoms of Powered-people neatly aligned with the Libertarian, and to some extent the Republican, Parties. Therefore, Democrats seemed to be staking out an opposing position just for the sake of having an opposing position. That was the biggest danger her Party was in, and the biggest challenge that she’d face. Evie had to convince liberals that supporting the rights of Powered-people was a liberal cause, but not go so far as to have reflexive backlash from conservatives. She needed to craft a speech that would rally the Left whilst not alienating the Right. It was a careful tightrope walk.
Evelyn smiled tightly as she rose from her seat in the crowd. She very intentionally did not make eye contact with Speaker Holden as she approached the podium. It wasn’t exactly… encouraged for freshman Representatives to go rogue and make unplanned speeches in front of the House and Senate, especially not while being introduced by a Secretary of the opposing Party. Evie tried not to think about how much her political career hinged on this being received well. God had gotten her through worse trials in the past.
“Ladies and gentlemen, and those whom identify otherwise…”
Evelyn smiled into the camera, giving her best warm grin. “I am sure that you’re all confused about why Secretary Trano invited me to speak today.”
Her grin turned rueful. “As I’m sure many of you can guess, the Secretary didn’t just give me the podium out of spirited bipartisanship. This is an immensely personal issue to both of us. You see, when I was a teenager, my best friend, Madelyn Trano, succumbed to the Sickness.”
An excited murmur broke out through the room. Evie didn’t like using Maddie in such a crass way, but it was necessary. Their friendship was hardly a secret, nor was the fact that she hailed from Nick’s home district. It would’ve take the investigative reporters watching the broadcast less than ten minutes to have uncovered it.
“This is a very trying time for all of us. Many of you are scared and confused. I know because I am as well.”
Evelyn paused and glanced around the room, making sure to catch the eyes of both the majority and minority leaders. They both seemed somewhat impatient and unimpressed, although it was in a subtle way. That would change soon. “And as is natural for those who are frightened, it would be easy for me to continue hiding, to continue denying a part of myself.”
Now she had their attention. “But I am not in the habit of hiding my head in the sand when things get hard. No, as the great Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said: ‘There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but he must take it because his conscience tells him it is right.”
And if someone remembered that Dr. King said that in reference to his opposition to the Vietnam War… well, her positions on the subject of war were no secret.
Evelyn had struggled to find the exact wording to use to describe her abilities. The fact was “Powered-individuals” was prohibitively clunky. If she was clever, she could coin a term for a generation or more. It would be one more way to establish herself as an expert in the field of Power. She had an obligation to God to spread His praise, and in truth it was His power that she channeled. However, Trano would doubtlessly have a fit if she admitted it, and unfortunately talk of Jesus wasn’t so popular among her base. However, there was a subtle way of glorifying Him, and letting all who spoke of it unknowingly reference His power.
In her studies of the Gospel, Evie had come across a particularly compelling phrase. Theologians had described the Holy Spirit as the ‘channel’ through which God’s power is manifested. The word ‘channel’ had resonated with her. It seemed to describe her power perfectly. She was not so arrogant as to believe that she was divine herself, for she was merely a conduit through which Jesus could act on the world. She could surrender herself to the Holy Spirit, and use it to channel God’s power. She wasn’t Powered; she was merely a gate through which power could flow. Although she couldn’t openly praise Jesus, she could correct the misconception that mortals could be ‘Powered.’
“When I was fifteen years old, I developed the Sickness. After I recovered, I discovered that I could channel the Power.”
Shocked murmurs burst out through the room, growing in volume until the sound was cacophonous. Evie stood at the podium serenely, giving a long pause before raising a hand purposefully. The chamber fell silent as people gazed at her fearfully. Her pose had been carefully calculated to mimic that of other channelers who’d used their powers in public. She was hoping that the shock effect would control the room before hysteria could breakout and had gambled correctly. “Please! My fellow congressmen and women, do not be afraid. Although I am a channeler I am not here to dazzle you with pyrotechnics or erect monuments to my own greatness.”
Evie huffed derisively. “No, that would be pointless. Because unlike some countries, the United States of America isn’t ruled by whomever can make the largest display of power. In the United States, we believe in democracy, in rule by consent of the governed. We believe that by electing Representatives to debate and peacefully discuss controversial topics, we can create a society of law and justice. We believe that through our words, we can give voices to the oppressed and ensure that every citizen is ensured the inalienable right of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
“So no,”
Evelyn said forcefully. “I’m not here to make an egotistical display of power. Today I stand here to do what countless other Congresswomen before me have done: talk.”
Evie paused meaningfully, glancing around once more. This time all eyes were on her, some staring in trepidation, and some in admiration. No one had missed her less-than-subtle references towards Ascendancy. They were all terrified of his display, but if she had her way, then in one speech they would begin to see it for what it really was: a childish cry for attention and respect, a reflection of the worst aspects of the CCD, rather than the best. “Nearly seventy years ago, the city of San Francisco elected to the position of City Supervisor one Mr. Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man in the nation to be elected to public office.
“Since then, our country has grappled with questions of the place of alternative sexualities and gender identities in public life. And I’m very happy to say that we found ourselves on the right side of history. However, Supervisor Milk was one of the first, and his words are still poignant today. He famously said: ‘All men are created equal. No matter how hard they try, they can never erase those words. That is what America is about’.”
Evelyn paused, staring pensively out into the crowd. “All men are created equal,”
she mused. “That’s what we keep coming back to as a society. For decades… for centuries we’ve struggled with questions of equality. Would all men be equal? Would women be equal? How equal must we be; in what manner would we be equal? Could we be separate but equal? And yet…”
Evie stared once more into the eyes of her fellow Members of Congress, she let her passion show in her vision as she stared directly into the closest CSPAN camera. “And yet, inexorably we come to the same answer, over and over again.”
Evelyn stressed each word. “There is no facsimile of equality that can replace that which our founders spoke of. There is no freedom but the sweet liberty promised to each and every one of us from the very moment our great nation was founded!
“My fellow Americans!”
Evie cried. “Make no mistake. We have fought this battle already, so many times. And yet in each instance the spirit of liberalism that has fueled our progress through the centuries has prevailed. Discrimination based on creed or national origin… discrimination based on immutable factors like gender or sexuality… discrimination based on race or ethnicity… discrimination of all kinds and colors has been defeated time and time again. We as a nation constantly reject the notion of persecuting others based on things over which they have no control. And make no mistake, the ability to channel is as immutable as those other factors I previously mentioned.”
Evelyn cleared her throat, and shuffled the papers on the podium as if she were reading from her notes. In truth, she had the statistics memorized verbatim. “The Sickness, as it called, was always thought to be quite unusual. Most diseases affect those who have the weakest immune systems: the children and the elderly. That the so-called illness struck teenagers and young adults in the prime of their life was always odd, but other infirmities have been known to do so. What was more remarkable was the fact that it struck males and females at notably different age ranges. For women if could be considered part of puberty but not so for men. There is no known infectious agent that acts this way. And the Sickness was never shown to be communicable in any way. Therefore biologists have long theorized that it was a genetic ailment, something inscribed into the very DNA of those who bore it.
“What was even more remarkable was that the Sickness seemed ubiquitous to all humankind. It struck men and women at equal rates, and showed no preference for skin color or ethnicity or national origin. That fact led scientists to believe that it must be a gene that developed early in our species’ history, that predates the origin of Homo Sapiens itself, a gene that for whatever reason has become activated now. It is believed that the Sickness gene is embedded so deeply in our cellular memory that it may be integral to the concept of humanity itself.”
Evie paused. “Nikolai Brandon claims that channelers are linked to the Sickness, and so far there is no reason to believe he is wrong. All channelers who have outed themselves publicly have stated that they are Sickness survivors. And so, if all channelers survived the Sickness, and the Sickness originates from our very DNA…”
Evelyn chuckled. “I suppose what I’m saying is that I was born this way.”
The brunette grinned beatifically. “And like every other oppressed group in the history of this country, equality will grace us. To everyone, in this great chamber and outside, who preaches hatred and bigotry, I have one simple message.”
There were many such people here before her, and she met their eyes gleefully. They had the look of a prey animal which had just realized the snare was closing around them. “We will not tolerate your intolerance. The arc of history bends ever closer to liberty, and you are once more on the wrong side of it.”
Evelyn turned towards the CSPAN camera, staring directly into its lens. “To all of my fellow Americans who are not channelers, I ask you this- no, I beg you. Do not allow yourselves to be misled by those who claim to be speaking in your favor. We are your children and your parents. We are your friends and your lovers, your brothers and your sisters. Although many of us may not have come out to you yet, we are there, inevitably. All that is required for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing. Do not allow those in power to do evil in your name. And do not forget that the Sickness strikes every society equally. Look at your children. Look at your grandchildren. Someday, they may have the Sickness. Someday, they may channel the Power. And someday, if you do not speak up, you will have to answer to them when they ask you why they are allowed to suffer the indignity of inequality.”
Evelyn once more looked into the camera, but this time her expression softened. “And to those of you who are like me, those of you who are channelers… I ask you to stay safe. There is a hate group that calls itself the ‘Atharim’. Their goal is the genocide of our entire race.”
Evie grew stern, her appearance hardening. “But I swear to you that I will do everything in my power to ensure your safety, to ensure that these murderers are brought to justice.”
The brunette smiled softly. She allowed some moisture to brighten her eyes. “I know you’re scared,”
she said quietly, voice echoing in the silent room. “To fear is to be human. But do not lose faith in those that love you. Do not lose faith in the unending goodness of which humankind is capable. Do not lose faith in the spirit of this great nation, which has time and time again proven itself to be a champion of liberty and justice, unlike any in the world. For hope is as innate to our humanity as is our fear. And hope is a far sweeter companion.”
Evelyn turned her gaze to the politicians before her. She raised her hands as if to embrace them. “My fellow Members of Congress. We sit here today because centuries ago, a group of radical free thinkers dared to dream of liberty. They had the audacity to envision a world in which everyone was equal. I beg of you, do not allow your fear to lead you to commit actions antithetical to their noble project. Instead, join with me in hope for a better future. Join with me, and with Secretary Trano, to create a tomorrow where channelers and non-channelers alike can work together to ensure liberty and justice for all.”
The Representative smiled out at the silent crowd, nodding in satisfaction. “Thank you.”
Evelyn stepped back off the podium as the room erupted with noise.
Edited by Evelyn, Aug 30 2016, 09:42 PM.