The Balkanization of America (34 page)

The press fully supports the LSA’s plan; the press has been anti-religion for many years. The press can’t accept the concept of “Thou shall not lie” because the press usually doesn’t tell the truth.

People in the LSA aren’t all eager to give up their religious beliefs. Many grew up with deeply seated beliefs. Many know that morality comes from religion, the very concept of right and wrong comes from God. If God is removed, then there’s no right and wrong. Many families try to decide if this is a quick attack against organized religion or if this is the new national policy. They don’t know if they should try to move to the USA or wait the current situation out. Most have forgotten the Holocaust and the ethnic cleansing in central Europe. Many families assume this is just another headline grab by the current administration trying to distract people from rising food and fuel prices, and shortages that are beginning to show up across the LSA. Those that decide to leave the LSA are shocked to learn they owe and have to pay income tax based on the valuation of all of their possessions before they can move out of the LSA. The purchased value of their furniture, cars, even toys, everything is taxed as ordinary income. None can afford to leave unless they sell their possessions at a fraction of their real value. Even after selling everything most realize they are still short of the taxes due and now they own nothing. This ensures everyone moving into the USA is penniless becoming an instant drain on the government. People are faced with either losing everything they’ve spent their lives earning or staying and hiding their religious practices.

Some churches sponsor protest marches to demonstrate their displeasure with the new rules. One such march in Bloomfield New Jersey gains the support of many different churches and religions. 20,000 people march east on Bloomfield Ave until they reach the Garden State Parkway where they turn south on their way to Newark Airport. The march blocks the parkway forcing tens of thousands of cars to stop blocking the parkway for twenty miles. The march gains support as it passes every exit and entrance along the Parkway, by the time it reaches Newark Airport they are 50,000 strong. Waiting at exit for the airport are ten fire engines and 400 state and local police officers. The police plan to turn the high-pressure fire hoses on the march to break it up before they can reach the airport. The front line of the marchers sees the blockade waiting for them. Their leaders approach the police officers holding up a white T-shirt, “Officers, we are a peaceful group, none of us is armed with anything except for our faith, please allow us to continue to the terminal, once we reach the airport. We have some speakers who’ll address us, and then we promise we’ll peacefully disperse.”

“You’re in violation of many different laws; we’re asking you to disband and leave the parkway, or we’ll have to remove you. You don’t have a permit to march; you don’t have a permit to hold a parade, nor do you have a permit to close the parkway. You’re blocking traffic, your disputing business, and your group is disturbing the peace. We don’t want this to turn violent. Please turn around and tell your followers to disband and return to their homes.”

“We don’t need any permits; God is our permit, God is our light, and we follow only God’s laws. These new laws against religion are laws against God. We can’t accept them; we can’t honor them; we have to state our displeasure and protest of our government going against the will of our Lord.”

“No one is going against the will of the lord, these new rules were passed so that all religions would be treated equall. All may practice whatever they desire to in the privacy of their own homes; however, it’s not fair or equal if some churches are larger than others or have more than others. We are building a society based on all being equal.”

“All are equal in God’s eyes; we don’t require laws to force that which already exists.”

“I’m not going to stand here and debate you, every minute your people block the parkway millions of dollars are being lost, you must disband right now.”

“Officer, we’ll disband when we reach the main terminal at the airport.”

“If that’s your final word on the issue, then what comes next is on your head, you’ve put your people into danger. My hands are clean.”

“Someone else said similar words 2000 years ago. He was remembered for condemning Christ, are you condemning the 50,000 of us?”

“Don’t put words in my mouth, I didn’t say anything about condemning anyone, I told you, what happens next is on your head. Fire hoses ready, on my mark. Open the hoses.”

High-pressure water sprays out of the fire hoses knocking the front lines of people to the ground. Many in the mid pack sit and start chanting the 23
rd
psalm. People in the rear of the march start to bend around to come up behind the fire trucks and police. They surprise the police from behind; a couple of startled officers draw their sidearms and fire into the crowd. Not knowing who fired first, the other officers also open fire into the crowd in front and behind them. The lead officer shouts, “CEASE FIRING CEASE FIRING!”

When the smoke and water clear, 176 people lay dead on the exit ramp, 56 others are wounded. Sirens can be heard for miles around the exit as ambulances and additional police cars race to the exit.

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The national evening news sound bites are; 

“Thousands attack police and fire department trying to keep the peace.”

“Where was God today?”

“Today’s violent march shows the need for the governments new-anti religion laws.”

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Muslims in Detroit refuse to accept the new rules, they put aside other issues to come together at the Joe Louis Arena, the crowd fills the arena. A radical Imam takes the stage; he tells them “Allah demands you refuse this law. You shall follow only the laws of Allah. Allah’s word is final; none can stand against the word or wishes of Allah.” The crowd chants “Allah Akbar!” After filling the crowd with revolution, the Imam sends the followers of Allah to show the government that Allah rules Detroit. The crowd grows to over one hundred thousand; they use tow trucks to drag disabled cars and trucks blocking the streets leading into Detroit. The announce Detroit is now a holy city and none who don’t follow the word of Allah may enter. They start dragging infidels out of the city taking over their belongings. Women are raped; men beaten as they dragged out of Detroit. The LSA flag is taken down over city hall; the green flag of Allah replaces it.

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Reid and Nanny decide to increase the pressure on the USA while also lowering the LSA’s costs, they start sending the elderly and very ill across the border into America to lower the demands on the LSA’s already overextended health care network. Reid further sends teams of specially trained young people into the suburbs of America. These teenagers are “clean cut” they pass for the boy or girl next door except they are trained killers, trained to create terror and destroy the sense of peace most American’s feel in their community. Reid believes if the average American is scared and loses trust in the central government they’ll come running to the LSA with it’s strict anti-gun laws and national police force for protection.

Reid also puts out a call to all of the Obsma DHS agents; he offers all of them jobs and security from the FBI, who’s been tasked with hunting them down and bringing them to justice. Reid plans to form an LSA national police force with the ex-DHS agents at its core.

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The wind driven rain strikes the bullet proof windows in the Oval Office, the day’s as dark as the President’s mood. “President Brownstone the situation in the LSA is becoming very serious, the marches in New Jersey was the largest, at last count there’s been over a thousand protest marches, with thousands dead with more than ten thousand wounded. Detroit has announced they’re now an independent country of Allah.”

“Alvin, are you suggesting we do something? The LSA is a separate country if we entered their area without permission, it'd be an invasion. None of their leaders has publically or privately requested our help. I think we have to sit this one out.”

“Sir, these people used to be our citizens.”

“Alvin, the keyword is used, they’re no longer our responsibility. There’s very little we can do.”

“Sir, we can smuggle in weapons.”

“Let me digest that one for a while, if we did they would have to be weapons not made here, not ones we normally use, otherwise we’ll be blamed for killing their people.”

“I’ll see what we have in storage we can send that won’t point back at us. Sir, what do you want to do about the people they're dropping off on our borders?”

“We can’t send them back if we did it would be to certain death. We’ll have to take them in. What’s the current situation with the terrorists the LSA sent to attack us?”

“We’ve either rounded most of them up or killed them; we snuck an informer into one of their groups who was able to hack one of their laptops. We can’t decrypt all of what we found, what we did discover is pretty scary. We learned enough to capture three groups on their way to attacking a college. We also intercepted one group in transit to attack a gun show.”

“That wouldn’t have been too smart. Where was the gun show?”

“Dulles expo center.”

“I know that show, hundreds of booths with thousands of guns. Since the LSA is trying to disrupt the daily lives of our citizens, I think it’s time I contact my friends, Anonymous, I’ll ask them to have some fun with the LSA’s networks.”

“Sir, I don’t pity them. John would like to join us to discuss the LSA’s military.”

“John, come in and join us, what information do you have?”

“Mr. President, Alvin, we’ve intercepted a call to a group in Seattle. Their orders are to attack Maelstrom Air Force base.”

“WHAT? That’s one of our strategic bases. B52s and Minute Man III missiles. When do they plan to attack, John are you ready to stop them?”

“Mr. President, we’ve reinforced the base security with Marines and twenty-four M1 tanks. We’ve mined the approach roads to the base and laid in some special surprises for them.”

“Who’s commanding our defenses?”

“Major Grover.”

“I’m sure he’ll have some very nasty surprises ready for them. I already feel better just knowing he’s in charge of our defenses.”

“How are you going to counter their armor?”

“We’ve done some experiments; 7.62 rounds penetrate their armor. We’ve issued M14s to the Marines and base security. The attacking troops will think we’ll be meeting them with M4s and M16s. It’s sure going to be a surprise for them.”

“Can we stop them before they reach the base?”

“It’s possible; we’re hoping we’ll intercept their travel plans.”

“John, I’ll leave it in your hands. I’ll ask if you can capture as many alive as possible and as much of their equipment as possible.”

“Yes sir, I’ll inform Major Grover.”

“Good, let’s take a five-minute break before we meet with the rest of the cabinet to discuss the conditions both here and in the LSA.”

After the break, President Brownstone, John Sessions, and Alvin West walk to the executive conference room where the rest of the cabinet waits.

Everyone stands when the President enters the conference room, “Be seated, be seated, let’s begin with State.”

“Mr. President, ladies, and gentlemen, the borders between us and the LSA have settled into a cold war, there’s heavy trading being done on the borders. The number of incursions by the LSA has been increasing, the number of elderly and ill dumped on our borders is also increasing. HHS will address that issue.

China has stopped any hostile actions after their conquest and absorption of Vietnam and Thailand. They’re in de facto control of Korea. Our trade with China is slowly increasing. They have stopped dumping dollars, in fact; they have offered to buy our bonds. They like our currency now that it’s backed by precious metals.

Russia is poised along the border with Germany. Their conquest of Poland went off without a hitch even without using the EMP or bioweapons. Sir, we believe the Russians have used a bioagent in Germany. More than 75% of the German military is ill, over 65% of the general population is also ill. This new flu-like illness came from nowhere. On Monday, no one was ill, on Wednesday more than half of the German population is sick.”