Mirage: 2040 ...Part 15 ...Calm Before the Storm
—Abraham Maslow
Security...A Myth of 'Ownlife?'
Creed and I spent a peaceful night before the fire with Happy, out golden retriever pup, curled up asleep at our feet.
It was incredibly reassuring to know the moment someone set foot on our property we'd get a push notification on our phones and motion sensing lights would come on.
Yes, I had a Glock 19 pistol but I hated guns and would only use one as a last resort. I liked the idea of preventative measures such as cameras, lights and motion sensors to discourage would-be intruders.
Then, there was the alarm system that could be armed to guard both inside and outside the house. It was also comforting to know the house was monitored by the alarm company who would dispatch police unless I entered an all-clear code.
It was also a relief to feel secure all through the night knowing even as we slept our property was being monitored.
I have to confess though, I'd awaken on occasion and check the cameras on my cell phone and the activity log, but it was always uneventful, which is exactly what I wanted.
The next morning Creed and I drove into the city feeling relaxed and refreshed. We were both looking forward to the day ahead and I was yearning for a quiet second coffee in the Hart House Grill and yes, cheese croissants...
Small comforts, I suppose, make a day worthwhile, but what I got was totally unexpected
Both Ari and Lev were waiting for me at my usual table.
"This is an unexpected surprise, " I smiled.
Ari looked at Lev, "I suppose he hasn't read his mail yet," he whispered.
"What's going on, guys—bad news?"
Ari nodded, "You could say that—here read it yourself. Sorry to spoil your morning coffee."
He handed me an inter-office courier envelope. I opened it and saw what they meant.
It was one of those letters you don't want to read to start your day—or even end it, for that matter. To be frank, it was one of those letters you wish you had never seen.
After scanning the contents, I put down the letter and let out a huge sigh. It was not a sigh of relief.
"I can't believe Dean Atkinson and the Regents would lend their support to what amounts to a right-wing, fascist manifesto. What the hell is going on?"
"I don't think they had a choice," Lev muttered morosely, "And now it looks like we don't either."
"This has all the earmarks of a coup. Who the hell is backing this so-called National Party?"
Ari threw up his hands in surrender. "Who knows—does anyone really know what goes on behind the scenes in government? I think a cadre of powerful elites conspired to take over the government using the chaos of the collapse of the internet and the pandemic as an excuse to clamp down on liberal or progressive policies."
I began waving the letter around, shaking it, wishing I was grasping the neck of one of the letter's authors.
"So, they want to promote conservative viewpoints in academic discourse, hire conservative scholars, and fund research that supports their political agenda? How blatantly fascist can they get?"
"It doesn't stop there, Lev added quietly, " They want to cut funding for disciplines or programs they perceive as promoting liberal or progressive ideas—areas such as social sciences, environmental research and gender and multicultural studies."
Ari weighed in, "Just wait until they implement their Nationalist Education platform. They'll emphasize patriotism, traditional values, and a glorified version of national history. It won't be a university anymore—more like an indoctrination centre."
We all went silent, picturing in our minds the devastation of the academic freedoms we previously enjoyed.
"So, what do we do?" I asked sullenly.
"We fight back." Ari hissed, "Nestor Marx and several other of his powerful friends will support our cause, but he's already warned me we could be monitored and targeted. This might involve intimidation, harassment, or punitive measures against us if we're perceived as threats to their authority."
"I'm willing to take that chance," I growled.
Ari and Lev both voiced their agreement as well.
It was a sobering moment. We knew our values, we just weren't sure exactly what kind of forces we'd be up against. And that was definitely scary.