Maryam and Mary are two dissidents, living in Bezobrazia and Gharbistan, respectively. Gharbistan, where Mary lives, is a society where the Authority employs the secret police to silence and intimidate anyone who dares question the status quo. Maryam lives in Bezobrazia, a society where anyone is free by law to write and say whatever they please, and everyone exercises this right as much as they wish and are able and argument is deafening.
Mary yearns for the tyrannical Gharbistani government to be overthrown and replaced by a representative parliamentary democracy so that she may at long last exercise her right to speak. She is appalled at how other nations turn a blind eye to the oppression of Gharbistan's populace, even on the rare occasion that someone manages to get camera footage of the sort of atrocities committed under Chairman Rivenheart's regime. She is tired of the powerful nations' complacency and willingness to give Gharbistan the dignity of national sovereignty.
Maryam is sick of the gameplaying and dishonesty of Bezobrazia's political culture where those with greater ability to get their message heard are the rich and powerful, and is tired of elections being won by whoever can gain the support of Bezobrazia's most persuadable and credulous segments of citizenry. She is sick of a national discourse broken with bickering, of everyone wanting to speak about their petty concerns rather than what really matters. At times, she wishes for someone to make everyone else shut up for a moment so that she may at long last be heard.
Bezobrazia goes to war with Gharbistan for reasons having nothing to do with Chairman Rivenheart's abuses.
Mary is just glad the Rivenheart regime may finally be weakened enough by war that it can be overthrown. Maryam is appalled at the warmongering of the Bezobrazian right-wing and that her country's military is being used to cudgel a sovereign nation for its own selfish interests.
If Maryam and Mary were to somehow communicate with one another, what are the odds of them realizing they are both fighting for the same thing even if against each other: to bring about the conditions in which it is finally possible to live one's humanity to the fullest.
Mary yearns for the tyrannical Gharbistani government to be overthrown and replaced by a representative parliamentary democracy so that she may at long last exercise her right to speak. She is appalled at how other nations turn a blind eye to the oppression of Gharbistan's populace, even on the rare occasion that someone manages to get camera footage of the sort of atrocities committed under Chairman Rivenheart's regime. She is tired of the powerful nations' complacency and willingness to give Gharbistan the dignity of national sovereignty.
Maryam is sick of the gameplaying and dishonesty of Bezobrazia's political culture where those with greater ability to get their message heard are the rich and powerful, and is tired of elections being won by whoever can gain the support of Bezobrazia's most persuadable and credulous segments of citizenry. She is sick of a national discourse broken with bickering, of everyone wanting to speak about their petty concerns rather than what really matters. At times, she wishes for someone to make everyone else shut up for a moment so that she may at long last be heard.
Bezobrazia goes to war with Gharbistan for reasons having nothing to do with Chairman Rivenheart's abuses.
Mary is just glad the Rivenheart regime may finally be weakened enough by war that it can be overthrown. Maryam is appalled at the warmongering of the Bezobrazian right-wing and that her country's military is being used to cudgel a sovereign nation for its own selfish interests.
If Maryam and Mary were to somehow communicate with one another, what are the odds of them realizing they are both fighting for the same thing even if against each other: to bring about the conditions in which it is finally possible to live one's humanity to the fullest.
No comments:
Post a Comment