Sunday, July 12, 2020

The Land of No Dissent

The Land of No Dissent:

Many years ago, a planet existed that boasted great diversity among its creatures.  Creatures of every type existed, and the planet was divided into units.  One unit, Tiarnai, gained supremacy over all others because of its diversity and existed as a planet leader.  Though it was diverse, the wealth of this unit was unequally shared among its creatures.  For many years, the Geal held the best positions, obtained the best education, and controlled the most resources.  These creatures were orange with green veins running through their skin and believed that their beauty was unequaled.  The other creatures in this diverse population were the Ruaim and boasted many rainbow-like colors, but they all shared the same green veins as the Geals.  All of the creatures walked upright, and their hair was like the mane of unicorns. Ruaim creatures often worked more than Geal creatures but did not share equally in the wealth of the unit.  This unit prized itself on a document that protected all its citizens, and this sacred document guaranteed all creatures the right to free speech and peaceful protest.  

Because of these guarantees, Ruaim achieved a measure of equality with the Geals, but some Geals resented sharing the wealth with the Ruaims and passed repressive laws to keep the Ruaim in their place.  Both sides argued their position with passion within courts and within documents that would become law, and the Ruaim eventually stood equal to the Geals within the unit. Sadly, distrust still remained within some individuals and groups. However, as technological advances grew and as each group blossomed through education, the walls of injustice crumbled.  Some ignorant Geals held onto their regressive views and committed violent acts against Ruaims—who were now neighbors and equals under the law.  Many Geals and Ruaims socialized, married, and held the same jobs in the highly skilled Tiarnai work force.  

However, at times, some ignorant creature abused this peaceful co-existence and committed an act of brutality seen by masses of people all over the planet and in other units.  Such an act disturbed the peace of Tiarnai one day when the unit was already in a state of turmoil because of a plague that had swept the land. A few years earlier Geal leader rose to the seat of leadership and wanted to advance his political power by inciting disaffected Geals resentful of the gains of the Ruaim.  This leader, Leathcheann, convinced his followers that the plague that killed millions of the creatures all over the planet was merely a plot to discredit him. He stamped his feet and cried like an infant of the tribe when crossed or contradicted.  He told his followers not to worry as the plague took its toll on millions of creatures in the unit. Any creature of intelligence and science that contradicted the Supreme Dictator’s view received a sentence of banishment. 

Tensions were high when a confrontation erupted between a Geal in authority and a regular Ruaim.  In the dramatic conflict between the two, the Ruaim died.  Millions of Ruaims and many fair-minded Geals took to the streets.  They demanded justice and even more reform.  Many of their demands were met, but a faction of disaffected creatures from both the Geal and the Ruaim clan decided that they wanted to end Tiarnai society and the damage brought by Leathcheann.  The dictatorial leader justifiably repulsed these reformers, but in protesting against the dictator, they wanted to erase the history of the planet and the past that had brought both pain and enlightenment.  In doing so, they denied their youngsters the education brought by past mistakes and triumphs. They labeled anyone with an unpopular opinion as unjust or unfair and called for boycotts of their work.  Factions developed within the Ruaims and within the Geals.  Factions within each group burned books and films that could educate but instead were lost for all time. 

Tiarnai split into factions that drifted to other units within the planet. The great ideal of diversity within the unit collapsed as creatures labeled each other as traitors when anyone said anything against a popular movement.  Any creature uttering an unpopular opinion was cast out from the group after being rolled in smoldering ash and pelted with rocks. The outcasts joined the ranks of those who had offended the Supreme Ruler.  The Supreme Ruler eventually fumed at dissenters and supporters alike, stamped his feet, and wailed like an infant. During one tirade, steam erupted from the top of his head, sending the false violet hair he wore to the ceiling and revealing the pointed horns jutting from his skull. His skin took on the color of cigarette smoke as he dissolved into the mist; however, his narcissistic, divisive reign had inflicted lasting harm on the unit. 

No comments:

Post a Comment