WOKE RENDITION

 

SCALAR SYSTEMS HEADQUARTERS

Southern California

“What’s the status of our Education Rendition project, Argos? Ready for prime-time deployment?” asked “Cobalt,” Scalar Systems’ chief of strategy. A retired Navy pilot, the company’s founder had assigned “call signs” to everybody in his inner circle.

“Yes; good to go, sir. However, we’re still trolling high schools, before selecting the first to hit.”

“Got it. Your team’s done a fantastic job of developing this tool in record time. Let me know when you’ve selected a target. I want to monitor the first strike.”

“Roger that, boss. We’re confident ER will perform beyond expectations,” Argos said. The slight, plain-looking system engineer was hardly the image of brilliance, but Argos had developed a powerful means of extinguishing the firestorm of “wokeism” that had consumed California’s schools. The “woke” cancer had spread across America, but the Golden State remained its epicenter. Excise it here and America just might survive as a free country.

“A lot of patriots are counting on ER reversing schools’ mindless wokeism and overt racism. We have to get this right. Especially in California!” Cobalt said.

Argos nodded, turning back to his bank of computer displays. He’d heard Cobalt’s passionate speech too many times. The CEO’s aversion to wokeism, cancel culture, various flavors of Marxist critical race theory, and disgusting “gender affirmation” campaigns targeting children was legendary. 

“Got it, sir. Here’s a school in Los Angeles that’s on our short list of candidates for ER’s first mission. Check this tidbit that SYBIL scarfed up.” The company’s proprietary artificial intelligence-based SYBIL system surreptitiously collected billions of e-mail and text messages, news reports and other open-source data, then correlated the information for human review. 

Cobalt cringed. “From a student? What was that all about?”

“Some little snot in a summer school class, it appears. We’re not sure what happened to him, her or ‘it’ yet.”

“Any response from the teacher or an administrator?”

“Don’t know. But SYBIL picked up audio from an Ethnic Studies teacher in the same school. If her class is any indication, the mouthy kid should have felt right at home. In about a one-hour session, the Caucasian teacher lambasted the United States and its Founders with at least fifty derogatory statements: ‘America is systemically racist. White Republicans are all inherently racist, but don’t admit it. When they crack down on so-called crime, that’s just an excuse for attacking blacks and Hispanics.’

“You might expect that sort of nonsense in an Ethnic Studies class—which are always taught by rabid anti-American libtards—but SYBIL found the same crap being spewed in history, English and science classes.”

“In only that LA school?” Cobalt snapped. His ruddy, weather-worn face was getting even rosier.

“No sir. In almost all schools in LA County! And get this: One librarian distributed an e-mail notice assuring kids she had removed all American history books. She proudly announced that no student would be exposed to racist Founding Fathers’ drivel about equality, liberty and the nation’s exceptionalism. Those old ideas and books were being replaced by ‘modern’ tomes championing the wonders of ‘being who you really are.’ Yeah, sure. That’s Leftist code for pushing gender identity and transgender propaganda!” Argos barked.

Cobalt had heard enough. His blood pressure was already elevated, and hearing that entire schools had dived headlong into wokeism only drove his numbers higher. “Thanks. Let’s get ER fired up ASAP. Kids subjected to a hundred-percent diet of these lies and daily brainwashing won’t have a chance in real-world America. They gotta have help now!” 

Two weeks later, a sophisticated drone slowly circled the high school Argos had pointed out to Cobalt. Sophisticated facial recognition software confirmed the Ethnic Studies instructor’s identity, as she walked to her five-year-old Prius. Argos glanced at his boss, who immediately gave the order:  “Hit her.”

A quantum-level scalar electromagnetic beam fired from the drone enveloped the teacher in an invisible cloud of energy. She felt no discomfort, but her features assumed a far-away, dreamy countenance. As if in a trance, she drove straight to a modest glass-and-aluminum building in a business park near the San Diego Freeway. She locked the car and walked into Scalar Systems’ headquarters. Argos and an assistant greeted her warmly and gave her a badge bearing a photo and assigned code name:  EVE. 

Shortly thereafter, “EVE” seemed to awaken from a deep sleep. She was standing on an unfamiliar city street strewn with trash and rotting garbage. The stench was overwhelming. Confused, she walked to a corner, skirting two ragged, filthy men sleeping on a broken sidewalk, and studied the street signs. They and signage on rundown stores nearby were all in an unfamiliar language.

Two uniformed officers—a man and a woman—approached and yelled something EVE couldn’t comprehend. She panicked and tried to run, but was immediately wrestled to the ground. With hands zip-tied behind her back, she was roughly yanked to her feet and thrown into a van. Lying on its dirty, foul-smelling floor, EVE started crying. Was she being kidnapped by an LA street gang? What were they going to do? She pushed the worst thoughts away….

Soon, the van’s door opened and the same two officers grabbed EVE’s arms and  marched her into a dreary, dark building. Her hands were freed, before she was pushed into a straight-back chair facing a gray-topped table covered in stacks of papers. A very large, uniformed figure—maybe a woman— was behind the table. It grinned, exposing stained teeth with several gaps.

“Ms. EVE. So nice of you to visit us,” the maybe-woman said. Thankfully, she spoke English! The voice was deep like a man’s, but the dark-blue uniform hinted of breasts. Maybe a transgender? If so, it gave EVE a level of comfort. “I’m sure you’re very confused, so allow me to explain. You are now in a different country, one you essentially created through your teachings. It’s my honor to reveal that you’ve been selected to experience the superior lifestyle that you’ve so graciously advocated to students in your classes.”

“Really? I… I don’t understand. And why me?” Eve responded, flattered yet completely baffled.

“Comrade, you have demonstrated a deep passion and belief in the information imparted to your students for several years. Hence, you were an ideal candidate to experience the wonders and delights of living in a real Democratic Socialist society.”

Big Mama proceeded to outline the rules and requirements EVE must observe. “You will reside in a dormitory and take your meals with others who identify as women. Your preferred pronouns are irrelevant, so don’t expect anyone to care what you’d like to be called. You no longer have a car; you will either walk or take public transportation to your work assignment. Because you’re obviously white, you will no longer be teaching. As you know quite well, non-white people are systemically oppressed by Caucasians. Here, you have the opportunity to right the wrongs you fervently believe the perpetually oppressed are subjected to. You will join work parties every morning, and be assigned to manual labor tasks: landscaping, cleaning homes, hotels and restaurant kitchens.

“You will receive a monthly stipend of 100 digi-dollars, which you can use to purchase necessary items at the government exchange. Uniforms will be issued; no need to waste your income on silly fashions or frivolous items of entertainment and vanity—like capitalist cosmetics.”

Alarmed, EVE stammered, “But…but I have a bachelors degree in secondary education and six years of teaching experience! Surely that qualifies me for something other than basic tasks!”

The woman shook her head and smiled. “No, no, no! You’re talking about a meritocracy, where jobs go to the best-qualified. Your students were told ‘merit’ is an unfair, obsolete concept. ‘Equity’ means minorities, gays, transgenders and other oppressed persons warrant coveted positions. Remember, you obtained a college degree only because you were white! Was that fair? Of course not! Here, we correct those old, repressive disparities and make sure systemic racism is obliterated. You’ve had your turn at the good life, EVE. Here, you’ll serve others. To attain our goals of diversity and inclusion, no high-level positions are open to white and educated individuals.”

EVE’s mind was numb and gripped with fear. She barely heard Big Mama’s litany of other rules and regulations:  The social credit system, which rewarded or penalized people, based on their belief system. Confinement to one of seven geographic zones to avoid senseless travel that contributed to climate change. No elections, no social media, no choice of TV shows or written material. Properly vetted and trained truth-checkers would filter out “misinformation and disinformation,” ensuring EVE only received approved data and news. Governing officials were appointed by a council of Party Members, eliminating any need for messy elections. Besides, millions of little people simply weren’t intelligent enough to know what was best for them!

For what seemed like months, EVE was subjected to the lifestyle “enjoyed” by those living in mainland China, Russia, North Korea, Venezuela, most African nations, and Central and South American countries ruled by Socialists, Communists and dictators. She cried herself to sleep every night, wondering how and why she had been thrown into this nightmare. She yearned for her home in California, a haven of privacy and security. The freedom to drive her own car, go to a restaurant, wear decent clothes, travel across the globe, and choose her own well-paying job. 

She often contemplated suicide rather than continue living in a controlled society that, admittedly, was the epitome of “diversity, equity and inclusion.” Slowly, she came to believe the DEI she had once fervently believed was necessary to transform America really meant “Division, Exclusion and Indoctrination.” Finally, the once-agnostic teacher prayed for delivery from the Hell she was living.

SCALAR SYSTEMS HEADQUARTERS

“How long has EVE been in the VR tank?” Cobalt asked, pointing to a large sphere.

“About two hours,” Argos replied, checking a display. “I’d say she’s had enough. If you agree, I recommend moving to Phase 2.”

Cobalt popped a thumbs-up and headed for the corporate conference room.

EVE awoke to a young man in a white coat removing a virtual reality helmet from her head. Thoroughly confused and frightened, she demanded to know where she was. The man ignored her pleas and gently led her through the hatch of a ball-shaped chamber. In an adjacent room, her eyes were drawn to soft drinks and myriad pastries centered on an aluminum-and-glass conference table. She hadn’t seen such luxuries for a very long time! A gray-haired man seated at one end motioned her to a leather chair. She sat, facing two others—a thin man of Asian descent and a stunning woman in an expensive pant suit.

Without introducing himself or the others, Cobalt greeted EVE and asked how she was feeling. “Not great,” she admitted, which elicited knowing nods and smiles. Cobalt assured her she was safe, that nobody would harm her now and that she should share her experiences. Initially hesitant, EVE soon broke down in tears, as she expressed the soul-deep frustration, loss of hope and paralyzing fear she’d felt in dealing with an indescribable horror.

Cobalt finally held up a hand, halting EVE’s torrent of words. “You’ve been through a lot, my dear. But we can help end that nightmare. But only if you accept some critical conditions. Agreed?” Wiping her nose and eyes with a tissue, EVE nodded and squeaked, “Anything! I’ll do anything to get out of that…that hideous place!”

Cobalt tipped a hand to the dark-haired woman, call sign “Nova”. Staring hard at EVE with penetrating ice-blue eyes that seemed to probe the teacher’s very soul, Nova outlined the deal:  Go back to school and resume a teaching career. But discard every “woke” concept and lesson plan in her possession. Explain to both students and fellow teachers that she, EVE, had lived in a Socialist/Communist Hell and had experienced first-hand the “wonders” of life in a tightly controlled society based on “equity.” Admit that everything she had been teaching was false, rightly labeled “Cultural Marxism” and designed to destroy Americans’ liberty. EVE would convey the horrors of Socialism/Communism, and gladly teach what once was known as American Civics. She would require students read and understand the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution and Freedom Papers. She would ensure “woke” educational materials would be thrown out of the school library and replaced by conventional U.S. history texts, augmented by books such as 1776, To Try Men’s Souls…, Life, Liberty & Levin, Unfreedom of the Press, etc.

“If we reinstate you to a teaching position, we expect you to be a brave, outspoken advocate for the real America. That means also convincing students, teachers and administrators. Can you do that? Do you fully comprehend these conditions?” Nova asked, closing her notepad. An unspoken threat hung over the room: “No” means you go back to Socialist/Communist Hell.

EVE stared at her folded hands for a long minute, before replying. “I do, ma’am. The anti-American ‘facts’ to which I was subjected in high school and college were brainwashing. None of it was true. For the last…what? Weeks, months, years? I was subjected to the bald-faced facts of existing in a totalitarian society that demanded compliance in the name of achieving the nirvana of ‘equity.’ Merit had no place in that house of horrors. Freedom was nonexistent.

“I came to long for the America I’d been disparaging. I now fervently appreciate the Declaration’s statement that ‘all men are created equal’ and how that translates to equal opportunities, not guaranteed outcomes. Believe me, I fully understand the meaning of ‘merit’ as opposed to ‘equity’!” She choked up, ducked her head, fighting tears. “Please, please don’t send me back to that awful place!”

Cobalt exchanged a knowing glance with Argos, who could barely control his delight. The first mission of Project Education Rendition was a raving success. And the PER platform was ready to deploy in every school across America. 

Next up: United States military forces. Pentagon civilians, uniformed officers and senior enlisted personnel who espoused wokeism, cancel culture, CRT and DEI were in ER’s crosshairs. Liberty, once again, was on the move.