FRATE PETI
1. Scola · 2. Esplode · 3. Aresta · 4. Prison · 5. Paranoia · 6. Rede X · 7. Spleno-Porco · 8. Paradox · 9. Furgon · 10. Claves · 11. Slogan
12. Conserta · 13. Jornales · 14. Bitnic · 15. Enrolada · 16. Reportor · 17. Tuneli · 18. Juas · 19. Vampires · 20. Tortura · 21. Judi · Epiloga

13. Jornales

“Los es putas completa.” – Anj ia dise, sputante la parola. “En fato, acel es un insulta contra la putas asidua de la mundo. Los es, es… profitores.”

“They’re total whores,” Ange said, spitting the word out. “In fact, that’s an insult to hardworking whores everywhere. They’re, they’re profiteers.”

Nos ia es regardante un pila de jornales cual nos ia oteni e ia porta a la caferia. Tota ia conteni “reportas” sur la selebra en Parce Dolores e, sin eseta, los ia fa ce lo ia pare un orjia enebriada e drogida de jovenes ci ia ataca la polisia. USA Today ia descrive la custa de la “tumulta” e ia inclui la custa de lava la restantes de peper pos la bombi par gas, la onda de atacas de asma cual ia bloci la departes de urjentes medical de la site, e la custa de prosede la otosento “tumultores” arestada.

We were looking at a stack of newspapers we’d picked up and brought to the cafe. They all contained “reporting” on the party in Dolores Park and to a one, they made it sound like a drunken, druggy orgy of kids who’d attacked the cops. USA Today described the cost of the “riot” and included the cost of washing away the pepper-spray residue from the gas-bombing, the rash of asthma attacks that clogged the city’s emergency rooms, and the cost of processing the eight hundred arrested “rioters.”

Nun ia raconta de nosa lado.

No one was telling our side.

“Bon, Rede X ia reporta coreta lo, an tal.” – me ia dise. Me ia copia alga de la bloges e videos e colies de fotos a mea telefoneta, e me ia mostra los a el. Los ia es atestas direta de persones ci ia es gasida e bateda. La video ia mostra tota nos en dansa, en diverti, ia mostra la parlas political pasosa e la scande de “Reprende lo” e Trudy Doo disente ce nos es la sola jenera ci pote crede a batalia per nosa librias.

“Well, the Xnet got it right, anyway,” I said. I’d saved a bunch of the blogs and videos and photostreams to my phone and I showed them to her. They were first-hand accounts from people who’d been gassed, and beaten up. The video showed us all dancing, having fun, showed the peaceful political speeches and the chant of “Take It Back” and Trudy Doo talking about us being the only generation that could believe in fighting for our freedoms.

“Nos nesesa fa ce persones sabe sur esta.” – el ia dise.

“We need to make people know about this,” she said.

“Si.” – me ia dise, sombre. “Acel es un teoria bela.”

“Yeah,” I said, glumly. “That’s a nice theory.”

“Ma perce tu pensa ce la jornales publici nunca nosa lado?”

“Well, why do you think the press doesn’t ever publish our side?”

“Tu ia dise lo: los es putas.”

“You said it, they’re whores.”

“Si, ma putas fa lo per la mone. Los ta pote vende plu jornales e comersiales si los ta ave un controversa. Aora los ave sola un crimin – controversia es multe plu grande.”

“Yeah, but whores do it for the money. They could sell more papers and commercials if they had a controversy. All they have now is a crime – controversy is much bigger.”

“Oce, asetada. Donce perce los no fa lo? Sabe, reportores es apena capas de xerca en bloges comun, an min de segue Rede X. Acel es apena un loca do adultes cabe vera.”

“OK, point taken. So why don’t they do it? Well, reporters can barely search regular blogs, let alone keep track of the Xnet. It’s not as if that’s a real adult-friendly place to be.”

“Si.” – el ia dise. “Ma nos pote boni esta, no?”

“Yeah,” she said. “Well, we can fix that, right?”

“Como?”

“Huh?”

“Scrive tota la informa. Pone lo en un loca, con tota la lias. Un sola loca visitable, con intende ce la jornalistes va trova lo e va comprende la situa intera. Lia lo a la fixes METODO per Rede X. Usores de la interede pote asede Rede X, si lo no importa a los ce Securia Interna va descovre cua los ia surfa.”

“Write it all up. Put it in one place, with all the links. A single place where you can go that’s intended for the press to find it and get the whole picture. Link it to the HOWTOs for Xnet. Internet users can get to the Xnet, provided they don’t care about the DHS finding out what they’ve been surfing.”

“Tu pensa ce lo va susede?”

“You think it’ll work?”

“Ma an si no, lo es un cosa positiva per fa.”

“Well, even if it doesn’t, it’s something positive to do.”

“Perce los ta escuta nos, an tal?”

“Why would they listen to us, anyway?”

“Ci no ta escuta M1k3y?”

“Who wouldn’t listen to M1k3y?”

Me ia pone mea cafe. Me ia prende mea telefon e ia lisca lo a mea pox. Me ia sta, turnante sur talon, e ia sorti de la cafe. Me ia eleje un dirije acaso e ia continua pasea. Mea fas ia senti tensada, perdente sangue a mea stomaco, cual ia es ajitada.

I put down my coffee. I picked up my phone and slipped it into my pocket. I stood up, turned on my heel, and walked out of the cafe. I picked a direction at random and kept going. My face felt tight, the blood gone into my stomach, which churned.

Los sabe ci tu es – me ia pensa. Los sabe ci M1k3y es. Esta ia es la fini. Si Anj ia dedui lo, ance Securia Interna. Me ia es ruinada. Me ia sabe esta de cuando los ia relasa me de la camion de Securia Interna: ce a alga dia los va veni per aresta me e supresa me per sempre, enviante me a do Darryl ia vade.

They know who you are, I thought. They know who M1k3y is. That was it. If Ange had figured it out, the DHS had too. I was doomed. I had known that since they let me go from the DHS truck, that someday they’d come and arrest me and put me away forever, send me to wherever Darryl had gone.

Tota ia fini.

It was all over.

El ia fa cuasi un tacle a me cuando me ia ateni Strada Mercato. El ia respira forte con aspeta furiosa.

She nearly tackled me as I reached Market Street. She was out of breath and looked furious.

“Cua de enferno es tua problem, senior?”

“What the hell is your problem, mister?”

Me ia secute me de el e ia continua pasea. Tota ia fini.

I shook her off and kept walking. It was all over.

El ia saisi me denova. “Sesa, Marcus, tu asusta me. Veni, parla a me.”

She grabbed me again. “Stop it, Marcus, you’re scaring me. Come on, talk to me.”

Me ia para e ia regarda el. El ia nebli ante mea oios. Me ia pote foca a no cosa. Me ia senti un desira fol de salta ante un tram-bus munisipal cual ia freta pasante nos, a media de la strada. Me ia prefere mori ca revade.

I stopped and looked at her. She blurred before my eyes. I couldn’t focus on anything. I had a mad desire to jump into the path of a Muni trolley as it tore past us, down the middle of the road. Better to die than to go back.

“Marcus!” El ia fa un cosa cual me ia vide fada sola par persones en filmas. El ia palmi me: un colpa forte contra la fas. “Parla a me, txa!”

“Marcus!” She did something I’d only seen people do in the movies. She slapped me, a hard crack across the face. “Talk to me, dammit!”

Me ia regarda el e ia pone mea mano a mea fas, cual ia dole agu.

I looked at her and put my hand to my face, which was stinging hard.

“Nun debe sabe ci me es.” – me ia dise. “Me no pote dise plu simple lo. Si tu sabe, tota ia fini. Cuando otra persones sabe, tota ia fini.”

“No one is supposed to know who I am,” I said. “I can’t put it any more simply. If you know, it’s all over. Once other people know, it’s all over.”

“O dio, pardona me. Vide, me sabe sola car, he, me ia estorse lo de Jolu. Pos la selebra, me ia spia alga tu, per atenta descovre esce tu es la bonom ci tu ia pare es o un taliagarga secreta. Me conose Jolu ja tra longa, e cuando me ia demanda a el sur tu, el ia es tan zelosa como si tu ta es Cristo reveninte o simil, ma me ia pote sensa ce alga cosa esiste cual el no dise a me. Me conose Jolu ja tra longa. El ia cortea mea sore plu vea a la campa informatical cuando el ia es un enfante. Me conose alga fatos vera susia sur lo. Me ia dise a el ce me va publici los si el no informa me.”

“Oh god, I’m sorry. Look, I only know because, well, because I blackmailed Jolu. After the party I stalked you a little, trying to figure out if you were the nice guy you seemed to be or a secret axe-murderer. I’ve known Jolu for a long time and when I asked him about you, he gushed like you were the Second Coming or something, but I could hear that there was something he wasn’t telling me. I’ve known Jolu for a long time. He dated my older sister at computer camp when he was a kid. I have some really good dirt on him. I told him I’d go public with it if he didn’t tell me.”

“Donce el ia informa tu.”

“So he told you.”

“No.” – el ia dise. – “El ia envia me a enferno. Alora me ia dise a el alga cosa sur me. Alga cosa cual me ia dise nunca a cualce otra person.”

“No,” she said. “He told me to go to hell. Then I told him something about me. Something I’d never told anyone else.”

“Cua?”

“What?”

El ia regarda me. A sirca. Denova a me. “Oce. Me no va fa ce tu jura secretia, car lo ta ave no valua. O me pote fida tu, o me no pote.

She looked at me. Looked around. Looked back at me. “OK. I won’t swear you to secrecy because what’s the point? Either I can trust you or I can’t.

“En la anio pasada, me —” – el ia pausa. “En la anio pasada, me ia fura la esaminas normida e ia publici los en la rede. Lo ia es mera un diverti. Me ia pasa acaso la ofisia de la ensenior xef e me ia vide los en sua armario secur, e la porte ia es abrida. Me ia entra rapida a sua ofisia – on ia ave ses colies de copias, e me ia pone simple un en mea saco e ia core a via denova. Cuando me ia reveni a casa, me ia scane tota e ia posta los en un servador de la Partito Piratin en Danmarc.”

“Last year, I –” she broke off. “Last year, I stole the standardized tests and published them on the net. It was just a lark. I happened to be walking past the principal’s office and I saw them in his safe, and the door was hanging open. I ducked into his office – there were six sets of copies and I just put one into my bag and took off again. When I got home, I scanned them all and put them up on a Pirate Party server in Denmark.”

“Acel ia es tu?” me ia dise.

“That was you?” I said.

El ia roji. “Em. Si.”

She blushed. “Um. Yeah.”

“Merda santa!” – me ia dise. Lo ia es vasta reportada. La Comite Educal ia dise ce la produi de sua esaminas per No Enfante Suprapasada ia custa deses de miliones de dolares e ce on va debe spende tota denova, par causa de la revela. Los ia nomi lo “terorisme educal”. La jornales ia divina nonsesante sur la motivas political de la esposor, demandante esce lo ia es un protesta par un ensenior, o un studiante, o un furor, o un contrator frustrada de la governa.

“Holy crap!” I said. It had been huge news. The Board of Education said that its No Child Left Behind tests had cost tens of millions of dollars to produce and that they’d have to spend it all over again now that they’d had the leak. They called it “edu-terrorism.” The news had speculated endlessly about the political motivations of the leaker, wondering if it was a teacher’s protest, or a student, or a thief, or a disgruntled government contractor.

“Acel ia es TU?”

“That was YOU?”

“Lo ia es me.” – el ia dise.

“It was me,” she said.

“E tu ia dise esta a Jolu —”

“And you told Jolu this –”

“Car me ia vole ce el es serta ce me va garda la secreta. Si el ta sabe mea secreta, alora el ta ave un cosa usable per prisoni me si me ta abri mea boca. Dona pico, prende pico. Quid pro quo, como en La silentia de la ovetas.”

“Because I wanted him to be sure that I would keep the secret. If he knew my secret, then he’d have something he could use to put me in jail if I opened my trap. Give a little, get a little. Quid pro quo, like in Silence of the Lambs.”

“E el ia informa tu.”

“And he told you.”

“No.” – el ia dise. “El no ia dise.”

“No,” she said. “He didn’t.”

“Ma —”

“But –”

“Pos acel, me ia dise a el cuanto me gusta tu. Ce me intende condui intera fol e lansa me a tu. Alora el ia informa me.”

“Then I told him how into you I was. How I was planning to totally make an idiot of myself and throw myself at you. Then he told me.”

Me ia pote pensa a no cosa per dise alora. Me ia regarda mea pedes. El ia saisi mea manos e ia presa los.

I couldn’t think of anything to say then. I looked down at my toes. She grabbed my hands and squeezed them.

“Pardona me ce me ia estorse lo de el. La deside de informa me ia ta debe es la tua, si tu ia ta vole an informa me. Lo no ia es mea conserna —”

“I’m sorry I squeezed it out of him. It was your decision to tell me, if you were going to tell me at all. I had no business –”

“No.” – me ia dise. Sabente aora como el ia descovre, me ia comensa calmi denova. “No, lo es bon ce tu sabe. Tu.”

“No,” I said. Now that I knew how she’d found out, I was starting to calm down. “No, it’s good you know. You.”

“Me.” – el ia dise. “Me, la peti pico.”

“Me,” she said. “Li’l ol’ me.”

“Oce, me pote vive con esta. Ma un plu cosa resta.”

“OK, I can live with this. But there’s one other thing.”

“Cua?”

“What?”

“Me no pote dise esta sin pare un fol ofendente, donce me va dise lo, simple. Persones ci cortea lunlotra – o ci fa lo cual nos fa aora – los separa. Cuando los separa, los coleri contra lunlotra. Odia lunlotra a veses. Lo es vera nonemosial ce nos considera la posiblia de esta entre nos, ma sabe, nos debe considera lo.”

“There’s no way to say this without sounding like a jerk, so I’ll just say it. People who date each other – or whatever it is we’re doing now – they split up. When they split up, they get angry at each other. Sometimes even hate each other. It’s really cold to think about that happening between us, but you know, we’ve got to think about it.”

“Me promete seria ce no cosa cual tu ta pote fa contra me de sempre ta causa me a tradi tua secreta. No cosa. Fode un ecipo de des animores en mea leto su regarda de mea madre. Obliga ce me escuta Britney Spears. Fura mea computador, frati lo con marteles e empapa lo en acua de mar. Me promete. No cosa. De sempre.”

“I solemnly promise that there is nothing you could ever do to me that would cause me to betray your secret. Nothing. Screw a dozen cheerleaders in my bed while my mother watches. Make me listen to Britney Spears. Rip off my laptop, smash it with hammers and soak it in sea-water. I promise. Nothing. Ever.”

Me ia espulsa alga aira.

I whooshed out some air.

“Em.” – me ia dise.

“Um,” I said.

“Aora ta es un bon momento per besa me.” – el ia dise, e ia turna sua fas a supra.

“Now would be a good time to kiss me,” she said, and turned her face up.

La projeta grande seguente par M1k3y en Rede X ia es asembla la resoma la plu rigorosa de la selebra FIDA NUN a Parce Dolores. Me ia asembla la pajeria la plu grande e impresante cual me ia pote, con sesiones mostrante la avenis par loca, par ora, par categoria – violentia polisial, dansas, posefeto, cantas. Me ia posta la conserta intera.

M1k3y’s next big project on the Xnet was putting together the ultimate roundup of reports of the DON’T TRUST party at Dolores Park. I put together the biggest, most bad-ass site I could, with sections showing the action by location, by time, by category – police violence, dancing, aftermath, singing. I uploaded the whole concert.

Lo ia es cuasi la sola cosa a cual me ia labora tra la resta de la note. E la note seguente. E la seguente.

It was pretty much all I worked on for the rest of the night. And the next night. And the next.

Mea caxa de eposta ia supraflue con sujestas par persones. Los ia envia a me descargas de sua telefones e cameras de pox. Alora me ia reseta un eposta de un nom cual me ia reconose – Dr Eeevil (con E truple), un de la mantenores xef de Linux Paranoica.

My mailbox overflowed with suggestions from people. They sent me dumps off their phones and their pocket-cameras. Then I got an email from a name I recognized – Dr Eeevil (three “e”s), one of the prime maintainers of ParanoidLinux.

> M1k3y

> Me ia regarda tua esperimenta Rede X con multe interesa. Asi en Deutxland, nos ave multe esperia con lo cual aveni con un governa cual deveni noncontrolable.

> I have been watching your Xnet experiment with great interest. Here in Germany, we have much experience with what happens with a government that gets out of control.

> Un cosa cual tu nesesa sabe es ce cada camera ave un “suscrive de ruido” unica cual on pote usa plu tarda per lia un imaje a un camera. Esta sinifia ce la fotos cual tu republici en tua pajeria ta pote es cisa usada per identifia la fotografistes, si on ta aresta los per alga otra cosa a pos.

> One thing you should know is that every camera has a unique “noise signature” that can be used to later connect a picture with a camera. That means that the photos you’re republishing on your site could potentially be used to identify the photographers, should they later be picked up for something else.

> Fortunosa, sutrae la suscrives no es difisil, si on vole. On ave un util per fa esta en la distribui de Linux Paranoica cual tu usa – lo es nomida “photonymous”, e tu va trova lo en /usr/bin. Leje mera la pajes de manual per informas. Ma lo es simple.

> Luckily, it’s not hard to strip out the signatures, if you care to. There’s a utility on the ParanoidLinux distro you’re using that does this – it’s called photonomous, and you’ll find it in /usr/bin. Just read the man pages for documentation. It’s simple though.

> Bon fortuna per lo cual tu fa. No deveni caturada. Resta libre. Resta paranoica.

> Good luck with what you’re doing. Don’t get caught. Stay free. Stay paranoid.

> Dr Eeevil

Me ia desimpresa tal tota la fotos cual me ia posta e ia repone los, con ance un nota esplicante lo cual Dr Eeevil ia dise a me, avisante la mesma prosede a cadun otra. Tota nos ia ave la mesma instala fundal de Xbox Paranoica, donce tota nos ia pote anonimi nosa imajes. Me ia pote fa no cosa per la fotos cual ia es ja descargada e conservada, ma de aora nos va es plu astuta.

I de-fingerprintized all the photos I’d posted and put them back up, along with a note explaining what Dr Eeevil had told me, warning everyone else to do the same. We all had the same basic ParanoidXbox install, so we could all anonymize our pictures. There wasn’t anything I could do about the photos that had already been downloaded and cached, but from now on we’d be smarter.

Me no ia pensa plu a la tema en acel note, asta cuando me ia desende per la come de la matina seguente, do Mama ia comuta la radio, escutante la novas matinal de NPR.

That was all the thought I gave the matter that night, until I got down to breakfast the next morning and Mom had the radio on, playing the NPR morning news.

“La ajenteria de novas arabi al-Djazira mostra fotos, videos e atestas direta sur la tumulta de jovenes a la finisemana pasada en Parce Mision Dolores.” – la anunsior ia dise cuando me ia es bevinte un vitro de jus de orania. Me ia susede no sputa lo tra la sala, ma me ia malengoli pico.

“Arabic news agency Al-Jazeera is running pictures, video and first-hand accounts of last weekend’s youth riot in Mission Dolores park,” the announcer said as I was drinking a glass of orange juice. I managed not to spray it across the room, but I did choke a little.

“Reportores de al-Djazira reclama ce esta atestas ia es publicida en un cosa nomida ‘Rede X’, un rede secreta usada par studiantes e suportores de al-Qaida en la Rejion Baia. La esiste de esta rede es ja longa un tema de rumor, ma oji la refere prima apare a lo en la jornales xef.”

“Al-Jazeera reporters claim that these accounts were published on the so-called ‘Xnet,’ a clandestine network used by students and Al-Quaeda sympathizers in the Bay Area. This network’s existence has long been rumored, but today marks its first mainstream mention.”

Mama ia secute sua testa. “Esata lo cual nos nesesa.” – el ia dise. “Si la polisia no ia es ja sufisinte mal, nos ave aora jovenes corente de asi a ala, finjente gerilias e donante a on un razona per enforsa vera sever.”

Mom shook her head. “Just what we need,” she said. “As if the police weren’t bad enough. Kids running around, pretending to be guerrillas and giving them the excuse to really crack down.”

“La bloges de Rede X ia publici sentos de reportas e fixes multimedial de persones joven ci ia es presente a la tumulta e alega ce la asembla ia es pasosa asta cuando la polisia ia ataca los. Asi es un de acel atestas:

“The Xnet weblogs have carried hundreds of reports and multimedia files from young people who attended the riot and allege that they were gathered peacefully until the police attacked them. Here is one of those accounts.

“Nos ia fa no plu ca dansa. Me ia trae mea frate peti. Bandes ia jua e nos ia parla sur libria, sur como nos perde lo a esta foles ci dise ce los odia teroristes ma ci ataca nos, an si nos no es teroristes ma esuanes. Me pensa ce los odia libria, no nos.

“‘All we were doing was dancing. I brought my little brother. Bands played and we talked about freedom, about how we were losing it to these jerks who say they hate terrorists but who attack us though we’re not terrorists we’re Americans. I think they hate freedom, not us.

“Nos ia dansa e la bandes ia jua e tota ia es divertinte e bon, e alora la polisiores ia comensa cria ce nos ta desgrupi. Tota nos ia cria: reprende lo! Esta vole dise: reprende la SUA. La polisiores ia gasi nos con airosol de peper. Mea frate peti ave des-du anios. El ia perde tre dias de scola. Mea jenitores stupida culpa me. Ma como de la polisia? Nos paia los e los debe proteje nos, ma los ia gasi nos sin bon razona – ia gasi nos como on gasi soldatos enemin.

“We danced and the bands played and it was all fun and good and then the cops started shouting at us to disperse. We all shouted take it back! Meaning take America back. The cops gassed us with pepper spray. My little brother is twelve. He missed three days of school. My stupid parents say it was my fault. How about the police? We pay them and they’re supposed to protect us but they gassed us for no good reason, gassed us like they gas enemy soldiers.’

“Atestas simil, incluinte audio e video, es trovable en la pajeria de al-Djazira e en Rede X. On pote trova instruis per asede esta Rede X en la paje xef de NPR.”

“Similar accounts, including audio and video, can be found on Al-Jazeera’s website and on the Xnet. You can find directions for accessing this Xnet on NPR’s homepage.”

Papa ia desende.

Dad came down.

“Esce tu usa Rede X?” – el ia dise. El ia regarda intensa mea fas. Me ia sensa mea contorse.

“Do you use the Xnet?” he said. He looked intensely at my face. I felt myself squirm.

“Lo es per juas video.” – me ia dise. “Esta es perce la plu de persones usa lo. Lo es mera un rede sin filo. Lo es lo cual cadun ia fa con acel Xboxes cual on ia dona sin custa en la anio pasada.”

“It’s for video-games,” I said. “That’s what most people use it for. It’s just a wireless network. It’s what everyone did with those free Xboxes they gave away last year.”

El ia grima a me. “Juas? Marcus, tu no comprende lo, ma tu furni un asconderia per persones ci intende ataca e destrui esta pais. Me no vole vide ce tu usa esta Rede X. No plu. Esce me ia parla clar?”

He glowered at me. “Games? Marcus, you don’t realize it, but you’re providing cover for people who plan on attacking and destroying this country. I don’t want to see you using this Xnet. Not anymore. Do I make myself clear?”

Me ia vole disputa. Txa, me ia vole saisi sua spalas e secute el. Ma no. Me ia regarda a via. Me ia dise – “Serta, Papa.” Me ia vade a scola.

I wanted to argue. Hell, I wanted to shake him by the shoulders. But I didn’t. I looked away. I said, “Sure, Dad.” I went to school.

Prima, me ia es lejerida cuando me ia descovre ce Sr Benson no va resta como la ensenior de mea clase de studias sosial. Ma la fem ci on ia trova per recambia el ia es mea malsonia la plu mal.

At first I was relieved when I discovered that they weren’t going to leave Mr Benson in charge of my social studies class. But the woman they found to replace him was my worst nightmare.

El ia es joven, con sola sirca 28 o 29 anios, e beleta en alga modo virtuosa. El ia es blonde e ia parla en un manera suave sude cuando el ia presenta se a nos como Sra Andersen. Esta ia sona instante un campana de alarma en me. Me ia conose no fem con min ca 60 anios ci nomi se “Seniora”.

She was young, just about 28 or 29, and pretty, in a wholesome kind of way. She was blonde and spoke with a soft southern accent when she introduced herself to us as Mrs Andersen. That set off alarm bells right away. I didn’t know any women under the age of sixty that called themselves “Mrs.”

Ma me ia es preparada per iniora esta. El ia es joven, beleta, el ia sona dulse. El va es oce.

But I was prepared to overlook it. She was young, pretty, she sounded nice. She would be OK.

El no ia es oce.

She wasn’t OK.

“En cual situas la governa federal debe es preparada per suspende la Declara de Diretos?” – el ia dise, turnante a la mureta negra e scrivente un linia de numeros, de un asta des.

“Under what circumstances should the federal government be prepared to suspend the Bill of Rights?” she said, turning to the blackboard and writing down a row of numbers, one through ten.

“Nunca.” – me ia dise, sin espeta ce el invita me. Esta ia es fasil. “Diretos constitual es asoluta.”

“Never,” I said, not waiting to be called on. This was easy. “Constitutional rights are absolute.”

“Acel no es un opina multe sofisticada.” El ia regarda sua scema de sejas. “Marcus. Per esemplo, imajina ce un polisior fa un xerca nonconveninte – el esede la spesifiadas en sua documento de autoria. El descovre atestas convinsente ce un om vil ia mata tua padre. Los es la sola atestas cual esiste. Esce la om vil debe es librida?”

“That’s not a very sophisticated view.” She looked at her seating-plan. “Marcus. For example, say a policeman conducts an improper search – he goes beyond the stuff specified in his warrant. He discovers compelling evidence that a bad guy killed your father. It’s the only evidence that exists. Should the bad guy go free?”

Me ia sabe la responde a esta, ma me no ia pote vera esplica lo. “Si.” – me ia dise, final. “Ma la polisia no debe fa xercas nonconveninte —”

I knew the answer to this, but I couldn’t really explain it. “Yes,” I said, finally. “But the police shouldn’t conduct improper searches –”

“Falsa.” – el ia dise. “La responde coreta a malcondui polisial es ce on ata disiplinal contra la polisia, no ce on puni tota la sosia per la era de un polisior.” El ia scrive “Culpablia criminal” a la numero un sur la mureta.

“Wrong,” she said. “The proper response to police misconduct is disciplinary action against the police, not punishing all of society for one cop’s mistake.” She wrote “Criminal guilt” under point one on the board.

“Otra modos en cual la Declara de Diretos pote es suprapasada?”

“Other ways in which the Bill of Rights can be superseded?”

Carl ia leva sua mano. “Si on cria ‘foco!’ en un teatro folida?”

Charles put his hand up. “Shouting fire in a crowded theater?”

“Multe bon,” – el ia consulta la scema de sejas – “Carl. On ave multe casos en cual la Ajusta Prima no es asoluta. Ta ce nos lista alga plu de estas.”

“Very good –” she consulted the seating plan – “Charles. There are many instances in which the First Amendment is not absolute. Let’s list some more of those.”

Carl ia leva sua mano denova. “Si on perili un enforsor de lege.”

Charles put his hand up again. “Endangering a law enforcement officer.”

“Si, la revela de la identia de un polisior o securior desemblada. Multe bon.” El ia scrive lo. “Otras?”

“Yes, disclosing the identity of an undercover policeman or intelligence officer. Very good.” She wrote it down. “Others?”

“Securia nasional.” – Carl ia dise, sin espeta es denova invitada. “Malacusa. Osenia. Dejenera de minores. Porno de enfantes. Instruis per crea bombas.”

“National security,” Charles said, not waiting for her to call on him again. “Libel. Obscenity. Corruption of minors. Child porn. Bomb-making recipes.”

Sra Andersen ia scrive rapida estas, ma ia pausa a porno de enfantes. “Porno de enfantes es mera un forma de osenia.”

Mrs Andersen wrote these down fast, but stopped at child porn. “Child porn is just a form of obscenity.”

Me ia senti malada. Esta no ia es lo cual me ia aprende o ia crede sur mea pais. Me ia leva mea mano.

I was feeling sick. This was not what I’d learned or believed about my country. I put my hand up.

“Si, Marcus?”

“Yes, Marcus?”

“Me no comprende. Tu fa ce lo pare ce la Declara de Diretos es elejable. Lo es la Constitui. Nos debe segue asoluta lo.”

“I don’t get it. You’re making it sound like the Bill of Rights is optional. It’s the Constitution. We’re supposed to follow it absolutely.”

“Acel es un suprasimpli comun.” – el ia dise, donante a me un surie falsa. “Ma la fato vera es ce la legores de la Constitui ia intende ce lo va es un documento vivente cual va es revisada con la pasa de tempo. Los ia comprende ce la Republica no ta pote dura per sempre si la governa corente no ta pote governa longo la nesesas corente. Los ia intende nunca ce on regarda la Constitui como un dogma relijiosa. Ultima, los ia veni asi per fuji un dogma relijiosa.”

“That’s a common oversimplification,” she said, giving me a fake smile. “But the fact of the matter is that the framers of the Constitution intended it to be a living document that was revised over time. They understood that the Republic wouldn’t be able to last forever if the government of the day couldn’t govern according to the needs of the day. They never intended the Constitution to be looked on like religious doctrine. After all, they came here fleeing religious doctrine.”

Me ia nega con testa. “Como? No. Los ia es mercatores e artisanes ci ia es fidosa a la Re asta cuando el ia institui politicas cual ia oposa la interesas de los e ia es cruel enforsada. La refujadas relijial ia veni multe plu temprana.”

I shook my head. “What? No. They were merchants and artisans who were loyal to the King until he instituted policies that were against their interests and enforced them brutally. The religious refugees were way earlier.”

“Alga de la Legores ia desende de refujadas relijial.” – el ia dise.

“Some of the Framers were descended from religious refugees,” she said.

“E la Declara de Diretos debe no es alga cosa de cual on eleje seguente sua vole. La cosa odiada par la Legores ia es tirania. Lo es la cosa cual la Declara de Diretos debe preveni. Los ia es un armada revoluinte e los ia desira un colie de prinsipes cual cadun ia pote acorda. Vive, libria e la xerca per felisia. La direto de la popla per puxa sua opresores a via.”

“And the Bill of Rights isn’t supposed to be something you pick and choose from. What the Framers hated was tyranny. That’s what the Bill of Rights is supposed to prevent. They were a revolutionary army and they wanted a set of principles that everyone could agree to. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The right of people to throw off their oppressors.”

“Si, si.” – el ia dise, brandinte un braso a me. “Los ia crede a la direto de la popla per libri se de sua Res, ma —” Carl ia ave ja un surion e, a esta dise, el ia surie an plu larga.

“Yes, yes,” she said, waving at me. “They believed in the right of people to get rid of their Kings, but –” Charles was grinning and when she said that, he smiled even wider.

“Los ia scrive la Declara de Diretos car los ia opina ce la posese de diretos asoluta es plu bon ca la risca ce algun va prende los a via. Como la Ajusta Prima: lo debe proteje nos par preveni ce la governa crea du spesies de parla – parla permeteda e parla criminal. Los no ia vole fronti la risca ce alga fol va deside ce la cosas cual no plase a el es nonlegal.”

“They set out the Bill of Rights because they thought that having absolute rights was better than the risk that someone would take them away. Like the First Amendment: it’s supposed to protect us by preventing the government from creating two kinds of speech, allowed speech and criminal speech. They didn’t want to face the risk that some jerk would decide that the things that he found unpleasant were illegal.”

El ia turna e ia scrive “Vive, libria e la xerca per felisia” sur la mureta.

She turned and wrote, “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” on it.

“Nos progresa pico ante la leson intendeda, ma vos pare un grupo avansada.” La otras ia rie a esta, nervosa.

“We’re getting a little ahead of the lesson, but you seem like an advanced group.” The others laughed at this, nervously.

“La rol de governa es securi per sitadanes la diretos de vive, libria e la xerca per felisia. En acel ordina. Lo es como un filtro. Si la governa vole fa alga cosa cual desfelisi pico nos, o prende a via alga de nosa libria, lo es oce si los fa lo per salva nosa vives. Per esta razona la polisiores pote enclui on si los pensa ce on es un peril per se o otras. On perde sua libria e felisia per proteje la vive. Si on ave la vive, cisa on va oteni plu tarda la libria e la felisia.”

“The role of government is to secure for citizens the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In that order. It’s like a filter. If the government wants to do something that makes us a little unhappy, or takes away some of our liberty, it’s OK, providing they’re doing it to save our lives. That’s why the cops can lock you up if they think you’re a danger to yourself or others. You lose your liberty and happiness to protect life. If you’ve got life, you might get liberty and happiness later.”

Alga de la otras ia leva ja sua manos. “Esce esta no sinifia ce los pote fa cualce cosa cual los desira, si los dise ce lo es per preveni ce algun dana nos en la futur?”

Some of the others had their hands up. “Doesn’t that mean that they can do anything they want, if they say it’s to stop someone from hurting us in the future?”

“Si.” – un otra xice ia dise. “Lo pare ce tu dise ce la securia nasional importa plu ca la Constitui.”

“Yeah,” another kid said. “This sounds like you’re saying that national security is more important than the Constitution.”

Me ia es alora tan orgulosa de mea costudiantes. Me ia dise – “Como on pote proteje libria par suspende la Declara de Diretos?”

I was so proud of my fellow students then. I said, “How can you protect freedom by suspending the Bill of Rights?”

El ia secute sua testa a nos como si nos es multe stupida. “La fundores ‘revoluinte’ ia fusili tradores e spiores. Los no ia crede a libria asoluta, no cuando lo ia menasa la Republica. Bon, considera esta persones de Rede X —”

She shook her head at us like we were being very stupid. “The ‘revolutionary’ founding fathers shot traitors and spies. They didn’t believe in absolute freedom, not when it threatened the Republic. Now you take these Xnet people –”

Me ia atenta forte no rijidi.

I tried hard not to stiffen.

“— esta interferores tal nomida, ci ia es en la novas a esta matina. Cuando esta site ia es atacada par persones ci ia declara un gera contra esta pais, los ia comensa sabota la metodos de securia ajuntada per catura la viles e preveni ce los repete la ata. Los ia fa esta par perili e disturba sua cositadanes —”

“– these so-called jammers who were on the news this morning. After this city was attacked by people who’ve declared war on this country, they set about sabotaging the security measures set up to catch the bad guys and prevent them from doing it again. They did this by endangering and inconveniencing their fellow citizens –”

“Los ia fa lo per mostra ce on prende nosa diretos a via par autoria de proteje los!” – me ia dise. Oce, me ia cria. Txa, el ia fa ce me es tan furiosa. “Los ia fa lo car la governa ia trata cadun como un teroriste suspetada.”

“They did it to show that our rights were being taken away in the name of protecting them!” I said. OK, I shouted. God, she had me so steamed. “They did it because the government was treating everyone like a suspected terrorist.”

“Alora, los ia vole demostra ce on debe no trata los como teroristes,” – Carl ia cria en responde – “donce los ia condui como teroristes? Donce los ia fa terorisme?”

“So they wanted to prove that they shouldn’t be treated like terrorists,” Charles shouted back, “so they acted like terrorists? So they committed terrorism?”

Me ia boli.

I boiled.

“O, txa de Cristo. Fa terorisme? Los ia mostra ce la monitori universal es plu perilosa ca terorisme. Considera cua ia aveni en acel parce en la finisemana pasada. Acel persones ia dansa e ia escuta musica. Como acel es terorisme?”

“Oh for Christ’s sake. Committed terrorism? They showed that universal surveillance was more dangerous than terrorism. Look at what happened in the park last weekend. Those people were dancing and listening to music. How is that terrorism?”

La ensenior ia traversa la sala e ia sta ante me, dominante me asta cuando me ia silenti. “Marcus, tu pare pensa ce no cosa ia cambia en esta pais. Tu debe comprende ce la bombi de la Ponte Baia ia cambia tota. Miles de nosa amis e relatadas reposa mor a la fondo de la Baia. Esta es un tempo per unia nasional a fas de la insulta violente cual nosa pais ia sufri —”

The teacher crossed the room and stood before me, looming over me until I shut up. “Marcus, you seem to think that nothing has changed in this country. You need to understand that the bombing of the Bay Bridge changed everything. Thousands of our friends and relatives lie dead at the bottom of the Bay. This is a time for national unity in the face of the violent insult our country has suffered –”

Me ia sta. Me ia oia tro multe de esta caca ce “tota ia cambia”. “Unia nasional? La punto intera de la SUA es ce nos es la pais do disenti es bonvenida. Nos es un pais de disentores e bataliores e abandonores de universia e suportores de parla libre.”

I stood up. I’d had enough of this “everything has changed” crapola. “National unity? The whole point of America is that we’re the country where dissent is welcome. We’re a country of dissidents and fighters and university dropouts and free speech people.”

Me ia pensa a la leson final de Sra Galvez e la miles de studiantes a Berkeley ci ia ensirca la furgon de polisia cuando on ia atenta aresta un xico ci distribui leteratur sur diretos sivil. Nun ia atenta para acel camionetas cuando los ia viaja a via con tota la persones ci ia dansa en la parce. Me no ia atenta. Me ia fuji.

I thought of Ms Galvez’s last lesson and the thousands of Berkeley students who’d surrounded the police-van when they tried to arrest a guy for distributing civil rights literature. No one tried to stop those trucks when they drove away with all the people who’d been dancing in the park. I didn’t try. I was running away.

Cisa tota ia cambia.

Maybe everything had changed.

“Me crede ce tu sabe do la ofisia de Sr Benson es.” – el ia dise a me. “Ta ce tu presenta tu a el, instante. Me no va permete ce on interompe mea lesones par condui nonrespetosa. Per algun ci reclama ce el ama la libria de parla, tu es serta contente de cria plu forte ca cualcun ci desacorda con tu.”

“I believe you know where Mr Benson’s office is,” she said to me. “You are to present yourself to him immediately. I will not have my classes disrupted by disrespectful behavior. For someone who claims to love freedom of speech, you’re certainly willing to shout down anyone who disagrees with you.”

Me ia prende mea PortaScola e mea saco e ia parti furiosa. La porte ia ave un xarnier de gas, donce pumi lo ia es nonposible, ma si no, me ia ta pumi lo.

I picked up my SchoolBook and my bag and stormed out. The door had a gas-lift, so it was impossible to slam, or I would have slammed it.

Me ia vade rapida a la ofisia de Sr Benson. Cameras ia filma mea vade. Mea manera de pasea ia es rejistrada. La radioeticetas en mea carta de studiante ia difusa mea identia a sensadores en la coredor. Lo ia es como en un prison.

I went fast to Mr Benson’s office. Cameras filmed me as I went. My gait was recorded. The arphids in my student ID broadcast my identity to sensors in the hallway. It was like being in jail.

“Clui la porte, Marcus.” – Sr Benson ia dise. El ia turna sua scermo afin me vide la flue video de la sala de clase de studias sosial. El ia oserva ja la aveni.

“Close the door, Marcus,” Mr Benson said. He turned his screen around so that I could see the video feed from the social studies classroom. He’d been watching.

“Cual escusa tu ave per ofre?”

“What do you have to say for yourself?”

“Acel no ia es ensenia – lo ia es propaganda. El ia dise a nos ce la Constitui no importa!”

“That wasn’t teaching, it was propaganda. She told us that the Constitution didn’t matter!”

“No, el ia dise ce lo no es un dogma relijiosa. E tu ia ataca el como alga spesie de fundaliste, tal demostrante sua proposa. Marcus, de tota persones, tu debe comprende ce tota ia cambia cuando la ponte ia es bombida. Tua ami Darryl —”

“No, she said it wasn’t religious doctrine. And you attacked her like some kind of fundamentalist, proving her point. Marcus, you of all people should understand that everything changed when the bridge was bombed. Your friend Darryl –”

“Ma txa, no dise an un parola sur el.” – me ia dise, con coleria bolinte. “Tu no conveni per parla sur el. Si, me comprende ce tota es aora diferente. A ante, nos ia es un pais libre. Aora, no plu.”

“Don’t you say a goddamned word about him,” I said, the anger bubbling over. “You’re not fit to talk about him. Yeah, I understand that everything’s different now. We used to be a free country. Now we’re not.”

“Marcus, esce tu sabe la sinifia de ‘zero tolera’?”

“Marcus, do you know what ‘zero-tolerance’ means?”

Me ia sede. El ta pote espulsa me par causa de “condui menasante”. Esta ia es intendeda per usa contra xices de gang ci ta atenta asusta sua enseniores. Ma natural, el ia ta senti no regrete en usa lo contra me.

I backed down. He could expel me for “threatening behavior.” It was supposed to be used against gang kids who tried to intimidate their teachers. But of course he wouldn’t have any compunctions about using it on me.

“Si.” – me ia dise. – “Me sabe la sinifia.”

“Yes,” I said. “I know what it means.”

“Me pensa ce me merita un espresa de tua repenti.” – el ia dise.

“I think you owe me an apology,” he said.

Me ia regarda el. El ia supresa apena sua surie sadiste. Un parte de me ia vole basi me. Lo ia vole suplica ce el pardona tota mea vergonia. Me ia puia acel parte a su e ia deside ce me prefere es espulsada ca repenti.

I looked at him. He was barely suppressing his sadistic smile. A part of me wanted to grovel. It wanted to beg for his forgiveness for all my shame. I tamped that part down and decided that I would rather get kicked out than apologize.

“Governas es instituida entre persones, derivante sua potias justa par la acorda de la governadas; cuando cualce forma de governa comensa destrui esta intendes, la popla ave la direto de altera o aboli lo, e de institui un governa nova, ponente sua funda sur tal prinsipes, e organizante sua potias en tal forma, cual va pare a los la plu capas de reali sua securia e felisia.” Me ia recorda perfeta la parolas.

“Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.” I remembered it word for word.

El ia secute sua testa. “Recorda un cosa no es la mesma como comprende lo, xic’.” El ia apoia a sua computador e ia fa alga clicas. Sua primador ia ronrona. El ia dona a me un folia con la xapo de letera de la Comite e un nota ce on suspende me per du semanas.

He shook his head. “Remembering things isn’t the same as understanding them, sonny.” He bent over his computer and made some clicks. His printer purred. He handed me a sheet of warm Board letterhead that said I’d been suspended for two weeks.

“Me va eposta a tua jenitores aora. Si tu es ancora sur la imobila de la scola pos tredes minutos, tu va es arestada como un intruor.”

“I’ll email your parents now. If you are still on school property in thirty minutes, you’ll be arrested for trespassing.”

Me ia regarda el.

I looked at him.

“Ta ce tu no declara un gera contra me en mea propre scola.” – el ia dise. “Tu no pote gania acel gera. VADE!”

“You don’t want to declare war on me in my own school,” he said. “You can’t win that war. GO!”

Me ia parti.

I left.