Chapter 8
The Press
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   After the attack on Chytino headquarters, there was much speculation in the local press as to who was responsible.  One reporter seized upon the idea that the crucifix left at the sides of the bound Chytinos resembled the burning crosses displayed by the Ku Klux Klan decades before but the supposed astute insight came to an abrupt halt at that shallow observation.  There was a demand that The Restoration hold a press conference to confirm or deny its involvement in what some were calling a "preemptive act of terrorism."
    Melvin Rubenstein isn't a party member and does not wear the uniform of The Restoration.  He is, however, a good administrator as the C1 and also has a way with words which accounts for the fact he is also the Public Information Officer.  The press room at a local television station is overflowing with reporters, all waiting for the appearance of someone.  To the man and woman, they are all shocked it is Melvin Rubenstein, not in uniform and most surprising of all, a Jew.  
    Quite confidently, he reaches the podium and without notes, says, "I have an opening statement.  Many of you have chosen to report recent events as a return to Nazi tactics arising from an unauthorized political/military establishment.  Such a designation is completely false.  The Restoration is not a political/military establishment - it is a political/military/religious movement that first of all, has recognized the quite adverse concerns facing the country and has taken positive, well-planned and well-directed steps to help America find itself and return to its traditional values.  Let's take just a moment to review some of the work we have done to this point.  Many of the homeless have been taken off the street and given at least a chance to find themselves; for if America is to be restored, it won't be by an act of Congress or local government, it will be because many, many individuals have decided, or perhaps I should say, have been given the opportunity, to change their own lives.  With that, comes gratitude and then recognition of responsibility."
    "All over the country, construction projects such as the Techside Apartment renovation here in Atlanta are underway.  Caring hands are being extended to the needful and homeless who are doing most of the unskilled work under the supervision of volunteer trade contractors.  Don't ask me to explain the impact of this work - just come to one of the homeless shelters and look into the eyes of the people there.  Unspoken words will tell you far more than I can.  Until now, many of "that type of people," as they are often called, had lost all hope for their lives and understandably, and quite predictably, had undergone some form of rebellion against conditions they did nothing to create but had been victimized by these conditions all the same.  Through the work of The Restoration, many are reaching their last day of the past and are regaining self-respect and determination.  Towards that end, The Restoration has formed the Civilian Construction Coalition (CCC) to manage such future projects as well as the National Artisans which will be the political component for all crusades and assist all workers in gaining or regaining their rights.  Such effort, however, will not be racially oriented such as the protest efforts of Caucasians through the N double A RR (National American Association To Recover Rights).  The activities of the Artisans will be positive and proactive, not take on a protest characteristic and be directed towards the goals for the country and not only one race."
    He pauses and traverses the reporters with an obvious accusatory expression.  "And what did you expect to ask in this conference?  What did you expect me to say?  Was it some open-ended statement about terror tactics in the Lee Street attack?  Did you expect me to confirm or deny "involvement."  Regardless, the whole incident would be turned into a tabloid-type news item designed to fuel the rather sickly appraisal of real issues that has consumed the news media.  Only recognize and report the facts.  America has lost itself to a declining economy, the total loss of manufacturing jobs, severe loss of access to the medical system and racial fragmentation that has produced street gangs, often engaging in vengeance drive-by shootings - many times, the victims are someone the gang members don't even know.  The victims are innocent and only offer a convenient and readily accessible means to pour out hate caused by a number of uncontrolled and often unacknowledged conditions.  Traditional values are under attack from many sources; and through it all, what do you choose to report.  Often, your entire newscasts are contaminated by un-newsworthy and sickly events such as sexual relationships between teachers and students, child molestation and the rather strange lifestyles of entertainment figures."
    "Even the commercials in your news broadcasts are contaminated.  Recently, you've aired a series of advertisements for new video games released by Greenblat Enterprises.  One of them is called You Do The Math and asks the player to figure the ratio between the number of condoms found in the parking lot against those found inside the auditorium after a rock concert, I suppose on the assumption that the people who attend such events have the poor taste to engage in sexual intercourse in front of hundreds of people with a group of filthy-looking freaks shouting discordant sounds on the stage.  The second stage of this game is called Net Loss And Gain and asks the player to consider the cost of hiring a local prostitute against lower costs in other cities.  Then, the cost of a gallon of gas and miles to the other cities come into play, and the player figures the net gain or loss from the travel and lower costs of the prostitutes in the other cities.  In cases where other cities are selected, the player kills the prostitute, recovers his money and only considers the cost of gasoline as a normal operating expense which is then excluded in the accounting, and a net gain is figured based on the differences in prices from city to city with monetary adjustments for the distances."
    "Another such game is Rewrite History where the player can rearrange the settings and events in the Lincoln and Kennedy assassinations.  The player scans a photo of someone he or she doesn't like, substitutes it for the real victims and then replays the assassinations under a variety of settings.  We in the movement to restore America strongly encourage Greenblat Enterprises to withdraw these products from the market."
    Rather than speak to "news" as you have chosen to redefine it, let me announce the next local project of The Restoration.  Avondale Station was a shopping center in one of the highest crime areas in the city.  Years ago, when 2 major department stores vacated, the smaller retailers were forced to close due to reduced customer traffic and fear of gang vandalism and drug trafficking.  The homes in the area quickly lost half their value, and many homeowners were forced to sell at substantial loss.  We will begin a complete renovation of the Avondale Station, again using unemployed and homeless shelter workers with licensed contractor supervision, however, The Restoration is now in the position of paying all who will take part in the work and no longer will request exclusive volunteer effort.  Properly managed, this project can draw businesses back into the area and with effective, forceful law enforcement, lost jobs can be regained."
    He pauses again with the same expression and knows the reporters are eager to get to the questions and create a scandal-like atmosphere suitable for their newspaper columns and television news.  "As to the Lee Street incident, the question is under investigation by the Atlanta Police Department, and I can't offer any specific comments due to this but this is not a whitewash.  I'm going to ask J. D. Jennings, the Atlanta Police Chief, to make a brief statement on that investigation."
    J. D. Jennings is a tall Negro man with gray hair and a think mustache.  He takes the podium and gets straight to the point.  "Our units responded within minutes after the Lee Street attack.  We found a large quantity of street drugs all neatly packaged in see-through bags, ready to be distributed to anyone with the money to pay for them.  Most importantly, ballistics tests were conducted on the weapons in the possession of the Chytinos seized at the site, and we can now tie them to 3 random shootings within the past 12 months.  Also found were pamphlets showing how to construct various types of bombs and propaganda on racial injustice and organization of protests and civil unrest.  Clearly, this is evidence that the present level of street crime will advance to a new level and present much more of a threat to the city.  Through this incident, the department is certain much future crime has been prevented."
    All the reporters hastily make notes and look back towards the podium, expecting Jennings would still be standing there but it is Melvin Rubenstein again facing them.  "And now to the questions."  He points to a reporter in the first row and asks, "Do you believe that America is in a state of decline?"
    The reporter is momentarily off balance, as he thought it would be he who would be asking the questions.  Finally, he says, "Well....I....I guess you could put it that way."
    Rubenstein interrupts, "Failure to acknowledge well-documented facts are only contributing to the conditions.  Constantly seeking alternate explanations or putting it one way or the other can't change established fact.  We are beyond the point we need to establish blame within a legal system that is more concerned with privacy rights than crime prevention and need not look to political candidates or office-holders to explain away known facts or even worse, turn them into vote-getting techniques."  He looks to another reporter and asks, "Do you agree the real issues must first be acknowledged and firm action must be taken against the sources of these conditions and that we must discontinue tolerance under the pretext of diversification?"
    The reporter snaps back, "We don't need Nazi tactics.  Nothing can justify violence."    
    Rubenstein interrupts again, "I wholeheartedly agree.  Street violence against the innocent cannot be tolerated.  But when the innocent become victims, what are they to do?"  When the reporter does not answer, Rubenstein presses on.  "Has substantive action and leadership came from any religious or government entity in the past?"
    The reported snaps back, "It's not that simple.  There's a lot of conflicting interests that must be recognized.  The Chytinos and Spanish have most of the construction jobs, the Indicos now own most of the food service businesses and labor unions representing mostly Caucasians and Negroes are struggling to get their jobs and rights restored."
    "How?" Rubenstein immediately asks.  He waits only a moment.  "Everyone is blaming someone else, some other race, some political idea and office-holders are playing it all like some video game to convert such conflicting interests into platforms designed to propel the unrest to the voting booth where a vote is cast against something or someone and not in favor of any sort of substantive plan of action."
    The reporter says, "I've got a few questions about your involvement in the Lee Street incident....."
    "Involvement has not been established by the investigation.  My confirming or denying it would do nothing towards the real issues.  Issues such as fragmented state governments that have not done, and in fact cannot do, anything to deal with the concerns facing the entire nation.  Such disjointed, fumbling efforts of trying to deal with all the problems on 50 different fronts has led us to the unfortunate position in which we now find ourselves.  When the political aspect of our movement develops, we will offer clear action plans through the Doctrine of Central Control.  The only way do deal with important issues is to marshal all resources at hand at the highest command level and direct one, prioritized effort towards pre-established goals - not continue a program of appeasement towards conflicting interests.  Let me ask you  what is the Georgia state government's plan of attack against unemployment, street crime, pornography or anything we've discussed today?  Be specific."
    When the reporter does not respond, Rubenstein says, "Should actions plans even exist, I wouldn't expect someone who spends all his time running down stories on prostitution and the entertainment industry to know.  You don't know of any such plan, because there is none.  There must be an organized plan of attack, and depending on precisely what condition is being dealt with, the attack must be either political, proactive, preventive or retaliatory.  Some conditions cannot be addressed by legislative procedures that fail to recognize fact.  Hate will never respond to that.  Fear and violence will persist unless there is confidence that some appropriate action is being taken or there is some effective alternative.  With that recognition, ample justification exists for action against those who seem intent on further tearing down America.  The present leadership and political structure simply has not provided that leadership, has not provided motivation or even the most elementary plans to address conditions they prefer to deny even exist.  As The Restoration gains members and influence, it must act by the most appropriate means governed by circumstances."
    Rubenstein and Jennings depart the platform leaving the room in a still quiet with all the reporters, pencils and paper in hand, looking at one another - not having asked a single question and no doubt failing to recognize the truth of what they have just heard.