A Speech Of Hope

Sayeth the Cheerleader For Hope:

"I don't care what you say - or how many times you say it - or with how much conviction you may say it - I still have hope. There's more to life than meets the eye - you don't know what you think you know. No one knows everything. Your words mean nothing to me. I stand with the side of hope - and always will regardless of the actions of others. My faith is unshakable and the way forward is without doubt. These are my words and I stand by them till the end of time. Let the rest do as they wish."

She looked everyone in the room with a defiant eye. The TV camera ate her up. Cheers could be heard in the distant outside. Wars love warriors and she was determined to make a stand. The Conflict had been brewing for decades, setting teeth on edge, boiling rages, reaching a fever pitch - all the earmarks of a dying planet. The dividing time had come and no soul would be left unaccounted. This was the time of Life or Death.

The Numbers Merchants who'd ruled the world since nigh the beginning saw their days were numbered. However hopeless perpetuating their perch may be, they would do anything and everything in their power to delay that day of reckoning; no sacrifice was beyond the pale. Though fearing the growing food riots, starvation was deemed to be used as a tool for population control. Those preoccupied with finding daily food would not be in a position to question the ways of the Merchants or even notice their decisions until too late.

"Because I'm tethered to the truth, I need not listen to the opinions of others, my certainty is my rock. That which conflicts with what I assert must therefore be wrong. I stand as one with the Lord. I shall not deviate nor stray an inch from this righteous path. What's right is right and what's wrong is wrong. I shall be a beacon of light in this dark world. If we all unite as one we can never fall. I cannot emphasize this enough: Dissent is death. Only if we each align ourselves with the truth now can we survive!"

One by one they fell across the land. Like a wind blown fire, hate ignited in their souls, making war on reality. Again, the goal of the Deciders was not to win, but to extend their days of rule by any means possible. Fear and frustration fueled the fires - as intended. Those unable to blame themselves for their self-inflicted fate set up gods to save them - even if their only purpose was to knock them down later. They still served the goal of wasting time. At this stage, the general consensus was liars need to win in order to maintain their way of life.

"Plant cotton, get corn!" Simple, easy, and salable. The Numbers Merchants had lowered the price of cotton seeds as to be practically free. But the big money was in corn in a starving world. Farmers stood to make a fortune in alleged profits as few could actually afford to plant corn with its sky high costs. This was an answer beloved by all: to not reap what you sow - no responsibility required. Anyone who spoke out against it was labeled a traitor and a bringer of doom. The slogan was on shirts, shoes, and body tattoos. The more you celebrated it, the more you were celebrated.

"I have heard those who would bring us down - but their negativity won't bring me down! Jesus said to overcome and by our faith we shall. Our land will be covered in corn! Our future is secured and our problems solved for evermore. These are hard times that demand hard answers. The wishful thinking of love will not save us. We have to take responsibility for our actions - and that we have done!. Let no one stand against us. It's our duty to save the world. Today, I will even amend our glorious slogan to say: Plant cotton, get corn - get saved!"