Nexus - 1103 - New Times Magazine-pages

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2015 killed nearly three billion people. We are making huge strides in getting it shot, burned and bleed to death. I know The people that survived grew closer cleaned up. Water is produced on a com- exactly where I was and every detail of the together. Life is centred on the family and munity level and we do eat meat that we exact moment the first nuclear warheads then the community. I cannot imagine liv- raise ourselves. began falling on Jacksonville. I know the ing even a few hundred miles away from After the war, early new communities _ pain and regret of not acting soon enough my parents. gathered around the current universities. to enjoy a relationship as a loved one dies There is no large industrial complex cre- That's where the libraries were. I went to of brain cancer from a war that gained ating masses of useless food and recre- school at Fort UF, which is now called the nothing. ational items. Food is grown and sold University of Florida. Not too much is How can you possibly criticise me for locally. People spend much more time different, except the military is a large part any conflict that comes to you? reading and talking together face to face. _ of people's life and we spend a great deal of [Responding to some flak in earlier posts. Religion is taken seriously and everyone time in the fields and farms at the d.] I watch every day what you are doing can multiply and divide in their heads. "university", or fort. as a society. While you sit by and watch Life has changed so much over my life- The Constitution was changed after the your Constitution being torn away from time that it's hard to pin down a "normal" war. We have five Presidents that are you, you wilfully eat poisoned food, buy day. When I was thirteen, I was a soldier. voted in and out on different-term periods. manufactured products no one needs and As a teenager, I helped my dad haul cargo. The Vice-President is the President of the turn an uncaring eye away from millions of I went to college when I was thirty-one, Senate and is voted for separately. people suffering and dying all around you. and I was recruited to "time travel" shortly Is this the "universal law" you subscribe after that. Again, I suppose an average day Q: Why is time travel used? to? in 2036 is like an average day on the farm. A: Right now, it's used to get informa- Perhaps I should let you all in on a little There is a civil war in the United States _ tion or "items" that would be helpful in get- secret. No one likes you in the future. that starts in 2004/5. That conflict flares up ting a post-WWIII world back to a normal This time period is looked at as being full and down for 10 years. In 2015, Russia condition. of lazy, self-centred, civically ignorant launches a nuclear strike against the major On my worldline, life is not easy. We sheep. Perhaps you should be less con- cities in the United States (which is the _ live in a world recovering from years of _ cerned about me and more concerned about "other side" of the civil war from my per- war, poison, destruction and hate. All of it, — that. spective), China and Europe. The United courtesy of the thinking and actions of peo- Imagine you are Jewish and you are able States counterattacks. The US cities are _ ple that live right now in the same world _ to travel back in time to Germany in 1935. destroyed, along with the AFE (American you do, worrying about which stocks to _ All around you are the patterns of thinking Federal Empire)...thus we (in the country) buy or whether or not a stranger is lying to and action that will lead to a great deal of won. The European Union and China were _ them on the Internet. harm, death and destruction in just a few also destroyed. Russia is now our largest I believe that hardship and challenge years. You have the advantage of knowing trading partner and the Capitol of the US develop character and community. My what will come, but no one will listen to was moved to Omaha, Nebraska. first experience with war came when I you. In fact, they think you're insane and One of the biggest reasons why food pro- joined a shotgun infantry unit at the age of the situations you describe could never duction is localised is because the environ- thirteen. In the four years I served as a happen. ment is affected with disease and radiation. "rebel", I watched hundreds of people get What I feel is not anger; it is sadness that you cannot see what I see. We are making huge strides in getting it cleaned up. Water is produced on a com- munity level and we do eat meat that we raise ourselves. After the war, early new communities gathered around the current universities. That's where the libraries were. I went to school at Fort UF, which is now called the University of Florida. Not too much is different, except the military is a large part of people's life and we spend a great deal of time in the fields and farms at the "university", or fort. The Constitution was changed after the war. We have five Presidents that are voted in and out on different-term periods. The Vice-President is the President of the Senate and is voted for separately. Q: What event started the war? Can it be stopped? A: The war is a result of faulty politics and desperation from Western leadership during the US civil war. Yes, I suppose you could stop it. Q: Were biological or chemical weapons used in the war? Were any weapons used that affected people's minds? A: Yes; there were biological and chem- ical weapons used. No mind control weapons, but there are new "non-lethal" weapon systems that turn out to be quite lethal. Q: Are there social prejudices in 2036? A: Yes there are. However, as odd as it may sound, it serves a useful purpose in my 60 = NEXUS APRIL — MAY 2004 www.nexusmagazine.com