Nouno the Vigilante Episode 13 Who Really Cares?

                Luis Romero is a 44-year-old inmate in Sacramento, California.  His cellmate is a man with tattoos all over his body and face named Jaime Osuna.  Osuna is in jail for murder and the heavy tattoos are not too uncommon among the inmates.  Unfortunately for Romero, Osuna’s killing days are not behind him. 

                Osuna is 31-years-old and is in jail for murder.  He doesn’t  like that he has a cellmate and wants to have the cell to himself so he starts gathering supplies and concocts a weapon consisting of a metallic object wrapped around a handle by string.  He waits for lights out and then attacks the unsuspecting man 13 years his senior injuring him.  Osuna then binds Romero and slowly starts removing body parts and making Romero watch as he slowly dismembers him keeping him conscious the entire time.  Finally, almost mercifully, Osuna uses his make shift weapon to decapitate Romero.  Despite all this and the obviousness of the culprit given that he was the only one in the cell with Romero, Osuna pleads not guilty.  He is transferred to a mental hospital to be rehabilitated, where he is eventually let go.

 

                Meanwhile in Phoenix, Arizona, Nouno and Abby are staying indoors as the 112 degree days in Phoenix is too hot even for them who love the heat.  Although Abby grew up with guns in the house and Nouno did not, Nouno is much more of a gun-rights activist than Abby.  Abby has brought up a common debate they’ve had and says, “With all these public shootings lately, how can you not be in favor of gun control?”

                “Almost all of them happen in gun-free zones” Nouno retorts

                “That doesn’t make it right.”

                “No, but it does prove the point that people who will use the guns for murder rather than self-defense go to areas they know people don’t have guns.  If you confiscate guns from people, then the areas where a gunmen can target people widens.”

                “Yea but they won’t get the gun in the first place”

                “You really think that people who have no problem breaking the law to kill someone with a gun has a problem breaking the law to acquire one?”

                “If it’s harder, it’ll go down.”

                “That hasn’t happened in any country that has ever tried it.  The closest we got was England but then knife homicides skyrocketed so who cares if you get killed by a knife or a gun, you’re still dead?”

                “Do people even use guns for self-defense?  I mean, you never hear of it.”

                “Yes you do.  At the recent church shooting a guy went to his car and got his gun and fired at the gunmen before subduing him.  You see on the news all the time of like 12-year-olds that grab their parents’ rifles to scare off burglars”

                “Yea, but those stories are rare”

                “Because fake news wants to discredit the NRA and pro-2^nd amendment activists that guns work as deterrents and for self defense.”

                “Oh please, stop blaming the mainstream media for everything.  They are fair, hence you’ve heard of stories of people using it for self-defense.  So they do report on it.”

                “Let’s look it up.”

                They do and Abby sighs as she finds out that one million people a year use guns for self-defense, which dwarfs the amount used for criminal use.  She reads case after case of people not only helping themselves but helping strangers too.”

                Nouno smiles and asks, “You were saying?”

                Abby gives him a dirty look and retorts, “That doesn’t mean the mainstream media is bad.  It just means that nobody wants to hear good news, they like hearing bad news.”

                “Funny, you didn’t say that before knowing the facts.”

                “Well, I thought about it.”

                “Bullshit, you’re covering that pretty little ass of yours.”

                “If you’re not careful, I’m going to make you kiss it”

                “You do realize I enjoy that right?” Abby grunted in frustration and Nouno continued, “I mean we should do a ratio of how many times a gun is used for criminal use vs. for self-defense.  What would that ratio be?”

                “I mean, it’s not that big.  2.14/1 it is used for defensive purposes.”

                “More than double you’re saying”

                “Yea but it’s not dwarfing”

                “It’s pretty significant that for every one crime committed involving a gun, not murder, but just involving a gun, there are over two times where it saved someone.”

                “I don’t think it is.”

                “Well then you’re wrong.”

                “It’s my opinion”

                “Opinions can be wrong”

                “No they can’t”

                “It is my opinion that Donald Trump is the greatest president of all time”

                “Well then you’re retarded”

                “Would you say I’m wrong?”

                “Shut up, I said you were retarded, maybe ridiculous but I didn’t say you were wrong.”

                “I think if I said that in a different context, you’d include ‘wrong.’”

                “I would not”

                “Fine, your opinion that it’s not that big a difference is retarded and ridiculous.  Happy?”

                Abby’s grey eyes narrowed at Nouno as she glared at him.  Nouno merely smiled back widely.  Abby shook her head and went back to her phone while Nouno watched TV.  While watching, Nouno expresses, “Willem Von Spewson’s manifesto has just been released.  He quotes AOC’s concentration camp language about the detention centers at the border.”

                “It wasn’t the border, it was Tacoma, Washington.  That’s like the border with Canada not Mexico.”

                “Still, I’m pretty sure he would have made our list if he wasn’t killed by brave ICE agents.”

                “He would have but just don’t call it a border facility”

                “Fine, an ICE detention center housing illegal immigrants”

                “That’s a little better.”

                “Can we just stick to the fact that he firebombed and pulled a rifle on ICE agents because of shit that AOC said?  He admits it in writing.”

                “You can’t blame AOC for what he did”

                “Objectively, I agree but since they blame Trump for any time someone utters a racial slur or any violence whatsoever real, imagined or staged, then yes I can.”

                “Two wrongs don’t make a right”

                “It does when you’re dealing with leftists like AOC”

                “How many representatives do you even know?  If you just ignored her, then nobody would even know who she is.  No press is bad press.  By constantly attacking her and pointing out every stupid thing she says, you only make her more famous and expand her following.”

                “AOC”s approval rating is 21%”

                “What?! That’s pretty bad”

                “More people think 9/11 was an inside job than like AOC”

                “What’s your point?”

                “This incessant attacking by conservatives and exposing her for the fraud she is and pointing out all her lies is working”

                “It’s not lies if she doesn’t know she’s wrong.”

                “So you think she’s just stupid?”

                “Well yea but I mean she shouldn’t be publicly humiliated like that.  Imagine if every time you misspoke and millions of people pointed it out.”

                “I’d expect it if I held public office.  I also would make sure that everything I said was true and I would be careful what I posted on social media.”

                “You don’t even have social media.”

                “Precisely, she would probably be better served if she didn’t either”

                “Well, okay, it’s easy to point out the things she says that are false but like Ilhan Omar doesn’t say untrue things”

                “Yes she does.  But her comments are more insensitive, racist and anti-Semitic.”

                “Right and by constantly attacking her for it, you give her a platform.  Have you ever before known a representative from Minnesota?  Do you even know their Senators?”

                “Again, publicly humiliating them exposes them and makes people associate negative thoughts to them so they lose power.”

                “I just don’t think it’ll work.  Like I said, no press is bad press”

                “Would you like to know her approval rating?”

                “It’s probably around 25% because that’s your benchmark for a stupid idea, 25% believe it.”

                “9”

                “9 what?”

                “Her approval rating is 9%”

                Abby laughed, “Is that even possible?”

                “Apparently”

                “At least people think racism and insensitivity is worse than ignorance and stupidity”

                “Oh yay” Nouno said sarcastically. 

                “By the way, I found a case”

                “Really where?”

                “Why is that your first question?  How about, what did they do?”

                “I know it’s bad, I like travelling, I want to know where I’m going”

                “Sacramento”

                “Oh nice, never been there.  Northern California is nice.”

                “Maybe we can go down to San Francisco afterwards”

                “Yea, the liberal Mecca, you’d like that.”

                “Or, you know, NAPA valley.  Drink some good wine but sure yea, I want to be around liberals.” Abby retorted with blatant sarcasm in her voice.

                There was a long silence and then Nouno inquired, “So are you going to tell me what he did?”

                “I didn’t think you cared?” spoken with joviality

                “Now that I know the ‘where,’ I want to know the ‘what’”

                “He dismembered and decapitated his cell mate and somehow got released”

                “Oh California” Nouno uttered sardonically.

                They packed and headed for Sacramento.  On the plane, Nouno showed Abby a video with the comment, “You think we should just let this go?”

                Abby takes his phone and watches as a journalist asks AOC if she condemns Von Spewson for his violent attack on the ICE facility.  AOC refuses to answer and just keeps walking as the journalist follows asking the question over and over again.  Abby’s shoulders slouch and she states, “I mean is it really so hard just to say ‘yes, I condemn it’?”

                “Or just ‘yes’”

                “Seriously”

                By the time the plane landed, AOC did release a statement condemning Von Spewson for his terrorist attack.  Abby sees this and slaps Nouno on the arm and pronounces, “See, she condemned it.”

                “Not when asked.  Someone had to get to her.”

                “So what?  She did it.”

                “Look, I’m glad she did it.  Good for her but it still says something that she didn’t do it right away.”

                “Weren’t you the one that said she should watch what she says?  Maybe check with people before releasing something to make sure it’s not dumb?”

                “I did say that, but it shows how dumb she is when that’s the question she feels the need not to answer.  I mean later she talked about how much power ‘the squad’ has.  All of their approval ratings suck.  They don’t really have power.”

                “They do because conservatives and Trump keep attacking her.”

                “They do that so people associate the Democratic Party with them and not any of the people running for the Democratic nomination.”

                Abby’s eyes glaze as her body tenses.  She contemplates this for a minute trying to attack it but concedes, “You know, I haven’t really heard about any of the candidates the past few days.  Shit, you might be on to something here.”

                They go to the hotel and set it up a murder room.  Nouno books another room for Abby and says, “I don’t want you anywhere near this?”

                “Why?”

                “This dude is fucking psychotic”

                “I’ve dealt with murderers and rapists before.  I’m often used as bait, why would this be any different?”

                “This guy isn’t just a killer, he’s a torturer.  He takes pleasure in slowly and methodically hurting people.  I don’t want him to know you exist.”

                “Well, you have to at least let me come in if you strap him in.”

                “That’s a fair compromise, but you’re not going to be involved in the hunt.”

                “You’re oblivious.”

                “The dude has tattoos all over his face; even I can’t fuck that up.”

                Abby grins and declares, “I would hope not but with you, you never know.”

                Nouno laughs as Abby searches social media for his routine.  This one is a little tougher but eventually she garners the information and devises a strategy for Nouno.  Nouno goes to where he believes Osuna will be and spots him.  Most people shy away because he looks menacing with the tattoos.  This makes it difficult because Nouno likes losing himself in a crowd when he strikes but he can’t do that here.  He decides to do it the old fashioned way.  He knows what car he drives from Abby.  He calls her and asks her to let him know where Osuna’s car is.  Abby taps into her various sources and locates it and tells Nouno the location.  Nouno drives there and picks the lock getting into the back seat.  He lies on the floor in the back waiting for Osuna to get back.  The problem is, it’s July and the car is getting real hot in the California sun and Nouno is quickly drenched in sweat. 

                Luckily, Osuna goes to his car a half hour after Nouno does.  When the door closes, Nouno springs from the back seat and jams a syringe into Osuna’s neck unleashing a sedative knocking him out.  He immediately starts the car and opens all the windows and blasts the AC as he starts panting.  He pulls Osuna into the back seat and gets in the driver seat and drives to the hotel. 

                When Osuna wakes up, he is secured down by plastic and duck tape.  The hotel room has been covered in egg crates to muffle sound.  Nouno and Abby are standing over him and Osuna nods his head knowingly.  He asks, “Guess you couldn’t wait to see if I’d get the death penalty?”

                Nouno replied, “Nah, can’t risk it besides you’re not worth that much money to spend on it.  A nice quick stab from a three inch blade is cheap.”

                “Yea, so I take it you guys are Dennis Prager fans.”

                If Osuna’s calm demeanor didn’t unnerve Abby and Nouno, this comment did.  Nouno was a Prager fan but Abby was not.  Nouno rejoined inquisitively, “Why do you say that?”

                “Well liberals are all about reformation and side with criminals, most conservatives are anti-death penalty so wouldn’t do what you’re doing so the only conservative-minded person that would do what you do are Dennis Prager fans.”

                “Or the millions of people who watched Dexter as this is pretty much straight out of that show.”

                “Right, I bet most Dexter fans are PragerU fans.”

                “I don’t think you’re right.”

                “Fine” Osuna pronounced with an attempt at a shrug but his restraints stopped him.  He continued, “I mean I think he’s a whiny bitch.  Talking about how big tech censors him.  No they don’t”

                “PragerU has 56 videos that are banned on YouTube what are you talking about?”

                “And a Google representative testified to why.  They had a reason for every one.”

                “You think a video about the 10 commandments is equivalent to porn and violence.”

                “It mentions murder”

                “It says not to commit murder”

                “It still says ‘murder.’”

                “Words like ‘rape,’ ‘murder,’ are used all the time on social media, they don’t get banned.

                “That’s what aboutism”

                “Of course it is.  What aboutisms expose people for hypocrisy.”

                “Doesn’t change the fact that the Google representative made a good point.”

                “No he didn’t.  It’s a lie and an absolute absurdity, he should be arrested for perjury.”

                “He wasn’t alone. A Democratic Senator said that it showed a picture of a swastika”

                “As a symbol of murder.  They linked the swastika with a commandment telling you not to do what they did.”

                “Still the swastika is a symbol of hate and they used it.”

                “That’s a stretch.”

                “Well if they don’t like it, they can always boycott big tech.”

                “Boycotting big tech is like starting a new telephone company.”

                “Which you could do.  They don’t have to be on it.”

                “Yes they do.  The whole point of a democracy is public discourse and dialogue.  You don’t want an echo chamber.  They are seeking to change minds.  Since they are so effective at it, they are suppressed.  Just like how the NAZI’s burned book that didn’t agree with their ideology.  Big Tech uses NAZI and Stalinist tactics to suppress free speech. “

                “Why bother fighting when the deck is stacked so much against you?  There’ll be other murderers like me.  What you’re doing is pointless.”

                “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is good men do nothing.  That’s why we went to war to stop the holocaust and end slavery.  There are three types of good people, those who fight, those who help the fighters and those who do nothing.  I’ll be damned if I’m the third one.”

                “Prager U lies.”

                “Give one example.  Back up that statement.”

“I can’t off the top of my head.”

                “Funny, everyone who says that never has an example.”

                “I’m strapped to a table presumably about to be killed.  Sorry if my thought processes are a little off right now.”

                “You don’t seem too disturbed by that.”

                “No, I’m not.  Tell me are you two married?”

                “Yes”

                “Do you have kids?”

                Now it was Abby’s turn to speak up, “None of your business”

                “A lot of couples wait to have kids.  I think that’s good.  Due to climate change, the world needs less humans.”

                “I actually agree with you….” Nouno stated then paused before continuing, “I think anyone who believes in climate change should stop breeding and start acting what they preach.  That way in one generation, all the climate change paranoia types will be dead and we can have a sense of normalcy in the world.”

                Osuna smiled and nodded his head.   “Good comeback, now I need to ask you, are you going to kill me?”

                “Yes”

                “When?”

                “Aren’t you going to threaten me on what you will do to me or my wife when you get out of here. “
                “No need.  You know what I did.  I know what I did.   You know what I’m capable of.  I’d hope you wouldn’t be so stupid as to let me go.”

                “Good point” Nouno cried out as he drove the knife into Osuna’s chest killing him instantly. 

                Abby frowned and declared, “You should have killed him slower than that.”

                “No, I don’t take pleasure in torturing or other people’s suffering.”

                “I do if they’re like that asshole”

                “I know” he said with a grin.  They disposed of the body at a nearby crematorium and then drove to San Francisco.  While site seeing, they heard someone speaking with a British accent.  Abby and Nouno had done extensive travelling in Europe.  Nouno more so than Abby but they both got very different views of Europeans.  Nouno realized how less racist America was based on what he heard abroad, whereas Abby believed the narrative that Europe is a very accommodating and open place free of all prejudice.  When they would discuss this, Nouno was shocked they went to the same continent.  It’s true people believe what they want to believe but it was an interesting question on who was closer to the truth.  When they ran into Europeans, Abby would often engage them in a conversation in order to prove her point.  This was no different.  They made small talk with the British tourist and found out he was travelling with his wife.  They both had pale skin and average features.  It didn’t take long for Abby to invite them to have dinner with her and Nouno.  Nouno wasn’t very social but acquiesced to his much more loquacious wife.  They found a seafood place and sat down.  Nouno started, “I haven’t been to London in quite a number of years.  How is it?  Is the only decent food there still Indian?”

                The Englishman, whose name was Nigel, laughed and opined, “No, there’s some nice spots in London but you really have to search for them.  We hide them from the tourists.”

                Nouno smiled and replied, “I guess I’ll have to have you show me.  I went with a friend who studied abroad there and he only took me to Indian places.”

                The British woman, whose name was Page, offered, “See, London wasn’t so bad when it was just Indians but now that the Muslims have moved in, I’m afraid London has really gone downhill”

                Abby’s eyes widened at this comment.  She couldn’t believe something so blatantly racist came from a European.  Nigel was the next to speak and articulated, “Yes, it appears London is no longer an English city.”

                Abby fired back, “What do you mean by that?” exasperatingly

                Nigel calmly retorted, “Well between the Indians and the Muslims, it’s mostly non-white”

                “So because they’re not white, they are less English?”

                “People who come to assimilate do become English but there is a uniqueness to the English that isn’t found anywhere else in the world.  The people they bring in don’t assimilate to become English; they remain the culture where they come from.  This is difficult for Americans to understand as when someone asks you what nationality you are, you say Irish, Polish, Italian etc. etc.”

                Nouno interrupted, “We’re both Greek”

                Nigel continued, “Fine Greek as well.  To an Englishmen, regardless of where are ancestry descended from, we answer that question ‘English’ and find it a silly question at that.”

                Nouno inquired, “Do you think that Americans have a uniqueness?”

                “Most definitely, the odd thing is Americans don’t realize it.  They think they’re a melting pot of cultures and they have no identity but that isn’t the case.”

                “Hence when we travel abroad, the locals know we’re Americans and we tend to stand out like a sore thumb.”

                “That is most true.”

                Abby snapped, “I find your comments offensive.”

                “My dear, many people do because they deny that there is such a thing is ‘English’”

                “That’s not what I said”

                “Well then do you think there’s a thing called ‘English?”

                “Well….I mean…..Look, we live in a globalist society.  Nationalism is dead.  It’s evil and archaic.  Everyone knows that so no there’s no such thing as ‘English’ or ‘Greek’ or ‘America’ we’re all people”

                Page articulated back, “That is a very American thing to say.  What you’ll find if you ever make the trip across the pond is that the rest of the world doesn’t share your view.”

                Abby’s voice raised as she exclaimed, “I’ve been to 10 countries in Europe so don’t tell me I’ve never seen it for myself.”

                Nouno grinned and blurted out, “18 for me.” 

                Nigel turned to Nouno and put forth, “And what have you found?”

                “That Europeans are much more prejudice against outsiders than Americans and understand completely that the word ‘nationalism’ is a lot more than liking the food and speaking the language.”

                “I would say that your openness is what hurts this country.”

                “I tend to agree”

                Abby’s face was becoming red.  She wasn’t really offended because of the content of the conversation. She was more bothered that in trying to prove Nouno wrong, they were backing him up.  She cried out, “Well, you’re going to have to get used to it because with the birth rates between Muslims and Africans alone, they’ll overtake whites in America and Europe.”

                Nouno countered, “Birth rates are a bad predictor because you have to understand that in developing countries, people pop out children because they don’t expect them all to live and they have to work fields and do other chores to help survive.  Once you move to a developed country where less work is required to live and it is a very low likelihood that your children will die, then the birth rates fall regardless of what country they come from.”

                Nigel added, “That is why the real problem is illegal immigration not the ones that have come.”

                Abby smugly countered, “Well you’re making my point.  Regardless of what culture someone comes from when they get to places like America and England, they adapt the customs and become Americans or English.”

                Page condescendingly replied, “You think that how many kids you have makes you English or American?   Tell me, how many kids constitutes being an American and how many do you need to have to be English?  Or Italian?  What is the range?”

                Abby looked at Nouno who just gave her a knowing stare that she was on her own because it was a fair question.  Abby rolled her eyes and said, “Well maybe not the number of kids you have but I just don’t think people from Muslim countries should be banned from the rest of the world.  If people want to wear a Burka, then why should we care?”

                Nigel gave her an inquisitive look and raised, “The Burka is a symbol of extremism”

                “No it’s not, it’s part of their religion”

                “Not true.  Many Muslim countries such as Syria, have banned Burkas specifically because they’re symbols of extremism.  If it’s so innate to being Muslim why would a Muslim country ban it?”

                “Isn’t it in the Koran?”

                Page responded, “No, the Koran says to cover your chest not the entire body like a Burka”

                “Multiculturalism is good.  It helps people get out of their bubble and be more civilized and informed of the world.”

                Page again took this one, “Do you think that of the people at this table, you, the only believer in multiculturalism, are the most knowledgeable in other cultures and traditions?  It appears in this conversation it is us that have tried telling you about other cultures.  I’m not knocking your intelligence.  I’m saying that you’re inhibited in understanding other cultures because you don’t believe in nationalism and therefore can’t understand someone’s patriotism and love of county and traditions because you deny their existence.  That is why we have to inform you of things like not all Muslims countries force their citizenry to wear Burkas”

                Abby glared at Nouno and leaned towards him.  Nouno knew that he had to say something to defend his wife even though he completely agreed with the opposition.  He decided he could play both sides and let out, “The British bluntness takes some getting used to.  They don’t have the same political correctness and tact that Americans have.”

                Abby gleaned because she realized that Nouno had said something offensive to take the heat off her.  Unfortunately, Abby was wrong in assuming this.  It merely was that Nouno knew English people can take the bluntness just like they can give it.  They don’t get offended by generalizations and stereotypes the way Americans do.  That’s why Abby was the only one surprised when Nigel laughed loudly and cried out, “You know our people!” raising a glass.

                Nouno raised his own glass and clicked it with Nigel’s and Page and Abby joined in toasting each other.  Nouno took the floor with, “I actually think Multiculturalism is a form of White Supremacy because it denies self-determinism and tells white people to feel guilty specifically for being white.”

                Abby was offended by the comment but Nigel and Page nodded and pondered on the words.  Nigel broke the silence first with, “I tend to agree with that.  White man guilt has destroyed our great nations.  It’s time to go back to our values.  Immigrants that want to assimilate can come but those who don’t need to be kept out.  It is a little different for us because we’re a small island and there’s not much space.  America is vast so you can afford to be a little more lenient than us.”

                Abby wasn’t going to give up so easily.  She decided to stop being offended and just see how deep their prejudice lied.  She posed, “So are you saying that we’re better than the rest of the world?”

                “It’s not that, we just won the battle of the empires.”

                “So the whole world needs to succumb to our will because we were imperialists?”

                “The imperialist period is over.  England and America don’t try to garner new land.  If you don’t like our ways, you can stay in your country.  Why come here and bring what you left?”

                “What you’re saying is not politically correct”

                “Of course not darling.  Political correctness is a Stalinist invention.  It tells people to deny their personal experiences.  Both our great countries fought very hard against Stalin”

                Nouno chimed in, “Like in Chernobyl, you didn’t see graphite on the ground.  The core didn’t explode, you’re delirious, I don’t care what you saw.”

                Abby buried her head in her hands.  She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.  She took a deep breath and firmly stated, “I have been to Europe.  I am speaking from personal experience.  You’re denying my own too with these comments.”

                Page replied, “Quite the contrary.  We are merely stating our own experiences as we have journeyed across Europe as well.  I believe you have been to the fewest amount of European countries.  I will say I’m not quite sure what you were looking at if you didn’t find nationalism in the people.  This isn’t an attack on you.  It’s simply a discussion.  Nobody has denied that you have your experiences, we just experienced something mightily different.”

                Nouno realized that his point was made so he cried out, “Can you explain to me the rules of cricket?”

                This led to a much more lighthearted conversation that Abby was much more in tuned to.  They stayed for quite a while and then they parted ways amicably.  Nouno didn’t mention a word about his vindication.  Now it was on to NAPA valley.  Nouno and Abby went around to wineries tasting the various wines and taking in the gorgeous scenery.  Abby brought up, “Can you believe that we found like the only conservatives in San Francisco?”

                “Not really conservatives, just Europeans.”

                “No, they were conservative.  Only conservatives are that racist”

                “Actually a recent study confirmed that leftists simplify their speech when talking to minorities.  AOC does it with her black accent and Clinton with her choice of words.  Only amongst minorities, does she say ‘Ain’t no thang”

                “It’s called knowing your audience.  It’s the first rule in public speaking”

                “So you think all minorities speak more simply than whites and all blacks speak ebonics?”

                “No, I mean, I didn’t say that but a lot of minorities, English is their second language.”

                “And no White people speak English as a second language?”

                “Well, of course they do, but I mean, come on.  You’re the ones that want closed borders.”

                “If American is this horrible misogynist, racist, xenophobic country than why would you want open borders to expose foreigners to that hate?”

                “So they’re not oppressed in their….wait…..no,”

                ‘Yea, you can’t really talk about how horrible their countries are without admitting that we’re better because society tells you that’s wrong.  It does, however, cause a lot of cognitive dissonance.  See, conservatives don’t have that problem because our views are consistent and they complement each other very well.”

                “The Statue of Liberty says ‘give me your tired, your poor, all those yearning to be free.”

                “Why do people think the Statue of Liberty, a gift from France, carries more strict interpretation than the constitution, which is a document Americans wrote specifically on how to govern our new country?”

                “Liberals are more tolerant.”

                “No, they are not.  Look at patronage”

                “Very capitalistic, if you don’t’ like our product, go elsewhere.  Kind of like how you say, if you don’t like the country leave”

                “No, patronage also stops you from getting money from other banks or using competitors.  They collude with each other to keep you out.”

                “Name one”

                “Laura Loomer”

                “Yea but she said some despicable things”

                “Actually she’s been vindicated.  She was proven right about Ilhan Omar marrying her brother.  She was the first one to expose that.  All she did was decry against Sharia law, which every woman should.  It’s the most anti-woman thing ever.  Not the made up shit the Me Too movement talks about.”

                “So, she can’t use twitter anymore.”  Abby decried light heartedly minimizing it as a problem.

                “First of all, if you were banned from any one of your social media platforms, you’d be devastated.  You’re on them constantly.”

                “Well, that’s what people born in the 90s and later do.”

                “Laura Loomer was born the same year you were”

                “We’re the same age?”

                “You are less than two months older, yes”

                “Alright fine, doesn’t matter.”

                “What if you were banned from twitter, Facebook, Chase Bank, Lyft, Uber, Paypal, and Venmo?”

                “I’d die.  Is she really banned from all those things?”

                “Yup murderers and rapists are allowed on those platforms but a Jew that attacks Anti-Semitic Muslims is not.”

                “Shit, I didn’t know that.”

                “That’s the point.  It’s Stalinism; eliminate them from all access to the public and nobody remembers they exist.  Read 1984, it’s all in there.”

                “You don’t think corporations should be ethical?”

                “I think ethical corporations is against everything capitalism stands for.  The father of capitalism, Adam Smith, says that the anonymity of the transaction is the beauty of capitalism.  You’re all judged by the quality of your product and the willingness of someone else to buy it not the seller or the buyer’s character. “

                “Well, she should swallow her pride and offer a massive public apology.  Then, she can be welcomed back into society again,”

                “Wrong.  This isn’t communist Russia.  She didn’t make a call for violence or incite a riot or disturb the peace.  You need to debate her opinions and counter them in dialogue and discussion not suppression.  Besides, public apologies are by definition insincere.”

                ‘What do you mean?”

                “The only apology worth giving is a personal one.  If you offend a single person, you apologize to that person.  It’s a personal gesture.  Apologizing to a mob is disingenuous.  That’s why it never works because the mob decries it’s not enough and you’re shunned from society anyway.  Look at Roseanne Barr, she apologized, show still cancelled and banned from Hollywood.  Now look at Tucker Carlson, he told the mob to pound sand and his show is still on.  You never ever make a public apology. “

                “Let’s just go home.”

                Abby and Nouno went back to Phoenix and immediately unpacked and went to bed.  It was an intensive trip and they needed some much needed recuperation and rest.