I walk on the stage.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am here to tell you: the threat has arrived. Repeat that to yourselves. And I don't mean an outside danger, though surely we should be wary of them also. No, I'm talking about a threat from within, the one that lurks when our backs are turned, when we're asleep, when the lights are out and no one is home. I'm talking about domestic terrorism that has slowly risen in this country, the ones that call themselves antifa and Black Lives Matter. They pillage and destroy private property, they promote anarchy, they threaten to destroy our civilization, our capitalistic system, all for the sake of Marxism. They have risen thanks to George Floyd's death; they have used it as a catapult to launch themselves into the stratosphere of our society—and it has worked. They are being funded by the largest companies you can think of: Nike, Apple, Disney, the MLB, you name it. Even YouTube has promoted BLM-related videos, movies, and songs, as has Google. The largest names in entertainment are funding Communism, domestic terrorism, right before our eyes, because they fear being canceled and losing money. They are cowards at the end of the hour, who only care about their paychecks and luxurious homes...until the inevitable happens. Just ask Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan. She allowed that terrible 'autonomous zone' to exist for three weeks while there was murder, rape, and drug deals going on. She didn't care a lick about any of that, but once those 'peaceful protesters' she was protecting came after her, that's when she called the police (whom she wants to defund by the way) and told them to get rid of CHOP / CHAZ.

“How sick is that?

“A 19-year-old and a 16-year-old were killed in CHOP / CHAZ. An 8-year-old girl was shot and killed in Atlanta, Georgia. And they were black too. But I thought black lives mattered? I thought that black people dying was a terrible thing, which is something every decent human being knows. After thinking about this for some time, I have come to a conclusion: Black lives don't matter unless it is politically expedient for them. If black lives truly mattered, we would have been outraged by the death of David Dorn, who was killed while protecting a pawn shop; we would be outraged by the black babies that are aborted (aka MURDERED) every day in this country, we would be outraged by the black-on-black deaths that completely demolish the myth that it is cops that black folk must be on the lookout for. In fact, a cop is more likely to be killed by a black person than the other way around. Where's the outrage in that?

“Make no mistake, ladies and gentlemen, we are at war, because Black Lives Matter and antifa are the ones among many you need to look out for. There are the Democrats that want to completely undue the progress of our wonderful nation, there are the feminists who want to destroy men, there are the environmentalists that spout doomsday prophecies about the fate of our planet, the education system which has gone completely down the drains, as well the threats that we face from China, Iran, and other enemies. This China Virus was released by an inept communist government, then the effects of it were lied to us by the World Health Organization. Before you know it, everything was getting shut down and our economy became ruined. As bad as that was (and still is), the real threats are the jackass politicians that wish to destroy our free nation with their lies and awful policies, as well as the mainstream media that enables it. You know the sites: Facebook, Google, Twitter, Instagram. You also know the news outlets: CNN, ABC, CBS, Sky, BBC. And let's not forget the newspapers: The New York Times, the Washington Post, the L.A. Times, the Baltimore Sun, and so much more. Even Merriam-Webster has recently changed the definition of the word 'racism' to fit the leftist dogma. How long before the others follow in suit?

“So the next time you hear people saying this is like George Orwell's 1984, you might want to pay closer attention to it. Listen and try to understand why they are saying that. Hear their points of view. I know it can be difficult sometimes, as I myself am certainly guilty of this, but give it a try. Let their voices be heard, let your own be heard. Engage in conversation and debates; don't shut them down because they don't fall in line with your own thinking, which is what the Left does.”

I take a sip of water and continue.

“You might be asking yourself where this all came from. Why we have the looting the shooting and robbing and killing going on. One place would be the home. If a father is not present, generally speaking the child will grow up to commit crimes, do drugs, get himself involved in gangs, the whole nine. But another place is education. Colleges and universities have been the strongholds for radical ideologues for a long time, probably since the 1960s. Now look at them. They are the breeding grounds for Marxism, socialism, communism, fascism, ideologies that Americans once feared are now embraced by this new millennial population who think they know everything about everything without even doing the research or touching up on their own history. Instead, the believe the lies blindly by pundits on television and celebrities on Twitter and never bother to ask questions—and that is another problem.

“One of the things you might hear constantly is that these radicals are 'protesting' (really rioting) for equality. How does that work exactly? How does destroying black-owned businesses help with equality? How does insulting, injuring, and even killing our members of law enforcement help with the cause of equality? How is shutting down white people, because they are white, equality? The truth is, they do not want equality. What they want is to be in utter control. They want YOU to play by their rules, without question, living in fear, trying always to appease them. Is that the America you want? Is that the America our Founding Fathers and millions of soldiers died for? It's always funny and interesting until the threat comes knocking on your door. Then you would have wished you had done more.

“Danger is here, ladies and gentlemen. I cannot stress that enough. The gutless Democrat politicians who side with the rioters while rejecting federal aid are the ones that will destroy this country. These Democrats are not the ones your grandparents and great-grandparents remember. This is a party that has been radicalized for years and has only gotten progressively worse with every day Trump is in office. Everyone has their own opinion of Trump, and I do too, but you can't say he's not fighting for liberty, especially when you realize that most of these riots that have erupted have been, for the most part, in Democrat-controlled states. The truth is an unwelcome guest, but sooner or later, it will return, and we must be brave enough to embrace it.

“Here's another truth. According to Orlando Patterson, in the early 90s, he stated, 'The sociological truths are that America, while still flawed … is now the least racist white-majority society in the world, has a better record of legal protection of minorities than any other society, white or Black; offers more opportunities to a greater number of Black persons than any other society, including all those of Africa.' So what are they fighting for? Why are they toppling statues and monuments across the country? Over a career criminal no one cared about until after he was killed? Seriously? You are already free. Men and women that have come before you have already done the hard work; the Civil Rights Act has been passed. So what's the fuss?

“As I've stated before, this is all a ruse to reinvent the country into their Marxist dream, to take away your freedoms, to gain immense power; and those that fight with them or for them, sadly, will be the first victims. Read about the French Revolution if you don't believe me. Those radicals came together, took away God, spread anarchy, murdered the king, and when that wasn't enough, they turned on each other. If you try to appease to these people, it will only be a matter of time before they turn on you. “Ladies and gentlemen, I ask that we come together and fight back against this. We cannot allow our lives and liberties to be so freely taken from us. We must not take anything lying down. We must guard them with fierce jealousy, or else what are we but lambs led into the slaughter? Come on people, it's time to wake up! Now is not the time play neutral; we must all stand for liberty!”

I walk off the stage.

She was a phoenix, a gorgeous gem

That sparkled in the sun, the lovely Rem.

The way she walked, the blue world swayed

My soul and heart, they swaggered and dazed.

But there was a darkness that came

And it lingered like the lust of fame.

She was caught in a turbulent storm

Lost, fragmented, into a gray form.

The days were long and black for her

And they passed like a low, slow murmur.

What was I to do, with her light gone

Other than mourn and grieve, into an endless eon?

My tears came, hard and strong

Without stop into a mournful song.

How was my heart to ever return

In the dark red sunset as my world burned?

And then, as all hope was draining from me

She came back, as does a lock and key.

She was very different now, like night and day

Scarred and hollow, a wingless fay.

Then she smiled, and my life felt warm

Just like in the days of old, in the turquoise morns.

We held and touched hands, taking the days in stride

Across the gold-specked sands, into the days of summer-tide.

For now, this is how our story ends

But like the curves of a crashing river, we will return again.

Yes, even more than Final Fantasy VII, though not by too large of a margin. Why, you may ask? Well I'll tell you. The music, for one, is superb. Go on YouTube and listen to it if you don't believe me. Second, the story is dynamic with twists and turns you will not see coming. And lastly, the characters, perhaps the most important of them all. Though the graphics are chibi-styled, you will hold to these characters as their stories progress steadily. Plus, you can even recruit Cloud to your team!

The sky was as blue as could be; green branches swayed gently in the westerly winds; a bright sun illuminated the lands. A man emerged after what seemed to be years of being holed up inside a gray solitude, then one more, then another, until a crowd of people formed outside their apartments, homes, trailer parks, condos. They all looked up to embrace the morning heat on their faces, the soft caresses of the breeze, and the tickling grass beneath their feet. They stretched tired muscles, yawned deeply, but all in all, they were happy. Exceedingly happy. Neighbors looked at one another with smiles and grins; people who had once been the bitterest of foes now looked upon each other with silent understanding. No more animosity, no more strife or conflict. At least for now.

There were group hugs, hand holding, smooches on cheeks. A celebration was to be had; the whole world would surely celebrate. But underlining this happiness they knew not all would emerge with heads held high, for millions of others had lost their way, finding themselves in the pits of the darkest thoughts known to man: uncertainty and fear of the future. These men and women sought dangerous means to justify their fear, which ultimately consumed them. In due time, all would right itself in the forever balance, but now, there were tough things to deal with. One step at a time, that's all anyone could do.

Slowly the children joined together in playgrounds, in front and backyards, to play raucously again. There were phone calls to be made, jobs to do. Society would return to its feet again, but how long until the cogs and gears were back in order? No one knows. The moment now was bright and filled potential and possibility. It was positive, and despite the dark and dubious days of the past, they knew somehow, eventually, things would turn back. Slowly, if need be.

United. United we stand. The old American creed echoed across the blue coasts and the highest mountains, past the swaying flags of red, white, and blue. In what seemed forever, even longer than the Closure, was the fracture that had split them apart years ago for nearly a decade. Perhaps they have all learned a message, perhaps they will take this experience to heart and remember it for all time. But of course, like all things, only time will tell.