The below story is fictional, but based on recent true events. ---
Happy Birthday America?
Rein on All Fronts
By Charles Rein
Urged on by ferocious words a gang war erupted. In a town of approximately 22,000 residents, where nearly 97% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino, one city council member's words would reverberate throughout the nation. Her detractors asserted she was calling out to deadly gang members.
"Cholos donde estas?"
Translation: "Cholos where you at?"
This elected public official ranting against immigration officers was originally posted on her social media. This city council representative, of Latino descent called upon “cholos,” or gang members, to stand up to federal immigration agents known as ICE.
Her online words: "Cholos donde estas?" "Cholos where you at?" became the rallying cry. However others in the nation heard her words as UnAmerican.
Within hours, her words were printed on shirts. They were stuck as bumper stickers on low-riderer cars. They were plastered on walls and etched illegally onto bathroom mirrors.
Her video continued: "You all claim this hood, and now that your hood’s being invaded by the biggest gang there is, there ain’t a peep out of you,” she said.
Next, it was announced, on the city's social media site, that the city decided to postpone its 4th of July, Independence Day celebration.
On June 30th, blood red colored La Raza flags appeared. Peaceful demonstrations turned to skirmishes and soon violence reared. Fires were set! Dark smoke filled the skies. Little Maria, upon leaving church services looked up, her large eyes tearful as she spoke, "Mama que pasa? What is happening? Can't we all get along?"
Her quote was borrowed from over thirty years earlier. In April 1992 the skies over nearby L.A. were dark, due in part to the rioters who had set fire to businesses.
During these June riots, even the police department was looted. Weapons were stolen and replaced with a scribbled sarcastic note, "Nosotras volveremos." Translation, "We'll be back."
Some had scribbled the numbers 1-5-2-0. Upon further research by scholars, it was discovered that June 30th, 1520 had coincided with an uprising again Hernán Cortés. Known in Spanish as "La Noche Triste" (The Night of Sorrows) Hernán Cortés and his Spanish forces encountered a major uprising in Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City). Cortés had been away and dealing with another Spanish expedition at the time, when the bloody revolts began. Montezuma, the Aztec emperor was disgusted by the actions of Cortés; this historic event was seen by scholars as the last stand of the Aztecs.
Now 505 years after Montezuma's the Night of Sorrows, new protesters waved flags, imprinted with 1520. It seemed, they were learning a bit of history for the first time.
Outside the city, other Americans had also, had enough. They were afraid to leave their homes. They were fearful to step out for medicine; for groceries. It was reported guns have been fired haphazardly into the air! Wasn't this a nation of laws? What had happened to the America they knew?
Urged on by dozens of law and order leaders, hundreds of armed ICE members were requested and soon arrived by bus. They were wearing bullet proof vests as many were fathers and simply wanted to go home to their children after their shift ended. Under orders, they entered city hall and took this city instigators into custody. Thy slapped ice cold handcuffs on her. She was pushed to the floor, with the shouts, "¡Deja de resistirte al arresto!" Translation: "Quit resisting arrest!"
This city council member and her words, which many believed caused millions of dollars of damage, could only be charged under California Penal Code Section 404.6(b) of inciting a riot. No one in her city would find her guilty of treason, though many in the country thought she should be held accountable.
She would cite her words as free speech. However under protected speech vs. incitement: "speech that incites imminent violence is not protected and can lead to criminal charges."
As the fires continued to burn out of control and the looting contined, the immigration agents were given the orders, "protect yourself" and "shoot if endangered." While most ICE agents held non-lethal weapons, a few kept weapons hidden on themselves for protection. They wanted to be alive to spend the holiday barbecuing with their families.
There's a 250-year rule in which many historians and political scientists have observed- that empires tend to decline after approximately 250 years.
The country was exactly 249 years old. How long would America remain standing?
