Prison Wars: An Inside Account of How the Apocalypse Happened By Martin Sanger. Martin Sänger

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СКАЧАТЬ again, is a win-win situation. If they get hurt paying us back I don’t mind. If you live by the sword you must be prepared to die by the sword. I’d hate to see someone I loved or any law-abiding citizen hurt. But these people, they are dangerous to us.”

      “Gregg Hernandez, the previous…”

      “Mr. Hernandez, which news agency are you with?”

      “Oh, sorry. I’m with KTLA channel five here in Los Angeles. The previous questioner was right in that this proposal is pregnant with ethical problems. What would you say to those that would worry about the effect this program will have on children?”

      “I have two children under the age of thirteen. They aren’t who they are because of television. Their loving and strong family is the source of their values. I am hoping that they grow up to be civilized humans.

      “However, as an American, I am a lover of freedom. If, when they are old enough to choose, my children choose to watch Prison Wars, I will watch it with them. Because I know my children, I have no worries that they will become criminals because of a television program.”

      A rage for a follow up re-erupted.

      “Yes, you in the back.”

      “Chad Auster, Fox. Sir I think that there is no doubt that such programming will be very popular, but don’t you think that it will have a deleterious effect on our culture as a whole? Isn’t it crossing a line that shouldn’t be crossed in the interest of the public good?”

      “I don’t think that it will have a deleterious effect. I don’t think that I am capable of committing brutal acts of aggression, just as I don’t think that you are.” He smiled broadly, but like William F. Buckley one got the impression that this smile was meant to mask hatred. If not brutal acts, a that moment all could believe that Quentin was capable of hate. He put his head down and briefly closed his eyes, as though he was trying to remember something. Then, nodding his head, he came back beaming and relaxed again.

      “Mr. Auster, people are born the way they are. I don’t think my son and daughter will end up in Prison. It won’t be much more violent than the video games that kids play today. My kids play those games and they aren’t violent. After they’re done with their games they are just as sweet as ever.” His smile went back to its original, natural warmth.

      “That said, no, I don’t think this will make for suitable viewing for young children. If my boy wants to watch it when he gets a little older we’ll watch it together. I’ll explain what it is and that these bad things are happening to bad people. I think, were my children anything but sweet and well raised, it could even serve as a great deterrent to criminal activity to them.

      “But, I would definitely recommend parental discretion.

      “One last question. Yes you in the green hair!” His broad grin didn’t evoke the resonance with his audience that it had before.

      “Justin Geller, MTV”

      “Yes Mr. Geller, love your shows, watcha think?”

      “Well, it sounds pretty rad!”

      “Thank you.”

      “But, Mr. Longus, do you really think that mainstream sponsors are going buy advertising segments for such a program? Major sponsors are easily dissuaded.”

      “Well, ESPN has already bought onto the concept. They’re major. And let me tell you something you already know. Though corporations talk about corporate responsibility etc, it is just hypocrisy. They are following the money trail just like everyone else. As they would put it, ‘They have a responsibility to their stock holders.’ I think that they cannot afford to miss out on this prime target audience, males between the ages of 18 and 35. If beer, fast food and truck companies want to be popular, and they do, they’ll come around.

      “Ladies and gentlemen that concludes the press conference. Thank you very much for coming. I am going to be leaving the building, but I invite you to stay until the closing time of one a.m. Again our disclaimer is on the table near the elevator, and I hope you give us some good copy. Enjoy the view and consumables.”

      At that Quentin looked over at me and made the gesture of putting a phone to his head and mouthed, “Call me,” and was busily escorted away. Many people saw him gesture to me and I, for the first time in my life, momentarily became the center of attention.

      Looking back on it, I am surprised at how quickly I adjusted to the other side of reporter’s inquiries. I had been on the querying side of many of these feeding frenzies. It had always seemed very serious. But looking at all of these petitioners, they appeared comical. I felt a sense of superiority and power as I played bigwig.

      As I had seen many folks do I told them that I was not authorized to give them further information. I wanted to keep them interested by giving tidbits. I told them my name and that I was Quentin’s official publicist. But they quickly figured out that they already had a huge story and that I wasn’t going to share my scoop.

      I’ve never seen a press conference clear out so quickly. This was a hot item and folks were all rushing to their outlets to make their report. My article due date, Fortune Magazine being a monthly, was weeks away. But I left quickly too.

      I left because I realized I had a lot of thinking to do. No, it was worse than that. I was dizzy with confused feelings. My first reaction to Prison Wars was terror and repulsion. The terror of the idea mixed with the lingering rush of the attention I had received, pride in the way I handled myself, total disbelief that this was happening and a million questions about where this might lead, all fought with each other for attention in my thoughts.

      The nearly painful sensation that there wasn’t room enough in my head, heart and stomach for all of these conflicting impulses didn’t die down for hours. Finally, I told myself that if I didn’t take this opportunity, someone else would take it. I reasoned that leaving it would be running away from the biggest opportunity I would ever run into. As a human, I couldn’t be a part of this adventure. But as a journalist, I had to go where the action was.

      That was a fateful night. As a person who could see the potentially destructive effects and morally questionable nature of Prison Wars, perhaps I should have stood for my principles. I cannot deny the fact that I sold out my morals for opportunity. I had no idea how horrible the outcome would be, but anyone with any sense could tell that it wasn’t a good development for our culture.

      As it turned out, my personal writing ability and lingering residue of common sense are what have enabled this very report. Saying that I foresaw my ability to write against this tragedy with intimate knowledge, and thus provide a moral worth to my actions, as a justification of my efforts, would be a lie. I just plain sold out my morals for opportunity.

      I have blood on my hands. My failure to distinguish between infamy and fame, my lack of shame, by making money off of horror, the words I wrote and spoke without thinking about the ultimate implications of my words, all implicate me. All of these things have tattooed my hands with indelible guilt that makes my failure to kill myself an affront to decency.

      But, ultimately, for this report to have accomplished any good you have to look at the blood on your own hands. Did you watch Prison Wars? Did you fight with people who did? How many times have you sold out your morals for convenience?

      Anyhow, you didn’t СКАЧАТЬ