UNWORLDISM

The convict carried his rolled up mattress and belongings up the stairs to the second tier. The cell-block was strangely quiet for a Friday afternoon. Usually General Population was hectic with inmates moving around during the week. Not today though. It was like he was opening a brand new prison up. He reached the landing and made his way down the run counting the stenciled numbers above each cell door…..200 …..201…..202…..203…..somebody in 203. He didn't see anyone else before he reached his cell although it was evident people did occupy them. Fans, Hot Pots, mattresses, strewn blankets, half-opened books; these signs marked abodes inhabited. 214! A Hispanic-American was lying on the bottom bunk with his hands behind his head: ‘You my new cellie?’

The convict shifted his gaze to the number stenciled above the cell: ‘Yep, looks like it. My name's Kurt. I guess this is going to be my new Unit.’

‘My name's Manuel.’

‘Yeah, glad to meet you’: Kurt threw his mattress up on the top bunk and untied the sheet wrapped around it so the mattress laid out flat. He then picked up his gear and set it on to the mattress. He had a locker allotted to him that was suspended from the ceiling at the front of the cell. He could easily reach it from the top bunk and was beginning to climb onto his perch to put his stuff away when someone spoke from behind him: ‘You just get here?’

Kurt turned around abruptly to face an elderly African-American. The old man was leaning on a handle which was protruding from a mop-bucket. He pushed it a little and it squeaked.

‘Where'd this guy come from? I didn't hear a squeaking mop-bucket coming down the run’: Kurt thought to himself. He blinked once hard and answered that he was coming back into the system from bench warrant. Classification must have assigned him here due to this new time he got. His old Unit was the Gostloom Unit.

‘Um hmm. Got some friends on the Gostloom Unit. Ever hear of Spot-Choppa?’: the African-American asked.

‘I know who he is. Never talked to him personally.’

‘Um hmm. They call me Hold-Out. I'm the second shift service-inmate around here.’

‘I'm Kurt. Say, where's everybody at?’

‘Um hmm. Some 'God Bless America' troupe's putting on a concert. They're sweeping through all the penitentiaries in this region. God and Country type of stuff.’: Hold-Out explained.

‘Why aren't you guys there?’: Kurt casually inquired.

‘Seen enough in Nam to make me think very little of God and Country. Um hmm.’: Hold-Out hummed as if his teeth hurt.

Manuel'd been listening and now he spoke in a measured tone: ‘Those people at that concert only want to convince you that it's worth your while to conform. They don't want to talk about truth; they just want you to believe that everything's going to be O.K.-Fine.’

‘Um hmm. Truth; everything's going to be O.K.-Fine’: Hold-Out repeated.

‘You guys don't pledge allegiance to anything, huh?’: Kurt bemusedly asked half-aware that there could be snakes under that piece of corrugated tin.

‘I don't pledge allegiance to a flag. I pledge allegiance to the world and my homies bar none. The Constitution's a good idea but it really doesn't have anything for me. I'm just living in the land of good and plenty.’: Manuel stated: ‘If society wants my allegiance, then, the deal I get'd better be good…..real good.’

‘Um hmm. Well now.’: Hold-Out scanned Kurt. Kurt took a deep breath and carefully assessed the situation. It was his first day on this Unit and he was talking politics with two people of different ethnic groups. Although he wasn't an ultra-patriot he felt a stirring to defend Ma, apple pie, the flag, and the O'so hardy name of America. Therefore, he was obliged to continue as long as Manuel and Hold-Out remained congenial.

‘Freedom's important and liberty too. America's done a good job guarding ours so far.’

‘Freedom isn't something I beg’: Manuel replied evenly.

‘What do you mean? Who's making you beg for your freedom?’: Kurt asked. Manuel smiled largely and showed all his teeth.

‘I'm not really saying who is trying to make me beg for my freedom. It's a subtle thing, howe'er; when you're talking about my allegiance that's my life, man. You might say to yourself, 'oh he's just tripping', and you may be right but I want everything out in the open. Truth thrives on clarity. I want the best for my life’: Manuel sat up and looked into the palms of his hands and finished: ‘if the written power structure for authority in the government I live under was drawn up and signed by people who are Caucasian, males, and now deceased, then, what am I as a Chicano supposed to think?'

‘Things were different then.’

‘Furthermore, everybody who voted at the thirteen State Ratifying Conventions of 1787-90 were Caucasian. Whether they voted yes or no is inconsequential. Where are my people represented at the foundation of this country?’: Manuel queried.

‘What are you saying? Do you want to sign the Constitution?': Kurt asked. He began to be curious in how Manuel wanted to placate his desire for a more companionable allegiance.

‘Um hmm. You young'uns have got to learn humility. We all have our betters. True, we've our Rights but that doesn't mean we're going to get invited to the ball like Cinderella’: Hold-Out injected.

‘What do Rights have to do with it? What Right did those people at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 have to draw up the Constitution? Because they fought and gained their independence from Britain? You sure are right. Really, I do pledge allegiance but I do so to a gang from my hometown. We try to maintain our own independence and take care of our business, however; I'm not so conceited as to believe that my gang's going to bring me global security. America does that. All I'm saying's I do want my invitation to the ball. I said it once and I'll say it again. The Constitution’s a good idea. I just don't like getting the feeling that some people believe I can't think. If I need the Bill of Rights to function in a free society, then, fine. The one thing I don't need's anyone telling me my Rights are a gift. I know my life's a gift but that fact's between God and I alone.’

‘Just so we're on the same wavelength you guys know the Bill of Rights isn't part of the original Constitution?’: Kurt interupted: ‘It's composed of the first ten amendments which were passed by the first Congress. The signers of the Constitution didn't write the Bill of Rights. It's peculiar how things get started; sometimes it's fair; sometimes it's less than impartial. Presently, we've more equality in the way we represent the total American public than we used to.’

‘Um hmm. Emancipation, suffrage, and due Civil Rights.’

‘O.K., even if an equal number of all the ethnic groups were allowed to sign how'd that effect the mass of humanity?’

‘I'm not saying I have all the answers. What I'm saying's that if you want me to give my allegiance and take the Constitution to heart it'd better be fair. If I don't see myself or my people at the foundation how can you expect me to be rock-strong for America?'

‘Um hmm. Being taken for granted is the worst. We all have to face the facts of life but that doesn't mean we should be little about it’: Hold-Out said and rung the mop out: ‘And you can't turn your back to the world or mock mock mock the name of the game's shame.'

‘I don't even like to be taken for granted’: Kurt paused: ‘Allright, so if an equal number of all the ethnic groups were to sign would that lead you to have more allegiance?’

‘It'd be a start’: Manuel conceded.

‘Um hmm. You young'uns keep talking about race but you're forgetting the primary division of Humans; the women are going to want to say something about this too.’

‘Don’t they always!’: Kurt laughed.

‘That's not my problem. Can't please all the people all the time’: Manuel rationalized.

‘Um hmm. Exactly, along the same vein not every one of those so called esteemed folk who'd be chosen to sign regardless of ethnicity's going to want to sign. There were people who actually voted against the Constitution at the State Ratifying Conventions. There once was a man named Jesus who quoth, ‘Let your yes mean yes and your no mean no’. It sure'd be nice if the world of politics would be based on something like that.’: Hold-Out offered.

‘Heck yeah’: Kurt clapped: ‘Let everybody have the choice of yes or no.’

‘Um hmm. That's all I need. Respect for my liberty. They say that this country is ruled by the consent of the governed but nobody gets asked anything; what ilk of hypocrisy is that?’

‘I just had a weird thought.’: Manuel's brow puckered: ‘What if everybody living didn't want to sign it?’

‘That's not realistic.’: Kurt shook his head: ‘Some are going to want to sign it and some won't. Just like the old days.' ,

‘O.K., since we live in a Democracy what if the majority didn't want to sign it?’: Manuel grinned.

‘Come on, man! That's like saying the Constitution isn't any good.’

‘Hey, look at how people live in America today. They live their lives in a freer society than most people in the world but where's their commitment? They can't answer the simplest of questions about the Constitution yet they claim to be Americans.’: Manuel expounded: 'True some people won't like to be impelled to say yes or no, however; which is the greater felony; to be taken for granted with laws passed behind the doors of legislative chambers without any concern of whether you understand what allegiance is or not, or two, being forced to exercise your liberty with the primary choice of committing or not to our society's power structure of authority? Both paths are evil!'

‘Um hmm. Government isn't anything but a necessary evil. All those politicians are sharks. Mean and hungry. Now if you guys consider sweet civilization…..ah benevolent society’: Hold-Out sighed: ‘An angel isn't anything but a shark well governed.’

‘And that means fair.’: Manuel opened his mouth wide and snapped his teeth together several times. ,

‘Right, everybody appreciates fairness.’

‘I like the Democratic Triad the Constitution outlines. I appreciate a system of checks and balances. I like it so much I want to make it as personal as possible. I'm active in my allegiance. What I mean's sheesh.’: Manuel laughed and finished: ‘What does this yes and no business have to do with me and how I live with something like the Constitution over my head? I know we aren't going backwards. I know this is a global age. I'm ready and willing to compete. I'll even take the Constitution to the world as long as it's pure to me.’: Manuel pounded his chest with his right hand.

‘Um hmm.’

‘That's deep, cellie. Let's see now, a majority of nos, regardless of ethnicity, each person chooses for themselves, with all the privileges bestowed upon a citizen of a Democratic Triad such as voting and the Right to open a candidacy for office. You know society isn't going to put up with criminals or insane people or else they end up in here or dead’: Kurt shrugged his shoulders: ‘It might be feasible to live with a majority of nos. A kind of cooling off from all this greater destiny garbage. Yeah, it isn't like anarchy or lunacy would be the norm. People would still have to be polite, courteous, and mannerful to get anything done. That's what respect is. It would be kind of like an Unworld.'

‘Um hmm. Ha ha, an Unworld’: Hold-Out chuckled: 'That's so crazy it might work, ha ha.'

‘So these Unworlders would still have the Constitution but they'd kind of become a political party, huh?’: Manuel squinted his left eye.

‘Yeah, it'd bring the Constitution closer to the hearts of the people even if they don't sign it’: Kurt reasoned: ‘That'd make people more aware of their allegiance and it'd truly be fair inasmuch every living person would be given the opportunity to decide how they want to participate in the governing of all the ethnic groups, the one great race. We wouldn't be living a dead men's contract any longer.’

‘Um hmm. You young'uns are thinking good. Don't you guys go expecting to make changes though. Power's a corrupting thing. Those who have it aren't going to let what they possess just disappear.’

‘I won't be frightened by them and I do expect change’: Manuel said slowly: ‘I know it's a big bad world but my freedom obligates me to stand firm.’

‘Our Founding Fathers weren't scared. They beat the British.’

‘Um hmm. Many African-Americans fought in the Revolutionary War. It seems we've always had to fight for our freedom.’

‘Phew-wee, you guys keep trying to make me look bad. I thought we were talking about making things better. Fighting and war's hell’: Manuel was disgusted: ‘The Constitution

specifically provides for peaceful change through the Amendment Article. All we need's a majority of nos who are dedicated to the principle of Unworldism and we can do anything we want. If those in power threaten us when all we want is peaceful change, then, let them also take the blame for what ensues. They weren't hiding anything from my homies and I in our barrio anyhow.’

‘Um hmm. The hard way or the easy way.’

‘You guys have got me messed up. I'm not hindering progress. If it means that there'll be a better quality of liberty for my fellow countrymen and I, if it means that we won't be taken for granted, then, I'm all for it.’: Kurt replied.

‘And what about the name 'America', where did that come from, do you know?’: an impish grin spread over Manuel's countenance.

‘Uh hmm. That's a good question, there's North and South America, and countries include it in their name's like the United States of America; I don't know it's origin though.’: Hold-Out puzzled.

‘Probably a Natives name for something.’: Kurt offered.

‘Nope, it's derived from person's name; Amerigo Vespucci. He was Christopher Columbus's mapmaker. After Columbus was arrested and taken back to Spain, Amerigo changed the maps to reflect his name. What a jack-move. Ever since, people've been referring to this place as America and its natives as, get this, Indians as if they were from India. What a confused state of affairs.’: Manuel pounded his mattress: ‘We must have pure…..pure truth.’

‘Um hmm. You guys might make it yet. Well, gotta go now. If you figure out the formula for World Peace let me know. Until then don't blame me for my name's sake…..Hold- Out.’: and he pushed the mop bucket down the run: 'Squeak, squeak, squeak.'

‘We should write all that stuff down and send it to someone.’: Manuel said.

‘That's the first step': Kurt answered: ‘There are 250 countries and dependencies in the world. It'll take a lot of convincing to make the people in other parts of the world believe that we can bring them security. I wonder what they'd think of living in an Unworld?'