24 Comments
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Stephen Littman's avatar

So scary. This should be mandatory reading for all, if the act of distributing this wasn’t an act of terrorism.

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Jared Lambert's avatar

Can we really call this fiction when it’s straight from the Project 2025 playbook?

Jk. Great story catching the fear and chaos of life in America today

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EJ Trask's avatar

who said it was fiction?

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Carolyn Bedgood's avatar

I’m frightened by how well you captured just how desperately stupid a regime like this is. I laughed, I cringed, I laughed some more, I said ‘fuck’ out loud.

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A.P. Murphy's avatar

Very interesting Orwellian-style satire, more or less in line with how authoritarian regimes worked in the past. Your grandfather's totalitarianism, but not really in the 21st century fascist groove.

Actually in the real-world Utterly Shat-upon-and-goonfucked Amerikkaa there's no real need for this kind of verbally-demanding bureaucratic pedantry. Since the decision has been taken to act completely outside and disregarding the law, there's no need to make up obscure new regs and argue the toss...

Just haul someone off for processing without all the time-wasting brouhaha. They've been doing it in client states for many years now with the name of rendition. Don't forget, dear fascist, to get people well used to it by starting with those whom the American public have already been programmed to regard as inhuman, and work slowly from there.

As Andy Futuro said just today: "I’ll be sure to wave my copy of the constitution at the thugs dragging me into an unmarked van and say, Tsk, tsk, tsk, no siree bob."

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Zish's avatar

The scariest story EJ has ever written

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molly's avatar

glad to see you branching out into nonfiction!

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NJ Fiction's avatar

This was masterful because it very well could be a thing in a year or two. Brava

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Ken Flyingheart's avatar

Yup: who said it was fiction? Chilling. Perfect choice of format, EJ, and a killer last line. You're on fire!

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EJ Trask's avatar

thank you 🙏 always good to see you around the stacks

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Ken Flyingheart's avatar

Been holding on by my fingernails for a week or two. But it's getting better!

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Sandy Shaller's avatar

EJ, that was a harrowing story and, in many levels, absolutely in keeping with the time we are living in. Poor Caroline.

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Sean Thomas McDonnell's avatar

EJ! You're nonfiction writer now?

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EJ Trask's avatar

working on my dissertation

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Stephanie Sweeney's avatar

Disturbing. Well done.

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Alex | A. R. Eldridge's avatar

Kafkaesque and getting closer to reality every day. Really good.

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Jessica Maison's avatar

Depressing in its accuracy. Can we confirm where here is anymore?

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Bette Perkins's avatar

The subversive Art of eco ideology!! Great writing, where anything at all might be called tyranny or terrorism!! Not so unimaginable in today’s atmosphere!

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Garen Marie's avatar

A true horror story.

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Wendy Cockcroft's avatar

This is brilliant! Kafka meets Idiocracy. Beautifully done.

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