Trump's MAGA Cult is a JUDAS Cult of Greed and Betrayal

 Making the US a Predator Again
MAGA Cult Leader Donald Trump

We will make America strong again.

We will make America proud again.

And we will make America great again.

We will make America bigger because bigger is better once

Musk 😎

(U.S. Ambassador of Chaos)

has bought Greenland

(his second island LOL!!!!)

with his lutetium credit card

he owns the company!!!! 

(Mar-a-Lago Greenland 💃💃💃💃💃

It will be beautiful☺)

And of course take back the Panama Canal

(WE BUILT IT. IT’S OURS, GOD DAMN IT!!!!)

and make Canada a deal

it dare not refuse. 💀$💀$💀

And what about the Ukraine’s

aggression against Russia? Booo!😠

I say, “GO PUTIN!!!!” Hooray!!!!

(I ❤ you, Pootie!!!!)

And together we'll find a

💀final solution💀

to the Ukrainian problem!!!

And you’re next NATO!!!!

!!LOOK 💀 OUT!!

Now you have two enemies:

Putin Russia and Trump America.

WHOOPEE!!!

MIGHT MAKES FUCKING RIGHT! said a great man.

Me!!!!

And California? I say BURN BABY BURN!!!!

Go MAGA!!!!

!!BULLETIN!!

I’m announcing the NATIONAL SANITATION PROJECT. We are going to purify the population of this nation. GUANTANAMO IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS!!! The purge will include people who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems such as gayism and lesbianism, other mental and physical conditions such as hearing and vision disabilities (regardless of corrective glasses and hearing aids), inappropriate skin pigmentation, people with missing extremities, partial paralysis, complete paralysis, epilepsy, and dwarfism. NO MORE DWARFS PILOTING 747s!

💀💀💀

MAKING AMERICA GREAT HATE AGAIN

!!!Family Life in Musk-Trump AMERICA!!!

Where's mom? Here she is.

❤️❤️❤️

Just fired by Trump & Company

No bumps in the road for billionaires! 

****************

where OH WHERE
HAVE HAVE ALL THE HEROES

GONE?
TO GRAVEYARDS

EACH AND EVERY ONE

Why Kamala Harris Lost the Election (Redux)

 First of all, the closeness* of the election indicates that Harris and the Democratic Party could have won if they had done things differently: *Harris: 68,097,896 votes (48.0%) / Trump: 72,754,011 votes (51.0%).

1. Fear and Loathing Voters.  Most of her voters were probably fear & loathing  anti-Trump voters. And a good portion (not all obviously) of his voters were fear & loathing anti-Harris voters. So basically the their fear & loathing voters were evenly matched. So why did Trump pull off the victory and she didn't? The following is an attempt to answer that question.

2. He played to the American yeasayers; she played to America's naysayers. And as it turned out there were more yeasayers than naysayers. Many American voters wanted an uplifting, exciting, and hopeful message for America. Trump's rhetoric was better at conveying that message.

3. Two MAGA mottos. Trumps: MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. Harris: MAKE AMERICA GO AWAY. Trump expressed confidence in Americans. Harris as a candidate said that Americans are a lost cause, and what is needed is new blood: poor, huddled masses, wretched refuse, the homeless, tempest-tossed from ramshackle nations.  Don't ask what America can do for you or what you can do for America. Ask what America can do for outsiders. His message was how can America become greater, not how America can rescue the powerless, needy, and desperate.

4. She was toxic going into the race. Thus, she shouldn’t have run in the first place. That was the fault of the Democratic Party. Apparently, the party forgot that it barely beat Trump the first time around when Trump was the toxic candidate. This time the Biden-Harris team made the Democratic Party toxic as the Anti-America Party, perhaps for the first time for the Democratic Party. 

5. As the child of immigrants, she was chosen to promote the New Democratic Party’s multicultural agenda (revolution?) for America. And to highlight her as Wonder Woman for immigrants, they saddled her with an invisible running masculine mate whatshisname. This decision was based on the naive assumption that a Democratic win was a slam dunk. It wasn’t. Instead of promoting an unpopular political agenda, they should have focused on defeating Trump.

6. Lack of personal appeal. Harris has an uninspiring, lackluster, boring personality. Like him or not, Trump has an engaging personality, often outrageously so. He spoke with conviction. She didn’t. He spoke from the heart (or at least appeared to) and with a fire in his belly. What she had to say seemed scripted. Trump could never stay on script, so he seemed genuine even if he was just being the salesman.

7. She was a decorative candidate for the Democratic Party—a black woman & child of immigrants. Substance and commitment, however, were lacking. She was supposed to win just because she is black, female, & child of immigrants. Instead of choosing a candidate who had a chance of beating the political juggernaut Donald Trump, the Democratic Party chose the lackluster Harris to further its ideological multicultural agenda. As a result, she and her party were crushed beneath the wheels of the Trump juggernaut.

8. She was committed to causes rather than to the country. She was an advocate for illegal aliens and other leftist policies (some very good; I love tree and wildlife) but often promoted them in a way that condemned nation as an evil empire. Whereas Harris came across as unAmerican, Trump came across as a defending rather than denouncing the homeland. 

9. She was a toxic candidate from the very beginning. She cheered the burning of American cities by Black Lives Matter and Antifa. Not a politically astute move when she represented both people of color and migrants. Her welcoming Biden’s executive order to open the border to an immigrant tsunami made her look unAmerican.

10. Her chances of winning were sabotaged by President Biden. (Here's how a single dull-minded politician can wreck his nation (or her nation in the case of Angela Merkel, big friend of dull-minded Vladimir Putin destroyer of other people's nations ). Late in his presidency Biden initiated his open border policies that allowed tens of thousands of aliens to enter the U.S. Then he assigned Harris as “border czar,” at which she failed, but the task was never hers but his. But her failure was toxic to her chances of winning the presidential election. He created a sea of trouble, gave her concrete shoes, and threw her overboard. As he abandoned her he waved his sombrero—a gift from Mexico. 

11. Time to get back to completing Trump’s wall. After Biden’s open-border snafu that allowed in a tsunami of immigrants, undecided voters, even those who feared or disliked Trump’s erratic behavior, thought that perhaps Trump should be allowed to finish his wall—for our good, for America’s good. And Biden’s open-border policy and Trump’s wall sum up the differences between the two very different political campaigns: Trump’s as defender of Americans and their homeland & Biden-Harris as defenders of immigrants and promoters of a multicultural America in which traditional Americans would become just another minority. 

12. Biden’s Americans = garbage snafu. That seems to have always been his opinion about Americans, that they were garbage and in comparison immigrants who are fine and noble. This arrow shot at Americans hit Harris in her Achilles heel. In defense of Puerto Ricans, President Biden suggested that Trump supporters are “garbage,” and by doing so  ignored Churchill's warning that “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” One recalls Hillary Clinton’s calling them “deplorables,” and then she went on to lose the election. About Puerto Ricans Biden said, “they’re good, decent, honorable people.” And they are, but so are most of Trump’s supporters. The Republicans of Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Indiana, Missouri, South Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Iowa, Mississippi, Kansas, Utah, West Virginia,  Idaho Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska ARE NOT garbage. 

Let’s hope that during the coming four years that Trump proves himself the right choice not only for America but for the free world and the values of Western Civilization. They are worth defending. This means that when Putin said to Trump that "Moscow was ready for dialogue with the Republican president-elect," Trump must be sure that he is not taken in as Faust was by Mephistopheles. Unlike Putin, Trump won a democratic election fair and square; thus, as a politician he deserves a black belt. Putin doesn't win elections but steals them by having the other candidates assassinated; thus as a politician he deserves the yellow belt of a novice. And I doubt very much if he ever won a black belt in judo because his better opponents allowed him to win to avoid being poisoned after the match.

Epitaph 

Yes, Biden, your girl lost the election. In your farewell address you warn about the Big Tech oligarchy complex taking control of the country, and rightly so. However, the failure of your presidency got the commander in chief of the Big Tech oligarchical complex Donald Trump elected as president of the United States. WHY? For the same reason Russians overthrew the Marxist political system that destroyed their culture, which they didn’t want destroyed, which was then replaced by chest pounding MAKE RUSSIA GREAT AGAIN Vladimir Putin, commander in chief of Russia’s PIG RICH oligarchical complex.

LESSONS FROM RUSSIA

Russians wanted a savior but ended up with a narcissistic thug who had his own GREAT MAN agenda to be achieved through violence, death, and destruction, including the murder of not only untold thousands of Ukrainian men, women, and children, but the murder of untold thousands of Russian men. It's your private war, Putin, since Russia wasn't invaded; thus you murdered thousands of young Russian men who had lives of their own and who could have been allowed to fulfill their intellectual and artistic talents to improve Russia's culture and quality of life. For a fairly modern society, Russia is a truly boring nation. Its religion is fake—not the spiritual religion of Tolstoy who was excommunicated from the Orthodox Church, whose priests sprinkle holy water on tanks on their way to murder Ukrainians and destroy their cities. Putin uses the church and its priests as opium to keep the masses under his control. In comparison to Putin’s moribund Russia, Russia under Nikolai II flourished intellectually and artistically. It was poor and oppressed but had soul that enchanted Europe. Today's Russia terrifies Europe. Today the Russian people are better off materially but still oppressed, and the nation is a cultural dead zone that has cut itself off from Europe and its incredible legacy that reaches back to the Greek philosophers and the spiritual wise man Jesus. The only entertainment in today's Russia is the political violence and conquest caused by its leader.

Americans who love their country got sick and tired of their country being treated as a Petri dish for a Marxist multicultural experiment. To them AMERICA ISN’T AN EXPERIMENT BUT A NATION, A HOMELAND TO MILLIONS OF AMERICAN WHO LOVE THE USA. Biden said “I love America,” but it didn’t seem that he did when he allowed swarms of immigrants to flood into the country to be transported to cities across the nation. Kamala Harris was seen as a president who would continue the experiment to use unbridled immigration and wokeism ideology transform America into an alien nation. That got Trump elected, and his being elected is evidence that as a president, Mr. Biden, you failed.

Trump has freed America from the Democratic Party's diabolical Marxist experiment. Whether he allows America to flourish not only materially but intellectually, artistically, and morally remains to be seen. Hopefully he learned from Putin that making a country bigger doesn't make it better. And perhaps he will come to realize that the enemies of our friends are our enemies as well because all of those enemies are dictators who entertain ambitions of conquest. Hopefully, Trump will stand up to them rather than become one of them.

!!!REDUX!!!

Big time. I apologize for even thinking that perhaps DONALD TRUMP could be a better man than he is. It wouldn't take much for him to be a better man than he is, but that is true also for Vladimir  Putin and Kim Jong Un. Or perhaps not. Perhaps you can't make good out of evil. How ironic that he promised to protect America from being taken over by immigrants, and then surrenders the country to a Nazi immigrant from South Africa! Time to lock up the Benedict Arnold!

https://livinginstrangetimes.blogspot.com/2025/01/the-maga-cult-return-of-ugly-american.html

Death Is the Greatest Philosopher

 XVIII

August 15, 198-

Death is the greatest philosopher. Without a word, it can cause a person to take stock of her life. I would think this could be very revealing but painfully so. Death the philosopher is always asking questions, questions about goodness and value, about the meaning and purpose of life. These questions sting like bites of the gadfly. And most people don’t have the heart to put up with interrogation, so they attempt to avoid the questions by closing their minds to death, but death is patient, and one day the door is unwittingly opened and there one finds the dark figure waiting to begin that forgotten conversation. Confronting death, one’s own or that of another, is always deeply unnerving but especially for sensitive souls such as Christine who feel that somehow they have betrayed life by having betrayed others or themselves. But the anguish death causes doesn’t necessarily make death an enemy of life. On the contrary, death is life’s ally. Sin, corruption, and suffering are enemies of life, but they end with death. Death, it seems, is capable of mercy, eventually freeing those who suffer and lifting a burden from those who must go on with their lives. But what am I saying? The finality of death is terrifyingly absolute.

My own disembodied nature disqualifies me as an authority on the subject of death, since I am neither alive nor dead. However, my lack of experience in the matters of life and death has once again failed to silence me. I must have my say; words are my lifeblood. Besides, the topic has its own logic, a painful logic, judging by Christine’s reaction to her own mortality, but one that even a deathless, not immortal but simply lifeless, creature like myself can follow. Like most people, Christine would rather not be reminded of death. And why should they? It is like discovering that the air is being slowly removed from the room one is in, so slowly that one does not notice until many years have passed and one finds himself or herself short of breath. Seeking to escape one discovers the doors and windows are not real and that there is no escape, other than death itself. It would certainly be more comfortable not to know the truth, to ignore the increasing shortness of breath and the peeling images on the walls. Then again, facing the truth might be the mark of having lived most completely by recognizing the human condition for what it is, in fact the condition of all things, as the old fisherman reminds us.

Perhaps death is nothing at all, simply an unpleasant absurdity of life, signifying nothing beyond its fearsome countenance—like excreta, disgusting to behold yet signs of life. No, you say, death is not so easily explained away for those of us who truly must die. Yes, forgive my glibness. I who feel so intently the desire to live in the flesh, to be a part of life, should understand why one would rather not think about the cessation of his or her existence. Yet death does not appear to be simply nothing, a desert-like void that is constantly devouring the precious waters of life. Or if death is such a thing—and it probably is—I believe it is also something more. Just as excreta can be used to enrich life, to encourage it flourish, so can death.

It is the decaying presence of Robert that reminds Christine of her own spirituality—her responsibility to higher things. It is natural that Robert causes Christine to think about the goodness of her mysterious friend Ruth. It is natural that he reminds her of the life she left behind. Death is a constant reminder, a dark mirror in which the soul is most clearly seen. Is it no wonder that Christine would like to flee from Robert, so that she might flee from herself. She could of course. It seems that most people choose to hide. It is comforting, but it is a poorer thing. There is a price in hiding; every choice has its price. Imagine those who hide from death. The price paid is that of hiding from life itself, even more costly, from their souls which shrivel in the dark cave of illusion. Isn’t it ironic that choosing to hide from death, one chooses to die. What will Christine choose? I think she will choose to live.

From Frank Kyle's unpublished The Girl and the Philosopher.

Why Kamala Harris Lost the Election

First of all, the closeness* of the election indicates that Harris and the Democratic Party could have won if they had done things differently: *Harris: 68,097,896 votes (48.0%) / Trump: 72,754,011 votes (51.0%).

1. Fear and Loathing Voters.  Most of her voters were probably fear & loathing  anti-Trump voters. And a good portion (not all obviously) of his voters were fear & loathing anti-Harris voters. So basically the their fear & loathing voters were evenly matched. So why did Trump pull off the victory and she didn't? The following is an attempt to answer that question.

2. He played to the American yeasayers; she played to America's naysayers. And as it turned out there were more yeasayers than naysayers. Many American voters wanted an uplifting, exciting, and hopeful message for America. Trump's rhetoric was better at conveying that message.

3. Two MAGA mottos. Trumps: MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. Harris: MAKE AMERICA GO AWAY. Trump expressed confidence in Americans. Harris as a candidate said that Americans are a lost cause, and what is needed is new blood: poor, huddled masses, wretched refuse, the homeless, tempest-tossed from ramshackle nations.  Don't ask what America can do for you or what you can do for America. Ask what America can do for outsiders. His message was how can America become greater, not how America can rescue the powerless, needy, and desperate.

4. She was toxic going into the race. Thus, she shouldn’t have run in the first place. That was the fault of the Democratic Party. Apparently, the party forgot that it barely beat Trump the first time around when Trump was the toxic candidate. This time the Biden-Harris team made the Democratic Party toxic as the Anti-America Party, perhaps for the first time for the Democratic Party. 

5. As the child of immigrants, she was chosen to promote the New Democratic Party’s multicultural agenda (revolution?) for America. And to highlight her as Wonder Woman for immigrants, they saddled her with an invisible running masculine mate whatshisname. This decision was based on the naive assumption that a Democratic win was a slam dunk. It wasn’t. Instead of promoting an unpopular political agenda, they should have focused on defeating Trump.

6. Lack of personal appeal. Harris has an uninspiring, lackluster, boring personality. Like him or not, Trump has an engaging personality, often outrageously so. He spoke with conviction. She didn’t. He spoke from the heart (or at least appeared to) and with a fire in his belly. What she had to say seemed scripted. Trump could never stay on script, so he seemed genuine even if he was just being the salesman.

7. She was a decorative candidate for the Democratic Party—a black woman & child of immigrants. Substance and commitment, however, were lacking. She was supposed to win just because she is black, female, & child of immigrants. Instead of choosing a candidate who had a chance of beating the political juggernaut Donald Trump, the Democratic Party chose the lackluster Harris to further its ideological multicultural agenda. As a result, she and her party were crushed beneath the wheels of the Trump juggernaut.

8. She was committed to causes rather than to the country. She was an advocate for illegal aliens and other leftist policies (some very good; I love tree and wildlife) but often promoted them in a way that condemned nation as an evil empire. Whereas Harris came across as unAmerican, Trump came across as a defending rather than denouncing the homeland. 

9. She was a toxic candidate from the very beginning. Her support for the burning of cities by Black Lives Matter and Antifa and for Biden’s open border immigrant tsunami initiative made her seem unAmerican. 

10. Her chances of winning were sabotaged by President Biden. (Here's how a single dull-minded politician can wreck his nation (or her nation in the case of Angela Merkel, big friend of dull-minded Vladimir Putin destroyer of other people's nations ). Late in his presidency Biden initiated his open border policies that allowed tens of thousands of aliens to enter the U.S. Then he assigned Harris as “border czar,” at which she failed, but the task was never hers but his. But her failure was toxic to her chances of winning the presidential election. He created a sea of trouble, gave her concrete shoes, and threw her overboard. As he abandoned her he waved his sombrero—a gift from Mexico. 

11. Time to get back to completing Trump’s wall. After Biden’s open-border snafu that allowed in a tsunami of immigrants, undecided voters, even those who feared or disliked Trump’s erratic behavior, thought that perhaps Trump should be allowed to finish his wall—for our good, for America’s good. And Biden’s open-border policy and Trump’s wall sum up the differences between the two very different political campaigns: Trump’s as defender of Americans and their homeland & Biden-Harris as defenders of immigrants and promoters of a multicultural America in which traditional Americans would become just another minority. 

12. Biden’s Americans = garbage snafu. That seems to have always been his opinion about Americans, that they were garbage and in comparison immigrants who are fine and noble. This arrow shot at Americans hit Harris in her Achilles heel. In defense of Puerto Ricans, President Biden suggested that Trump supporters are “garbage,” and by doing so  ignored Churchill's warning that “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” One recalls Hillary Clinton’s calling them “deplorables,” and then she went on to lose the election. About Puerto Ricans Biden said, “they’re good, decent, honorable people.” And they are, but so are most of Trump’s supporters. The Republicans of Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Indiana, Missouri, South Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Iowa, Mississippi, Kansas, Utah, West Virginia,  Idaho Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska ARE NOT garbage. 

Let’s hope that during the coming four years that Trump proves himself the right choice not only for America but for the free world and the values of Western Civilization. They are worth defending. This means that when Putin said to Trump that "Moscow was ready for dialogue with the Republican president-elect," Trump must be sure that he is not taken in as Faust was by Mephistopheles. Unlike Putin, Trump won a democratic election fair and square; thus, as a politician he deserves a black belt. Putin doesn't win elections but steals them by having the other candidates assassinated; thus as a politician he deserves the yellow belt of a novice. And I doubt very much if he ever won a black belt in judo because his better opponents allowed him to win to avoid being poisoned after the match.

Epitaph 

Yes, Biden, your girl lost the election. In your farewell address you warn about the Big Tech oligarchy complex taking control of the country, and rightly so. However, the failure of your presidency got the commander in chief of the Big Tech oligarchical complex Donald Trump elected as president of the United States. WHY? For the same reason Russians overthrew the Marxist political system that destroyed their culture, which they didn’t want destroyed, which was then replaced by chest pounding MAKE RUSSIA GREAT AGAIN Vladimir Putin, commander in chief of Russia’s PIG RICH oligarchical complex. 

Americans who love their country got sick and tired of their country being treated as a Petri dish for a Marxist multicultural experiment. To them AMERICA ISN’T AN EXPERIMENT BUT A NATION, A HOMELAND TO MILLIONS OF AMERICAN WHO LOVE THE USA. Biden said “I love America,” but it didn’t seem that he did when he allowed swarms of immigrants to flood into the country to be transported to cities across the nation. Kamala Harris was seen as a president who would continue the experiment to use unbridled immigration and wokeism ideology transform America into an alien nation. That got Trump elected, and his being elected is evidence that as a president, Mr. Biden, you failed.

SCENES FROM FREDDY’S LIFE: AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY: THE PILGRIMAGE

 INT. APARTMENT: MORNING

 

Freddy and Freddy’s dad are having breakfast at the small dining table. Freddy’s dad is smoking, drinking coffee, and reading the newspaper. Freddy is eating a bowl of cereal, his skateboard leaning against his chair, showing the face of Charles Manson.

 

FREDDY’S DAD

(Expression of surprise.)

Freddy, says here a kid that went to your school was shot and killed at a bus stop.

Tyrone’s his name. You know him? They got a picture of him here.

 

FREDDY

No way! Here, let me see.

 

Freddy’s dad hands over the paper. The camera shows a photo of a nice looking black kid about 16 years old and a makeshift shrine at the bus stop consisting flowers, cards, and balloons. Freddy intently reads the paper, his dad watches him curiously, sipping his coffee and smoking his cigarette.

 

FREDDY’S DAD

(Curious.)

Well?

 

FREDDY

(Stunned.)

Yeah I know him. I mean we weren’t friends or nothin, no chance of that him being

black.

 

FREDDY’S DAD

Why’s that?

 

FREDDY

(Looking at his dad like he clueless.)

Whites and blacks don’t mix at school. Some of the jocks maybe because they’re on

the same team. Otherwise, you stay with your own kind.

 

FREDDY’S DAD

That’s too bad. I had a couple black friends when I was in school. 

 

FREDDY

Guys you played ball with, right, Dad?

 

FREDDY’S DAD

Yeah, I suppose.

FREDDY

Any you hung out with or visited you at home?

FREDDY’S DAD

I see what you mean, Freddy.

FREDDY

And I bet there weren’t any black gangbangers.

 

FREDDY’S DAD

Well, that’s true. We didn’t have that many blacks at school. They were a minority.

FREDDY

Well, Jefferson is different, Dad. We’re all minorities there.

 

FREDDY’S DAD

Says he was a basketball player.

 

FREDDY

(Trying to read.)

Yeah, he was supposed to be pretty good.

 

FREDDY’S DAD

Did he ever give you a hard time?

 

FREDDY

No. Tyrone wasn’t a banger or bully. He was all about basketball. Probably wanted to

be a professional someday and make a lot of money.

 

FREDDY’S DAD

Should’ve got out of that crappy neighborhood. The paper said he might have been

killed by a member of the 46th Street gang.

 

FREDDY

Yeah. He was bused to Jefferson which gives you some idea of what his

neighborhood’s like. But not now. The hood got em before he could get out.

 

FREDDY’S DAD

Guess living where we do ain’t so bad.

 

FREDDY

(Smiling.)

Right, Dad. Did you see the shrine?

 

FREDDY’S DAD

Yeah. Kind of sad looking.

 

FREDDY

I oughta pay it a visit.

 

FREDDY’S DAD

I don’t think so, Freddy. You don’t want to be going into a black ghetto. Don’t want to

end up like your schoolmate Tyrone.

 

FREDDY

No way. I think I’m goin to hit the streets with Manson for a while.

 

FREDDY’S DAD

(Worried look.)

Okay, but stay away from trouble, okay?

 

FREDDY

(Grabbing his skateboard.)

Don’t worry, Dad. Manson will keep me safe.

 

Freddy’s dad gives Freddy a perplex look.

 

FREDDY’S DAD

I’m serious, Freddy. Stay out of bad neighborhoods.

 

FREDDY

(With a reassuring smile.)

Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll be okay.

 

EXT. THE STREET

Skating montage. Indicating Freddy travels some distance.

 

Freddy skates fast through his neighborhood, ollieing over and off curbs. He skates passed white trash, rundown apartments and then enters a surreal-looking neighborhood where grafheads and bangers have bombed every fence and wall. Without the graffiti it would still be a really ugly place, but the graffiti makes it a scary ugly place. He passes a McDonald’s where a four or five Latino gangbangers dressed in khaki, white T-shirts and opened cholo long sleeves standing in front of the restaurant. They watch Freddy pass, giving him hard looks but saying nothing. He then enters Vietnamese neighborhood. Asian faces with neutral looks watch him pass. Skates around an old woman wearing a wide brim hat of a rice paddy worker. She pushes a shopping cart filled with two or three bags containing cans. Then he skates into a housing complex that has a sign in front saying <SINCE 1953: U.S. NAVY HOUSING>. Old fashion, 1950’s stucco homes. The lawns are neat manicured, no trash or graffiti. A woman watering her lawn, her two young children playing in the yard, looks as he passes by. Then he skates through a long series of strip malls and the traffic thickens. Finally, the stores and neighborhood begin to become rundown. Three or four black youths dressed in gang gear watch Freddy from across the street. Freddy gives them a worried look but keeps skating fast.

 

EXT. THE BLACK ZONE – A BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD – RUNDOWN, LOTS OF GANG GRAFFITI

 

Freddy sees a BUS STOP in the distance next to a streetlight with 4 or 5 tired BALLOONS tied to it. He wears a cautious expression.

 

All around, concrete, asphalt, cheap store signs that look like they were cheaply made some by the owners, looking more depressing than the graffiti, half-dead vegetation, businesses looking like they are going out of business, and behind them down the streets where people live one sees neglected faded houses and apartments all squeezed together.  On each side of the street with a are row gas guzzlers from the 70s and 80s. The atmosphere is mind-numbingly dreary.

 

A few young people stand around looking at the shrine. There’s no bench to sit on. A collection of flowers and letters lie on the ground below the half inflated balloons hanging limply from the streetlight. As Freddy looks more closely at the hastily improvised shrine his expression becomes sad.

 

The people at the shrine are mostly girls, about a half-dozen, standing but looking sad and bewildered. They all turn at once toward Freddy when they hear his skateboard. The sad looks become grim. Freddy looks around cautiously. The neighborhood looks threatening with very few people on the street.

 

About 40 feet away Freddy picks up Manson and offers a friendly smile. A black girl about 16 years old walks up to him.

 

BLACK GIRL

(Suspicious and full of attitude.)

Did you know Tyrone?

 

FREDDY

(Uneasy.)

No, but I’d see him around at school.

 

BLACK GIRL

(Agitated.)

So why are you here?

 

Freddy looks up at the street sign: <46th Street>.

 

FLASHBACK 1 - NEWSPAPER 

INT. FREDDY’S APARTMENT – FREDDY READING THE PAPER - SHOT ONLY OF THE NEWSPAPER 

CLOSE UP: THE NEWSPAPER READS:

 

“Young man, 16, and girl, shot and killed at a bus stop on 46th Street. Killer may have been a member of the 46th Street Gang or a member of a rival gang.”

FLASHBACK 2 - 46th STREET BUS STOP 

EXT. THE SAME BUS STOP BUT THE DAY OF THE SHOOTING

 

A car slowly drives in front of the bus stop. A hand with pistol extends from the passenger-side window. Tyrone and little girl look at the car with frightened expression. The gun shoots Tyrone twice in the chest then shoots the little girl.

 

RETURN TO PRESENT - EXT. 46TH STREET BUS STOP

 

Freddy looks back at the black girl who addressed him.

 

FREDDY

(With a befuddled expression.)

I don’t know.

BLACK GIRL

(Hostile tone of voice.)

Just a curious motherfucker?

 

FREDDY

(Seeing being nice is pointless.)

Somethin like that, I suppose.

 

A black boy about 13, a street kid with a lot of attitude approaches and walks right up to Freddy.

 

BLACK BOY

(Aggressively.)

Whatcha doin in the hood, whitey?

 

FREDDY

(Trying one more time being nice.)

Tyrone went to Jefferson High where I go to school. Just thought I’d pay my respects.

 

By now the others have gather around. Very young teenagers, maybe a youngster or two.

 

BLACK BOY

(Lots of bluster.)

Bullshit, whitey. Yous just stickin your nose where it don’t belong.

 

FREDDY

Okay, have it your way.

 

Freddy turns, runs and drop Manson and heads away moving fast but trying not to look scared. He glances back and sees the black boy running after him.

 

BLACK BOY

(Falling behind Freddy.)

You motherfucker!

 

Freddy pumps fast down 46th Street, businesses flashing by. He cuts across the street, coasts and does some ollies. Everything seems back to normal when a BLACK BMW with tinted windows approaches and pulls alongside Freddy. The car’s GIANT WOOFERS make the air vibrate. The shotgun window sucks downward and a SCARY-LOOKING BLACK MAN with a gold tooth gives Freddy a Halloween smile. The man then pulls out a 9MM just so Freddy can see it.

 

CUT – AN IMAGINARY SCENE OF THE SITUATION

In Freddy’s imagination: The man starts shooting Freddy, who then falls slow-motion off Manson onto the street.

 

CUT - BACK TO PRESENT TIME 

Freddy sees an opening between parked cars and suddenly and spectacularly cuts off the street onto the sidewalk. Coming to a wide intersection Freddy keeps going as if he is going to continue on 46th Street but then suddenly cuts right on the other side of the intersection, ditching the car for the moment.

 

Freddy laughs, feeling pretty good about ditching the bad guys, begins cutting from one side of the street to the other and in and out between cars, ollieing up, over and off of curbs, carving the street and sidewalk like a snowboarder,  when suddenly the sound of barking dogs: Aaarf! Aaarf! Aaarf! Aaarf! Aaarf! Looking back he sees two pit-bulls racing toward him. Just as the pit-bulls reach his hears a car to the right pulls into the approaching intersection blocking Freddy’s way and causing him to cut in front of and around the car but by doing so cutting in front of an oncoming car traveling the same direction he is. The driver honks his horn but the cars at least cut off the pit-bulls. The expression on Freddy’s face is one of concentration. He looks back. The two pit-bulls have given up the chase. Freddy smiles and lets out a sigh of relief. But then he hears a car accelerating and he looks back to see the black BMW heading straight for him. Freddy cuts back onto the sidewalk as the BMW passes fast, drags his foot to slow down, cuts back out into the street to turn left at an intersection, but an oncoming honking car prevents the turn. The BMW catches up with him, its brake lights come on and the car slows so that Freddy, riding in the center of the street, is now parallel with the BMW. The BMW driver’s window rolls down and the driver smiles, seemingly impressed by Freddy’s skating. Then the points like a gun his index and middle fingers at Freddy as a warning to stay out of the hood.

 

Freddy smiles and give the driver the finger. The driver frowns, but Freddy has reached an intersection and cuts left in front of oncoming traffic, causing a motorist to slam on the brakes and honk his horn. Freddy is now riding down a descending street. He's flying. Oncoming traffic causes the BMW to wait before making the turn. Freddy now hears the screeching of tires, looks back and sees the BMW coming fast. However, at the bottom of the hill is a 7-Eleven with a police car parked in front. Freddy pulls into the center of the street in front of the BMW and points to the police car. The BMW slows. Freddy then cuts toward the 7-Eleven and begins dragging his foot to slow down but can’t stop before running into the police car and falling to the ground. A BLACK POLICE OFFICER comes out of the 7-Eleven and looks across the street to see the BMW stopped, its driver smiling and then taking off. He looks down at Freddy, his face scared, flush, and sweaty.

 

BLACK POLICE OFFICER

(Concerned but also annoyed.)

You running from someone, son?

 

FREDDY

(Getting up.)

Sorry about your car. I tried to stop.

 

BLACK POLICE OFFICER

(Helping FREDDY up.)

Yeah, I see that. The car looks fine, but are you okay?

 

A WHITE POLICE OFFICER has come out of the 7-Eleven and picks up Freddy’s skateboard and brings it around to where Freddy and the other police officer are.

 

FREDDY

(Looking nervous.)

Yeah, I’m okay. I just got goin too fast down the hill.

 

BLACK POLICE OFFICER

Those guys in the BMW give you are hard time?

 

FREDDY

No, just kinda scared me is all.

 

BLACK POLICE OFFICER

Well, you ought to be scared. They’re thugs. What’s your name?

 

FREDDY

Freddy.

 

BLACK POLICE OFFICER

So, Freddy, what are you doing here in this neighborhood, looking for trouble?

 

FREDDY

No, nothing like that. I was just visiting where Tyrone Williams was shot. He went to

my school.

 

BLACK POLICE OFFICER

I see. Still I don’t think this is the safest neighborhood for a white kid on a skateboard.

Where do you live?

 

FREDDY

Alta Vista.

 

BLACK POLICE OFFICER

You’re a long ways from home. Perhaps we should give you a ride home to make sure

you get there safely.

 

FREDDY

I appreciate that, officer, but I think I’ll call my dad. He’ll be bummed if I come home

in a police car.

 

BLACK POLICE OFFICER

(Smiling.)

I understand. Well, go ahead and make that call while we are here just so we know

you can get a ride home.

 

The black police officer looks around as if someone might be waiting for Freddy.

 

FREDDY

Thanks.

 

Freddy goes to the pay phone and makes the call.

 

FREDDY

Hello, Dad, could you pick me up?

 

FREDDY’S DAD

Anything wrong?

 

FREDDY

No, just feelin a little sick is all.

 

FREDDY’S DAD

Where are you?

 

FREDDY

7-Eleven...Hold on.

 

Puts his hand over the phone.

 

FREDDY

Officer, what’s this street.

 

WHITE POLICE OFFICER

Fairmont and 42th Street.

 

FREDDY

Thanks.

 

FREDDY

Fairmont and 42nd Street.

 

FREDDY’S DAD

42nd  Street! Isn’t that’s in the ghetto? What in the hell are you doing there? Do you

want to get killed? And what did I just tell you about staying out of bad

neighborhoods?

 

FREDDY

I got lost is all, Dad.

 

FREDDY’S DAD

I bet. I’ll be there in a few minutes.

 

Freddy hangs up the phone and walks over to the police officers.

 

FREDDY

He said he’s on his way.

 

BLACK POLICE OFFICER

Good. You know I ought to give you a ticket for running into my car. And if you’re

going to be running into things maybe you should wear a helmet and not riding that

thing in the middle of the street.

 

FREDDY

Yeah, I know. I’m sorry about the car. I just kinda lost control.

 

BLACK POLICE OFFICER

I saw that. Just be careful, and maybe skate somewhere safer like a skatepark, or at

least not here. It’s just not safe. You know what happen to Tyrone.

 

FREDDY

(Starting to get emotional, as if he’s about to cry.)

I know. I just thought I should pay my respects.

 

The white police officer walks over with the board and hands it to Freddy. Freddy takes it.

 

WHITE POLICE OFFICER

(Smiling.)

Here’s your board, Freddy. I just have to ask. Why Charles Manson?

 

FREDDY

He keeps me safe, like just now. He knows the streets.

 

WHITE POLICE OFFICER

(Surprised.)

You mean like running into a police car?

 

FREDDY

Nah, that was my fault. Before that.

 

BLACK POLICE OFFICER

So something did happen before.

 

FREDDY

No, no. I just thought maybe someone was comin after me. Anyway, I understand that

you don’t like my board. My dad doesn’t either.

 

BLACK POLICE OFFICER

And I bet he didn’t know you were here in the hood.

 

FREDDY

No, he wouldn’t of let me come if I’d of told him where I was goin.

 

BLACK POLICE OFFICER

We’re goin to take off, Freddy. You should wait for your dad inside. Okay? Come on.

 

Freddy and the two police officers go inside the 7-Eleven. The police pick up two coffees and a bag at the counter and start back out to their car.

 

BLACK POLICE OFFICER

(To the older of the two black clerks.)

Eugene, Freddy here is going to wait for his dad inside the store.

 

CLERK

(Chuckles amiably.)

Yeah, sure, no problem.

 

As they leave Freddy speaks to them.

 

FREDDY

(Happier.)

Thanks again for not giving me a ticket for running into your car.

 

The police smile and leave.

CLERK

(To Freddy.)

I’m surprised they didn’t you a ticket or something, running into their car like that. I

guess they were more interested in eating their honey buns and drinking their coffee

before it gets cold than giving you a hard time. You were just plain lucky. (Laughs,

shaking his head.)

 

FREDDY

(Smiles but then the smile disappears.)

Yeah, I was lucky.

 

CUT - THE SHRINE FOR TYRONE

 

No one is there. The balloons hang down limp. A breeze causes them to stir. The camera pulls back and upward. The shrine disappears mid the desolate community.

SCENES FROM FREDDY’S LIFE: AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY: BACK TO SCHOOL HASSLES

EXT. FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL – FREDDY’S APARTMENT – AT THE KITCHEN TABLE - MORNING

Freddy’s expression clearly indicates that he is not happy about going back to school. He stares at his pancake, which is only half finished. His dad stands next to the kitchen counter, watching Freddy.

FREDDY’S DAD

Something wrong with the pancake?

FREDDY

No, just not hungry.

FREDDY’S DAD

First day of school making you nervous?

FREDDY

Yeah, a little.

FREDDY’S DAD

It’s natural that you would be a little nervous. It’s only your second year at Jefferson.

But try to think positive. You’re going to turn sixteen this year. Be learning how to

drive. I think it could turn out to be a great year, but you got to give it chance. Okay?

FREDDY

I’ll try, Dad. I better get going. Thanks for the pancake.

FREDDY’S DAD

(Taking out his wallet and giving Freddy a bill.)

Here, this is for lunch. I didn’t fix you a lunch. This year the snack bar’s going sells

hamburgers. That'd be good once in a while. Huh?

FREDDY

(Taking the bill, trying to smile but still somber.)

Yeah, thanks, Dad.

Freddy grabs his pack and goes out the door.

STREET ON A HILL LEADING TO JEFFERSON HIGH - MORNING

Freddy is walking up hill to school when about a hundred feet from the intersection his enemy Spike, a white school bully, and his friends drive up and pull alongside Freddy without stopping. 

GUY IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT

Hey Freaky, we’ve been looking for you. Welcome back to school, you fucking creep. 

GUY IN THE BACKSEAT

Can’t believe they’re letting a retard like you back in school.

Everyone in the car laughs.

CUT - FREDDY’S IMAGINATION

EXT. SAME LOCATION

He walks up to the car and lifts his shirt revealing sticks of dynamite. The expressions on the faces of the guys in the car change to terror. Freddy lefts his hand to reveal he is holding a switch. Then a close-up shot of his thumb pushing down on a button. The bombs explodes in slow motion for Freddy (bullet time in video games) so that he sees the car and its occupants blown up, their face being torn from their heads, their limbs being torn from their bodies. He can hear their distorted screams in slow motion. Then he too is blown up. 

CUT - BACK TO PRESENT TIME

The car drives on to the intersection, the two guys in the back seat looking back at Freddy, smiling, and giving him the finger. A moment later Freddy also reaches the intersection. The light is red for cars but the PESDESTRIAN SIGNAL changes from <WAIT> to <WALK>. Spike leans over toward the passenger window.

SPIKE

(Wearing a nasty grin.)

You goin to cross the street or what, chickenshit?!

GUY IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT

What are you waiting for, Freaky, your daddy to come and hold your hand while you

cross the street?

Freddy doesn’t say anything but looks over at the bus stop where some students are hanging out before school starts. A few students watch him indifferently. Freddy looks nervous. He looks at the pedestrian signal: <WALK>. Freddy starts to step off he curb onto the street but then hesitates.

GUY IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT

What do think, that Spike’s gonna run you over. (Laughter in the car.)

GUY IN THE BACK SEAT

Look at the klutz. He can’t even cross the street. (More laughter.)

Freddy looks over at the bus stop. Everyone is watching the little drama. He grimaces, steps off of the curb, and takes two steps. Just then Spike’s car lurches forward with a roar and screech, stopping suddenly but not before hitting Freddy as he tries to jump out of the way ending flat on the street. He turns on his side and looks up. The car backs up, pulls around and stops. 

FREDDY

(Angry but frightened.)

What the fuck are you doin?

GUY IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT

Watch where you’re goin faggot. The streets are for cars, not cunts. (Laughter.]

CUT - THE BUS STOP

Guys nodding their heads and grinning worldly wise. Girls giggle nervously.

1ST MALE STUDENT AT THE BUS STOP

Man, you see that?

2nd MALE STUDENT AT THE BUS STOP

Some shit. Freddy just got flattened.

3rd MALE STUDENTS AT THE BUS STOP

Fuckin a.

1ST MALE STUDENTS AT THE BUSSTOP

That was some shit alright.

CUT - BACK TO FREDDY AND THE CAR

FREDDY

(On his feet.)

Assholes!

SPIKE

(Leaning over to the passenger side window.)

We’re scared to death, Freaky. Ha, ha, ha. Next time don’t be fucking walking in

front of my car. Next time you might get run over. Ha, ha, ha. 

The car screeches around the corner. Freddy, looking dazed, starts across the street. A horn blares and he jumps back. The light is red and the pedestrian signal says <WAIT>. He looks over at the bus stop. A couple guys laugh, some smile, one gives a sympathetic smile, turns his hands outward showing his palms, raises his shoulders—all as if to say “Such is life.”

The camera pulls back and upward, showing Freddy standing in the street near the gutter. 

INT. HOMEROOM – FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

Freddy walks into homeroom and Bruce Dermin catches him at the door bumping him and knocking him into the side of the door, forcing his way pass Freddy. Dermin is only slightly taller than Freddy but stocky and tough.

BRUCE DERMIN

(Looking back at Freddy.)

Watch it, spaze. Heard you ran into Spike’s car. You oughta watch where you’re

walkin. Might lose your pedestrian license.

Bruce gives Freddy an evil smile and continues on to his desk.

FREDDY

(Under his breath.)

Asshole.

BRUCE DERMIN

(Walking back to Freddy.)

What did you call me you little motherfucker?

FREDDY

You’re hearing things.

The teacher, MRS. BORDEN, sees the boys.

MRS. BORDEN

(Exasperated.)

Boys!

Bruce says something inaudible to Freddy as he tries to push Freddy back out of the classroom into the hallway against students who are trying to get into the classroom.

FREDDY

(Audibly.)

Get your fucking hands off of me.

As the rest of the students look on, Mrs. Borden has walked over to the boys. The teacher grabs Bruce by his jacket and he turns violently toward her not knowing it’s the teacher, looking almost as if he would hit her. But she’s no pushover.

MRS. BORDEN

Don’t even think about it, Bruce. You touch me and I won’t have you in the vice

principal’s office but down at the police station.

FREDDY

(A look of satisfaction.)

That’s where he belongs.

MRS. BORDEN

 (Sternly.)

You keep quiet.

The teacher now has both boys’ attention.

MRS. BORDEN

I don’t get you guys. The first day of school and you’re at each other’s throats.

FREDDY

He started it.

 BRUCE DERMIN

Yeah right.

The teacher looks over at the other students, most of whom are sitting at their desks but a couple guys are standing. They all seem to be enjoying the show.

MRS. BORDEN

Everyone please sit down. I’ll take roll as soon as I’m finished talking to these two.

Turning back to Freddy and Bruce.

MRS. BORDEN

So what is it, you behave or I write you up and send you to the Vice Principal’s office?

Bruce says nothing and turns his head in disgust.

FREDDY

I’m not the one looking for trouble.

BRUCE DERMIN

There was no trouble anyway. We got into a shoving match. Big deal. And you

sneaked up on me. How was I to know it wasn’t some jerk like Anderson over there

pulling somethin on me. Freddy and me are pals, right, Freddy?

FREDDY

(Looking frustrated.)

Not likely, but like Bruce said, what happened was no big deal. Just a shoving match.

MRS. BORDEN

 (Shaking her head frustrated.)

All right. Go sit down. Opposite sides of the room. And stay there for the rest of the

year. Okay?

BRUCE DERMIN

Be a pleasure.

MRS. BORDEN

Freddy?

FREDDY

The further apart the better as far as I’m concerned.

Freddy sits in the row nearest the door. Bruce walks across the room and gives Anderson a right-on handshake and drops cynically into his chair. The teacher is now standing at the front of the room trying to put on a happy face.

MRS. BORDEN

(Forced cheerfulness.)

Welcome back everyone. I hope you had a great summer and I hope you will have a

great school year. After I take roll, we will walk together to the gym for an

assembly on violence.

INT.  SCHOOL GYM

Lots of noise. Students crowded on the bleachers. They sit according to class but within class groups segregated into ethic groups. PRINCIPAL SMITH is standing at the podium, the vice principal, MR. HURT, is standing on one side farther back and police OFFICER MCELROY is standing on the other side of the podium.

PRINCIPAL SMITH

I want to welcome...

Feedback noise occurs, becoming so loud that the students stop talking, put their hands over their ears, and let out moans of discomfort. A tech person runs over to the podium and makes adjustments. The noise subsides and suddenly the students break out in laughter and noisy talk.

PRINCIPAL SMITH

Okay, let’s keep the chatter down... (pauses, but to little effect). We’ve invited Officer

McElroy here to reassure you that at school you are safe... (pauses). If you keep talking

you will only extend this assembly and the additional time will be taken from your

lunch break.... 

A moan come from the audience and some “shut up’s” from the students to one another.

Teachers walk up from the floor into the bleachers, telling students to keep quiet. The noise begins to subside.

The camera cuts to the face of police Officer McElroy who is standing a few feet from the podium. He smiles, but his gaze is both faintly amused and jaded.

 

PRINCIPAL SMITH

As you all know... please stop talking. (Brief pause.) As you all know by now Tyrone

William was gunned down over the summer. 

MIKE TORRES

(Sitting with Latino students, loudly.)

All ri-ight! (Drawing out the word.)

LATINO STUDENTS

General laughter, some scattered applause.

Camera pans to various faces. The girls among the various ethnic groups either smile, look surprised or look sad. Black students express anger. One of the black students, a friend of Tyrone named RASHEEM DRIVER, stands up shouts at Torres.

RASHEEM

Fuck you, Torres!

PRINCIPAL SMITH

Mr. Driver and Mr. Torres would you please go with Vice Principal Hurt. I will talk to

you later. To anyone else who feels the need to disrupt this assembling, I will

guarantee a free suspension.

The vice principal, Mr. Hurt, walks over to the bleacher and signals for Mike and Rasheem to come down to him. They follow Mr. Hurt out of the auditorium, Mike looks back at his friends and smiles. His friends smile back broadly, nodding their heads as if to say “bad boy’s in trouble.” The black students Rasheem was sitting with wear grim, angry looks. 

 

During this time shots of Freddy sitting with his friends, Jackie, Moog, and Ed. They look young and loser pathetic compared to the gangsters. They don’t get involved but simply observe the biracial drama.

PRINCIPAL SMITH

As I was about to say, it is because of Tyrone’s tragic death that this assembly has been

called and Officer McElroy has been invited to reassure you that Jefferson is a safe

school. Officer McElroy is with the Alta Vista Police Department and is in charge of

its DARE program.

Officer McElroy walks to the podium with a few slow claps coming from the audience.

OFFICER McELROY

Good morning to all of you. The reason I am here, as Principal Smith stated, is to

reassure you that keeping San Diego’s high schools safe for students, teachers, and

staff is one of the police department’s highest priorities. After the shooting death of

Tyrone Williams a number of parents called the school to express their concerns

about the safety of the school... (Interrupted by JARELL JOHJNSON.)

JARRELL JOHNSON: BLACK STUDENT

That don’t do Tyrone any good. If you guys had been doin your job Tyrone would

still be alive. And what about that little girl who was killed? We ain’t worried

about getting whacked at school because we got homies here to watch our backs. It’s

in the hood where the bad shit happens. You be waiting for the bus and some fuck

drives by and wastes you. What the police do in the neighborhood is harass guys like

us who ain’t done nothin.

The principal walks over to the microphone, leans in front of Officer McElroy to speak.

PRINCIPAL SMITH

(With a tired expression.)

Johnson, your concerns are valid but what is being addressed today is on-campus

violence, and please watch your language. This is a public forum... (Jarrell

interrupting.)

JARRELL JOHNSON

And there’s plenty of shit goin on at this school. You just don’t see it. Just because no

one gets shot don’t mean there ain’t no violence. And what about Ms Douay, the art

teacher who got knifed two years ago. Ain’t that violence?

Many of the other students applaud Johnson’s comment.

PRINCIPAL

(Consoling.)

Yes, Mr. Johnson, it was an act of violence, a vicious act of violence. And that

is what Officer McElroy is here to talk about. So why don’t we give him a chance.

Johnson gives a disgruntled look but says nothing more. The principal turns the microphone back over to McElroy.

OFFICER McELROY

As one of your own has just pointed out, high schools are not completely safe

environments. And as you know, two years ago a student was shot and killed after

school at Bay-View High. That is why it is important for all of us to work together to

prevent violence at Jefferson. And that means students must communicate to the

administration any aggressive behavior such as bullying that they see occurring on

campus or any threats to commit violence that they may hear about.

LATINO STUDENT

Hey I ain’t no snitch. (Laughter.)

OFFICER McELROY

I understand that no one wants to be a snitch, but what a snitch really is is a person

who tells authorities about someone who has committed or is going to commit a

criminal act. Snitches protect innocent people. Those who refuse to snitch protect

criminals.

LATINO STUDENT

And who’s goin to protect the snitch. The police? Don’t think so. (Laughter and

applause.)

OFFICER McELROY

It’s true that snitches often put themselves at risk. That’s what heroes do—put

themselves at risk to protect innocent lives.

LATINO STUDENT

(Cynically.)

Hero’s just a word. It don’t mean shit on the street. What’s the point of being a hero if

you’re dead? Nothin. That’s just how it is. 

JARRELL JOHNSON

 (Blurting out.)

Officer McElroy!

OFFICER McELROY

Yes, Mr. Johnson.

JARRELL JOHNSON

You ever shoot someone with that gun of yours?

OFFICER McELROY

(McElroy looks over at Johnson.)

No, I haven’t and I hope I never have to.

A groan from the audience and increasing chatter.

JARRELL JOHNSON

That’s problem. Lots of bad guys need to be shot like the guy who killed Tyrone and

that little girl. And you haven’t caught him. You see that’s why there’s gangs in the

hood. Cops can’t protect us and when they do shoot someone it’s some innocent nigga.

Had Tyrone belong to a crew he’d probably still be alive or at least his crew would

make sure someone paid a price for killin em. You see I ain’t worried at school my

homies got my back.

LATINO STUDENT

We got cha your back too, nigger.

Laughter from Latino guys. Chatter increasing.

A BLACK STUDENT

(Standing.)

Fuck you, Hernandez!

PRINCIPAL SMITH

I warned you, Hernandez. You too, Thomas. I want to see both of you in my office

after the assembly.

EXT.STUDENTS WALKING TO CLASS

Jackie, wearing a long black coat, dark hair slicked back, and Freddy are walking to class with other students. Because of his appearance and intense expression, something like Robert DeNiro’s taxis driver, Jackie is more threatening looking than Freddy. However, like Freddy he is a short, skinny kid, a loser, in other words.

JACKIE

(To Freddy.)

Nice to know the fucking cops and admin got everything under control.

FREDDY

Man, do I hate this fucking place, nothing but bangers and bullies.

JACKIE

Yeah I heard Spike hit you with his car.

FREDDY

God I hate that guy.

JACKIE

Like I said, it’s nice to know that the cops and admin got everything under control.

Spike walks up behind Freddy and shoves him. Spike has a couple of friends with him. Spike is tall, wiry and athletic. However, his head looks a little like that of Frankenstein’s creature, long and narrow, as if it had been put into a vice. His mouth seems incapable of a friendly smile and with his eyes gives him an inherently malicious look.

SPIKE

I’ve got your back, Freaky. 

FREDDY

Whadaya hassling me for. I ain’t done nothin to you.

SPIKE

That’s what I do, Freaky. What are you gonna to do about it?

FREDDY

Maybe I’ll go to Officer McElroy and tell him about you knocking me down with your

car this morning. I got plenty of witnesses.

SPIKE

Like hell you will. Fucking snitch and like the beaner said you’ll end up dead. And

believe me you got no witnesses. So you better keep your mouth shut.

Spike shoves Freddy again and he and his two friends walk on.

FREDDY

I’m gonna to kill that guy one of these days.

JACKIE

(In earnest, smiles reassuringly.)

You ever get serious about that, you can count me in.

SCENES FROM FREDDY’S LIFE: AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY: SPIKE RUINS FREDDY’S LUNCH

EXT. OUTSIDE. LUNCH TIME

Freddy meets Jackie they stop to talk for a minute.

JACKIE

You heading over the Edge?

FREDDY

Yeah, but I thought I’d get a burger.

JACKIE

A burger! Since when did you start eating hamburgers at school?

FREDDY

I’m thinking if I put on some weight maybe Spike would lay off me or at least I could

at least beat the shit out of em.

JACKIE

Sure, if you can put on fifty pounds, I mean you being a runt and all. I figure it’ll take

about five hundred hamburgers for you to become Freddy the Terminator. But you

gotta start somewhere. Still, it might be easier just to get yourself a gun.

The two boys begin walking toward the snack bar.

JACKIE

So did Ms. Whiner give you her now-you-know-how-the-Jews feel lecture in Social

Studies?

FREDDY

She tried, but Jarrell Johnson and that brain Henry jump her before she got very far,

saying that the Jews got what was comin to them because they invaded the Arabs’

territory and we got jumped by the Arabs for helpin out the Jews. Course Ms Whiner

takes the side of the Jews ‘cause she’s one herself, but so is Hernry. I don’t care whose

side she takes because she’s hot. You see how she was dressed today, all in black, her

white skin all beautiful, and she’s got those dark eyes...

JACKIE

Jesus fucking Christ, Freddy, you sound like a pervert. She ever hears you talk that

way and she’ll have you arrested. Anyway, she Jewish and the Jews don’t mix with

other races because it degrades the gene pool—like mixing Einstein’s genes with a

monkeys, ha, ha, ha... I mean if Ms Whiner brought you home to meet her parents, like

if she was blind and retarded—ha, ha—it’d be like you bringing some black chick to

meet your dad. I can just see that. He’d go off into his room and come out wearing a

white sheet and pointy hat and would tell her that he don’t want any half-breed kids.

FREDDY

No way my dad would do that. I mean he’s like a big fan of Tony Gwynn. And he

don’t even use the N word.

JACKIE

You mean the nigger word?

FREDDY

(Looking around.)

Fuck, Jackie, you lookin to getting us killed.

EXT. SNACK BAR WINDOW

JACKIE

They mess with me and I’ll be the one doin the killin. Anyway all that shit about

Jews, Arabs, and Americans fighting one another, the way I see it they’re no different

from the Crips, Mexican Mafia, and Arian Brotherhood. Just bigger gangs, called

nations, and bigger crews, armies and navies and shit, their tags are their flags. It’s all

the same bullshit, except our gangs are on the losing side, I mean I don’t get us

worrying about the Arabs, though I wouldn’t mind killing a few for what they

done to those buildings. But it ain’t the Arabs taken over the country but the beaners.

Freddy is given a burger, a bag of chips, and a carton of milk and pays. They walk over to one of the concrete tables and sit down.

FREDDY

Ain’t you gettin anything?

JACKIE

Fuck no. $2.50 for a fucking burger and chips. And I hate milk. It’s a waste of

money. I’m saving mine to buy a gun.

FREDDY

(Again looking around.)

Jesus, Jackie, not so loud. 

JACKIE

Fuck em.

FREDDY

(Before taking a bite.)

You want part of my burger?

JACKIE

No thanks, Freddy.

FREDDY

Take the chips. This is too much for me.

JACKIE

Nah. I’d rather stay hungry. You know my philosophy. The free man desires nothing

and fears not pain. And you ain’t goin to become a Terminator if you don’t eat your

chips.

FREDDY

Oh fuck! Here comes my fucking nemesis.

Spike walks up to the table with a couple of his buddies, looks about to see if there are any teachers in the area. There aren’t.

SPIKE

(Slapping Freddy hard on the back.)

Well if it ain’t Freddy douche bag and his weirdo friend.

Freddy and Jackie don’t reply.

SPIKE

Cat’s got your tongue assholes? What in the fuck you eating. You know that greasy

burger meat ain’t good for you.

Grabs the burger from Freddy.

SPIKE

Let me taste it to make sure it’s safe for you to eat. 

Takes a big bite out of it.

SPIKE

I ain’t sure. Tastes a little funny to me.

Drops the burger on the table top. Spike’s friends snigger.

SPIKE

Maybe these are better. Let me see.

Grabs the bag of chips.

JACKIE

(Angry.)

Why don’t you pick on somebody your own size?

SPIKE

Why don’t you make me, you trench-coat freak. You think you’re such a bad ass?

Jackie doesn’t reply. Spike crushes the bag of chips and throws them on the table. 

You oughta take these chips back. I think they’re all broken. Ha, ha, ha.

To his friends.

Come on let’s get away from these two losers before we catch some fucking disease,

like stupiditus.

As Spike and his friends laugh and walk off, Dermin picks up the milk carton, drops it on the ground, and steps on it, crushing the carton and causing the milk to squirt out.

JACKIE

So much for your Terminator meal.

FREDDY

God I hate that guy. Let’s go over the Edge.

Freddy and Jackie get up and walk away.

EXT. THE EDGE - GRASSY AREA AWAY FROM THE STUDENTS NEAR ADMINISTRATION

Freddy and Jackie walk toward Moog who is sitting on the grass. They are both are upset about what has just happened. They plop down next to Moog. Moog is a runt. He is scruffy and blond headed and wears two tattoos on his arms, a frowny face and a pig. 

MOOG

You guys look cheery. Somethin happen?

JACKIE

Fucking Spike and his neanderthal friends just ruined Freddy’s Terminator lunch. (Turns to Freddy and smiles.)

MOOG

(Shaking his head.)

Fuck, Freddy, you don’t know by now to stay away from the caf and the snack bar?

The food’s shit anyway and they’re a lot better ways to spend your lunch money, like

Pharmacy Phil’s got some uppers he’s peddlin. Course they cost more than two fifty.

FREDDY

I was kinda hopin this year might be different. I know now that ain’t goin to happen.

I hate that fuckin’ Spike.

JACKIE

(Cynically.)

Different from what, Freddy? Fuck that’s life. We’re just at the wrong end of the food

chain, but that don’t mean we can’t get some payback.

MOOG

I think you ought to just stay out of their space.

FREDDY

That ain’t right though. I got the right to eat my lunch in peace.

JACKIE

Dream on, Freddy. There ain’t no such thing as right, only might. Take Orion Jones.

(Black athlete. Think Michael Clarke Duncan.) Nobody is goin to fuck with him while

he’s eating his lunch just like nobody want to be in the tiger’s cage at the zoo while

Mr. Tiger is eating his lunch. The only right is might. Some Greek guy said that. The

niggers and Mexicans know that. I mean ain’t that the reason those Arabs flew those

planes in our fucking buildings—to get some respect? You want Spike to respect your

rights, you’re gonna have to find some way to scare the shit out of him. And eating

hamburgers ain’t goin to do the trick, not even Terminator hamburgers. (Smiling.)

MOOG

Terminator hamburgers?

JACKIE

Freddy’s idea, thinkin if he eats enough hamburgers he turn into the Terminator.

MOOG

You’ll just end up like Popeye's friend Wimpy, fat and still a wimp.

 FREDDY

Whose Popeye?

MOOG

You need to take a break from Resident Evil and get educated. Anyway what I’m

saying is no way Freddy’s goin to take on Spike. He could kick all three of our asses at

once. Besides he got his posse. They ain’t much but compared to them we’re the

three little pigs. (Smiles at his cleverness.)

JACKIE

Three little pigs! Thanks a lot. But I’ll tell you this. Strapped, the three little pigs

would get plenty of respect from the baddest wolf.

MOOG

You got some heat, Jackie?

JACKIE

Not yet, but workin on it. You?

MOOG

My dad’s got a 22 Ruger and a couple of rifles. Why? You thinking about shooting up

the school?

JACKIE

Not a bad idea, at least that fucking Spike and his pathetic crew. We

could get them at lunch.

An administrator, MRS. ARGALL, walks toward the boys and stops.

MRS. ARGALL 

(Pleasant but serious.)

Why are you boys sitting here? This is not part of the lunch area.

JACKIE

For our safety, what do you think?

MRS. ARGALL 

 (Annoyed by Jackie’s tone, but restrained.)

I don’t understand. Was there a problem?

MOOG

Yeah, my friend here (Nodding toward Freddy.) just had his lunch ruined by some of

the school’s local bullies. That’s why we’re here. They won’t mess with us this close to

admin.

The administrator looks at Freddy, who looks pathetic.

MRS. ARGALL 

 (To Freddy.)

Perhaps you ought to go to Mr. Hurt and tell him what happened.

FREDDY

(Cynical but appreciates her concern.)

It don’t matter. If you don’t want us here then we’ll move.

MOOG

(Mildly sardonic.)

And what do you think will happen when bully boy finds out that Freddy is a fink?

MRS. ARGALL 

 (Pauses, pondering Moog’s remark.)

I still think you should report what happened to Mr. Hurt, but it’s okay with me if you

want to stay here. (Sympathetically.) If someone says you shouldn’t be here, tell them

Mrs. Argall gave you permission.

THE BOYS

Thanks.

‘Preciate it.

Yeah.

Mrs. Argall smiles and walks on.

MOOG

She was cool, clueless but cool.

FREDDY

Yeah. Jackie, I don’t think it’s such a good idea to be talking about shooting

people at school. If someone like that Mrs. Argall heard you, or even some student,

you’d be in some deep shit.

JACKIE

I’d just say I was kidding around.

MOOG

They wouldn’t care if you was kidding. Besides I think you’re serious. We

know you, Jackie. It’s good the guns are at my house and not yours. (Smiles.)

FREDDY

I’d rather not be talkin about shooting people. Though I would shoot that fucking 

Spike if I thought I could get away with.

Ed walks over. Ed has light reddish hair and is about the same size as Freddy and Jackie. He is dorky and less an outsider than the other three boys. His parents are older, more like grandparents, but his family is more normal than those of the other boys.

ED

Hey guys, what’s goin on?

MOOG

Just shooting the shit about Spike goin after Freddy at lunch.

JACKIE

(Smiling.)

Took a bite out of his burger and dropped it on the table, then crushed his chips. And

that fucking Dermin stepped on his milk. Nice lunch, huh?

ED

That’s Spike. He is such an asshole, but he’s really got it out for you, Freddy. Don’t

ask me why except him being an asshole.

JACKIE

Yeah, we were just talking about shooting him.

FREDDY

(Miffed.)

Jesus, Jackie, what were we just saying about talking that way?

JACKIE

(Smiling mischievously.)

I’m just putting you on. Ed’s one of us.

ED

You guys planning a Columbine?

FREDDY

See, Jackie! Fuck no. We’s just talkin about how much we hate Spike is all.

ED

How about we get together after school and play some 500 at the Y?

MOOG

Could do it Saturday, but not today.

ED

What about you, Freddy? Saturday?

FREDDY

(Despondent.)

You know I hate baseball.

ED

Come on. None of us give a shit about baseball. We’ll hit a few flies and smoke some

cigarettes if Jackie will get some for us.

JACKIE

No fucking way I’m goin to play 500, but Freddy and I will steal you some cigarettes.

How about it Freddy? Get your mind off of fucking Spike.

FREDDY

You kidding? I don’t want to get busted shoplifting. My dad would be pissed.

JACKIE

You got nothing to worry about. Your dad ain’t like mine or Moog’s. He’d get upset

and give you a lecture but wouldn’t lay a hand on you. And he wouldn’t do this to you.

(pulls up his sleeve showing burn marks.)

Seeing a large pinkish burn mark scars and some smaller ones on Jackie’s arm, Ed, Moog, and Freddy stare glumly. They are not shocked because they have seen them before. Then Moog finally breaks the silence.

MOOG

My old man has knocked me around plenty, specially when he’s been drinking, which

is most of the time, but he’s never done me nothin like that.

JACKIE

(Seeing the other a little depressed by the marks.)

It ain’t such a big deal, and if I get busted he won’t give a shit. Anyway, Freddy, you

won’t have to do nothin. I got a really cool method. How about after school we swing

by your place and you can get your skateboard and we head over to the Mexican’s 

store? I’ll get the cigarettes and give you a pack because these two are too chickenshit

to come along.

FREDDY

(Reluctantly.)

Yeah, okay, if it don’t take too long—‘cause I got homework.

JACKIE

Don’t we all. Cheer up Freddy. We’re goin on a mission.