Sound Bites

      A Novel about Politics and the Media

      Copyright © 2012 Victor L. Cahn. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in critical publications or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher. Write: Permissions, Wipf and Stock Publishers, 199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401.

      Resource Publications

      An Imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers

      199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3

      Eugene, OR 97401

      www.wipfandstock.com

      isbn 13: 978-1-62032-304-5

      eisbn 13: 978-1-62189-997-6

      Manufactured in the U.S.A.

      The Preliminaries

      “Now back to Jim and more local news.”

      “Thanks, Sue. Well, school board meetings are rarely the stuff of drama, but tonight’s was a noisy exception. Here’s Cindy Howell’s report.”

      “And dramatic it was, Jim, as parents, teachers, and administrators clashed over what might seem to be no issue at all: a reading assignment for a class of fourth-graders. But when the story is called ‘A Little Bit Different,’ and the main character is a boy who announces that he’s gay, results can be explosive. Here’s what one father said.”

      “Listen, I don’t care if you’re gay, straight, or whatever. But do we have to spill this garbage in front of nine-year-olds?”

      “One mother agreed.”

      “They’re just kids, for God’s sake! Can’t you let them grow up without poisoning their minds?”

      “In response to such anger, teacher Nancy Nesbit defended her actions.”

      “All we want to do is teach our children that even though people may be different, they’re still entitled to respect—”

      “They’re not your children. They’re our children!”

      “But I’m responsible for their education!”

      “Then act like it!”

      “That’s exactly what I’m doing! By letting them know that there’s more than one way to show love.”

      “But Ms. Nesbit couldn’t soothe the irate mob. One passionate woman seemed to speak for many.”

      “Listen, the only teacher I care about is the Bible. And the Bible tells us that relations between two men or two women are an abomination—”

      “The Bible also says ‘Love thy neighbor.’”

      “Does that mean you’re supposed to have sex with ‘em?”

      “I didn’t say that!”

      “Hey, some people love horses!”

      “Are you comparing gay people to horses?”

      “Well, if the shoe fits—”

      “And so it went, with no resolution in sight. Reporting from School Board Headquarters, this is Cindy Howell, Channel 6 Action News.”

      ¶ ¶ ¶

      “For the second evening in a row, a local School Board debated the controversial assignment given to Nancy Nesbit’s fourth-grade class: a story about a gay boy who comes out. Here’s Cindy Howell.”

      “Jim, for a while this meeting was just as raucous as last night’s, and charges flew back and forth. The hubbub subsided, however, when one woman calmly walked to the microphone and addressed the overflow crowd.”

      “Hello. My name is Cassie McClellan. I’ve lived in this town for only a year, so some of you may figure I’m not entitled to my opinion—”

      “That depends on what it is!”

      “Shut up!”

      “But I just want to say to Ms. Nesbit that as the mother of a student in another class, I respect your intentions—”

      “Boooo!”

      “– but you have to realize that as parents we want what’s best for our children. And that’s why—”

      “So do I—”

      “You sure got a funny way of showin’ it—”

      “Shut up!”

      “You shut up!”

      “THAT’S WHY . . . I feel that when it comes to subject matter like this, you have to be very, very careful.”

      “Yay!”

      “I believe I have been.”

      “Not careful enough.”

      “I beg your pardon, but—”

      “That’s why I have a simple message for you, Ms. Nesbit. Hands off!”

      “I’m only trying to—”

      “Hands off, Ms. Nesbit. Hands off!”

      “After that exchange, everyone seemed to be exhausted, so now the resolution of this controversy is in the hands of the Board. Cindy Howell, Channel 6 Action News.”

      ¶ ¶ ¶

      “Our guest this morning is a candidate for City Council, Cassie McClellan. Ms. McClellan, thanks for joining us on Forum.”

      “My pleasure.”

      “Glad to have you. Now, as some of our viewers are aware, you came to public attention a few months ago when you spoke at a highly impassioned School Board meeting. Did that occasion inspire you to run for office?”

      “Ben, until that night I had never even considered getting into the public sphere. But after I put in my two cents—”

      “And the issue was subsequently resolved in your favor . . .”

      “A couple of party leaders suggested that I become a candidate.”

      “Are you glad you did?”

      “I just want to help our community in any way I can.”

      “Well, you seem to be a natural campaigner, at least according to our most recent poll, which has you leading by double digits.”

      “That’s great news, but as we all know, it’s early yet.”

      “Only two weeks before Election Day.”

      “That’s true, but you know the old saying: ‘In politics a week is like a year.’”

      “I thought that’s ‘A day is like a month.’”

      “You get the idea.”

      ¶ ¶ ¶

      “Councilwoman Cassie McClellan earned a rousing ovation today as the featured speaker at the Annual Professional Women’s Luncheon. Afterwards, she sat down with our Ben Hansen.”

      “I must say, Ms. McClellan, you really seemed to connect with your audience.”

      “Thanks, Ben, but I don’t think such enthusiasm was for me personally. It’s our ‘move-on-hands-off’ theme that hits home.”

      “You’re very modest.”

      “Just honest.”

      “Fair enough. Tell me, Ms. McClellan, for those listeners just getting to know you, where would you say you belong on the political