Read Online 5 - Choker: Ike Schwartz Mystery 5 by Frederick Ramsay - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Frederick Ramsay
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exercise thereof…’ Now, I understand that the two are often considered synonymous, and I am fully aware that the government has ruled that the ‘free exercise of religion’ may include satanism, Wicca, devil worship, and all kinds of other marginal religious practices. But having said that, I will also tell you, government poobahs, well-meaning school boards, and others, notwithstanding, evil is evil in any of its forms, and you run a risk when you trivialize it.”
“Mr. Fisher,” DiComo said, back to shaking his head, “I know your kind would like us to quiver in our boots at the thought of some old codger in a red union suit carrying a pitchfork and taking over our lives, but this is the twentieth century—”
“Twenty-first.”
“Right. As I was trying to say, nowadays we celebrate diversity, encourage inclusiveness, and, frankly, concepts of overarching evil and bogymen are, well, from another era.”
“So you will dismiss Columbine as the result of what…low self-esteem on the part of a few misguided young men? You have a responsibility to your students—”
“I am fully aware of my responsibilities, Mr. Fisher. You can hawk that line of gibberish from your pulpit, but in this school, we are of this century and this culture.” It was DiComo’s turn to get angry.
“Nazis,” Blake pressed on, “Skinheads, do you see a problem with them?”
“If we have any, appropriate action would be taken.”
“Because?”
“What do you mean? They are a negative influence—”
“Negative? How?”
“They represent…”
“What…evil? Mr. DiComo, you can’t have it both ways. There is evil in the world or there isn’t. You’ve read The Brothers Karamazov ?”
“That’s by…what’s his name…Tolstoy.”
“Dostoyevsky. Reread the conversations Ivan has with his ‘visitor’ and see if you share his conclusion. In the meantime, I and ‘my kind’ will persist in calling a spade a spade and give fair warning to those who insist there is a correct psychosocial answer even to questions that fall into an area, in which, by the way, they have no competence or understanding, that the world can be a dangerous place made more so by muddled thinking.”
Blake rose to go. “Sorry, Lanny, I thought I might help here, but I guess not.” Lanny studied his shoes. DiComo plastered a smug smile on his, by now, red face.
“Thank you for stopping by.”
Blake let himself out, Lanny close on his heels.
“Blake, wait a minute.” Blake slowed and took some deep breaths. ‘Look. I know the guy can come off sounding like a jerk, but he’s under a lot of pressure. I know the Starkeys have been on the phone about Sunday. She is the PTA’s president, and he heads up the booster club which, as you know, raises a lot of money for the football team. He wants you removed as coach, even.”
Blake stopped short. “Removed? Why on earth for?”
“He didn’t…well, you know how some people are…”
“No Lanny, how are some people?”
“He thought…um…ah…”
“He didn’t want some Holy Joe proselytizing the kids.”
“Something along those lines. See, most people don’t see what the problem is. You go on the Internet and half the sites that deal with Satanism, devil worship, are over the top on the terrible things they say and do. Baby-killing, cannibalism—stuff like that. And the other half is pretty reasonable articles about people’s rights and, you know, disclaimers about…well, anyway, the consensus is the whole business is a tempest in a tea pot.”
“The Internet? You look for truth and guidance on the Internet? Lanny, you might as well throw yourself under a bus. There is no screening on the Internet. You can post anything you want about any subject you want. You can start a website, a blog, and whatever you say will stand as gospel. Of course there are apologetics for all sorts of behavior. I can show you several advocating pederasty, bestiality and child abuse as a God-given
“Mr. Fisher,” DiComo said, back to shaking his head, “I know your kind would like us to quiver in our boots at the thought of some old codger in a red union suit carrying a pitchfork and taking over our lives, but this is the twentieth century—”
“Twenty-first.”
“Right. As I was trying to say, nowadays we celebrate diversity, encourage inclusiveness, and, frankly, concepts of overarching evil and bogymen are, well, from another era.”
“So you will dismiss Columbine as the result of what…low self-esteem on the part of a few misguided young men? You have a responsibility to your students—”
“I am fully aware of my responsibilities, Mr. Fisher. You can hawk that line of gibberish from your pulpit, but in this school, we are of this century and this culture.” It was DiComo’s turn to get angry.
“Nazis,” Blake pressed on, “Skinheads, do you see a problem with them?”
“If we have any, appropriate action would be taken.”
“Because?”
“What do you mean? They are a negative influence—”
“Negative? How?”
“They represent…”
“What…evil? Mr. DiComo, you can’t have it both ways. There is evil in the world or there isn’t. You’ve read The Brothers Karamazov ?”
“That’s by…what’s his name…Tolstoy.”
“Dostoyevsky. Reread the conversations Ivan has with his ‘visitor’ and see if you share his conclusion. In the meantime, I and ‘my kind’ will persist in calling a spade a spade and give fair warning to those who insist there is a correct psychosocial answer even to questions that fall into an area, in which, by the way, they have no competence or understanding, that the world can be a dangerous place made more so by muddled thinking.”
Blake rose to go. “Sorry, Lanny, I thought I might help here, but I guess not.” Lanny studied his shoes. DiComo plastered a smug smile on his, by now, red face.
“Thank you for stopping by.”
Blake let himself out, Lanny close on his heels.
“Blake, wait a minute.” Blake slowed and took some deep breaths. ‘Look. I know the guy can come off sounding like a jerk, but he’s under a lot of pressure. I know the Starkeys have been on the phone about Sunday. She is the PTA’s president, and he heads up the booster club which, as you know, raises a lot of money for the football team. He wants you removed as coach, even.”
Blake stopped short. “Removed? Why on earth for?”
“He didn’t…well, you know how some people are…”
“No Lanny, how are some people?”
“He thought…um…ah…”
“He didn’t want some Holy Joe proselytizing the kids.”
“Something along those lines. See, most people don’t see what the problem is. You go on the Internet and half the sites that deal with Satanism, devil worship, are over the top on the terrible things they say and do. Baby-killing, cannibalism—stuff like that. And the other half is pretty reasonable articles about people’s rights and, you know, disclaimers about…well, anyway, the consensus is the whole business is a tempest in a tea pot.”
“The Internet? You look for truth and guidance on the Internet? Lanny, you might as well throw yourself under a bus. There is no screening on the Internet. You can post anything you want about any subject you want. You can start a website, a blog, and whatever you say will stand as gospel. Of course there are apologetics for all sorts of behavior. I can show you several advocating pederasty, bestiality and child abuse as a God-given
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