Media Matters

This story is part of an ongoing series.

The chronological order of my stories is listed in WifeWatchman's biography, which is currently not updating. Stories after Music Box Dancer are:

Return To Apple Grove, Media Matters.

Feedback and

constructive

criticism is very much appreciated, and I encourage feedback for ideas.

This story contains graphic scenes, language and actions that might be extremely offensive to some people. These scenes, words and actions are used only for the literary purposes of this story. The author does not condone murder, racial language, violence, rape or violence against women, and any depictions of any of these in this story should not be construed as acceptance of the above.

Part 7 - Winners and (Media) Losers

"And it's a photo finish!" shouted the radio announcer into the ears of the County. "Todd Burke has won by less than one yard over Tom Usagi! An amazing end to an amazing race!"

Todd had not stopped, and his momentum carried him through the Fairgrounds and almost to the River before he circled back. Tom Usagi didn't get as far, and went to the ground. Medics hurried over with oxygen. Todd stopped next to him and extended his hand, and Usagi allowed himself to be helped back to his feet. They congratulated each other as they both took in oxygen.

I went with others up to them and congratulated Tom first. "Outstanding race, kid." I said. "Next year, Wildcats will rule,

neh?

"

"Yes sir." said Tom with a grin.

"Good grief, Uncle Don," said Todd with his brilliant grin, "don't give him any incentive. Ten more yards and I was beat."

"You can thank the much-better-looking half of your team for that." I said as Teresa came up to us. "She opened up that lead like someone left the gate open."

"Great race, Tom." Teresa said, shaking Tom's hand. "I'll have to get this guy in better shape for next year." She patted Todd's tummy with the back of her hand. Todd grinned and hugged his wife.

Meanwhile, I went back to the finish line. The Takaki Clan team had come in 11th place, which was not bad at all. They bowed to me as I came up.

"Very good race, guys." I said, bowing back. "A very honorable finish."

"I could not agree more, Don-san." said Takaki Misaki, coming up behind me, with the FBI former DepDirector next to him. As his children bowed to him, it suddenly occurred to me that not only was Misaki-san exposing himself in Public, standing next to the DepDirector like this was an intolerable security situation. I then noticed the young Japanese men in suits and ties, wearing sunglasses, situated all around. Still...

"Gentlemen," I said quietly, "I think we need to find you two a more secure place to be if you're going to stand together like this." Your Iron Crowbar exhibited no fear in telling two of the most powerful men in the world those, for their own safety's sake.

"Ah so, Don-san." said Misaki. "Yes, my children, let us move along." He and Nagamasa and Mariko moved towards the Fairgrounds, escorted by the entourage of Japanese men in suits.

"I'll wait with you for Laura and Melina." said the DepDirector. "How were they doing?"

He would soon find out. Laura was waiting for Melina near the finish line, and we went up to her. "How was it? I asked.

"Harder than I thought it would be." Laura replied, still recovering and drinking Powerade. "Melina was in great shape, though. I really let her down."

"You're almost fifteen years older than she is." I said. " I think you hung in there very well."

Are you calling me 'old', mister?" Laura asked, causing the DepDirector to laugh. "It's going to be the couch with Bowser for you tonight."

"No way. Carole will never allow Bowser to be punished in that fashion." I said. "Oh, here comes Melina."

Melina and Laura finished in 37th place. Not bad for an 'old' lady, I thought to myself... but did not say out loud. As they say, when you're in a hole, the first thing to do is 'stop digging'.

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

The Mayor presided over the awarding of medals. First came the wheelchair racers. After giving out gold, silver, and bronze metals, the Mayor then said "And on behalf of the Ladies Auxiliary, we have a special citation for Tanya Perlman, who worked hard to organized the wheelchair division and add it to our day of races. It's been a huge success, and we'll be doing it again in coming years." The crowd applauded loudly as the Mayor gave Tanya (who was now in her normal wheelchair) a framed citation. Then came the regular race medals.

And then things went to shit. And if you guessed that the reason for that was because of the rabidly corrupt Media, you guessed right.

The winners weren't even off the podium when the Press began surging towards Teresa and Todd. Police began moving in to push them back when Brian Jennings shouted "Captain Croyle, what do you think of your boss having a child out of wedlock with Paulina Patterson?"

People in the audience gasped. Mrs. Myrtle L. Lames was scandalized... at the Media's bad manners. But Teresa handled it with her usual aplomb... well, more like her old 'Teresa Cunt' aplomb: "Okay, everyone come in real close, so I only have to say this once." she said. Microphones were pushed into her face as the Press quietened down in eager anticipation of what she was going to say.

"I just need to know," Teresa said loudly, "which one of you reporters is going to try to murder Tasha Troy-Patterson. Your colleague John Hardwood tried to murder Commander Troy's other daughter Carole, so I'm wondering which one of you is going to try to kill Tasha. Please let me know now, so I can bust your ass before I have to get hurt rescuing Commander Troy's daughter... again."

The Press fell silent, and fell back, totally stunned by Teresa's association of them with Hardwood, as well as her implication of the nature of their attacks. Unappeasable hatred was written all over their collective face.

Tom Usagi was loving it. He'd burst out laughing, then he said "That's awesome!" He fist bumped Teresa as he said "Good one, ma'am." Teresa's eyes glinted as she turned back to the Press, silently challenging them to try to fuck with her again.

And citizens in the area began heckling the Press... and worse. The Mood of the Electorate was beginning to get ugly, as some people began chanting "SNN sucks! SNN sucks!" and others yelled "Go home Bettina! Go home Bettina!" Police, who had come forward to protect Teresa, now had to protect the Press and get them out of potential danger.

Strangely enough... the Press did not try to speak to me at all...

Part 8 - Pushback

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Fox Two News!" shouted the redheaded reporterette, anger in her voice, at 7:00am, Friday, July 6th. "Fox Two News has learned that Judge Anthony Howell has denied KCTY's motion to dismiss Commander Donald Troy's specious libel lawsuit!"

Bettina: "KCTY issued a retraction of their report that Commander Troy had been making illegal campaign contributions to District Attorney candidate Paulina Patterson, but the judge disregarded that entirely. He stated that the retraction only came after Commander Troy had filed the lawsuit, and that a retraction was not enough to undo the damage that KCTY was apparently intentionally trying to do to Commander Troy."

"KCTY also asked for a new judge in the case, saying that Judge Howell was biased," continued Bettina, "but Judge Howell denied the motion and set a date of July 11th for making opening motions. KXTC joins with many other Media outlets in condemning Judge Howell's rulings, which we believe are nothing short of an attack upon the First Amendment freedoms of the Press."

Of course, I thought to myself, the Media will always say they're never at fault. It has to be the judge's fault, or my fault. See what the Media does, there?

"In other news," said Bettina, "Paulina Patterson made her first appearance yesterday since the story broke that her child Tasha was fathered by Commander Donald Troy. She was flanked by Sheriff candidate Antonio Griswold and legendary singer and rapper T-Square. Patterson stated that she had no regrets, and that attacks on her through her child were malicious and politically motivated."

Actually, I thought to myself, Paulina had said the attacks

by the Press

were malicious and politically motivated, but Bettina had left that out. See what Bettina did there?

Bettina went on: "And Commander Donald Troy is once again stymied by a crime, as there are no new leads nor information on the case of the murder of BigAgraFoods CEO Lloyd Feingold. In a related story, BigAgraFoods's Board of Directors is meeting today in the City, and they are expected to name company president Mitt Bain Willis as Interim CEO as they initiate a search for a permanent CEO. Mr. Willis declined to take the CEO role permanently, as he has not made a secret of his desire to defeat U.S. Senator Richard Nunn for the Senate seat in just over two years."

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

"Think the 'drive-by' Media is going to drop this crap attacking your daughter, Commander?" asked Theo Washington, fulfilling his role as Rudistan's successor for starting trouble at the coffee klatch.

"I don't know." I said. "As long as the story is driving ratings, they won't drop it. If their goal is to harm Paulina's chances to win the D.A. race, they'll stop only after achieving that goal."

"I know it's folly to disagree with the Iron Crowbar," Cindy Ross bravely said, "but I'm not seeing it that way. After the way Teresa ripped them yesterday, I could see that they're taking this one personally. This one is about

you

, Don, and to them it's personal."

"Man stood up and not only acknowledged his child, he embraced her." Jerome Davis said sourly. "Gonna be hard to keep attacking Commander Troy -OR- his child when it's obvious they can't induce guilt in him."

"We'll see." I said. "I heard a rumor that T-Square is going to have something to say about it..."

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

"This is Priya Ajmani with SNN!" shouted the lovely Indian reporterette from in front of the Courthouse complex at 8:00am, Friday July 6th. "There is a growing backlash against the attacks upon Commander Donald Troy and Paulina Patterson for having a child together out of wedlock!"

"Public Policy Polling over the last three days has revealed that Commander Troy's popularity ratings have actually gone

up

!" Priya said. "We have Karl Frazier of Public Policy Polling here. Karl, how can it be that a man cheats on his wife and has a baby out of wedlock actually sees his ratings go up?"

"Priya," said Karl, "in the first place, Commander Troy is the only person who is not running for any office that we actually do polling upon, and that is because of constant Media requests for the information. Second, what we've found is that most people seeing him not deny his daughter but embracing her as his child was a very strong positive factor for him."

"As to the adultery part of it," continued Frazier, "his wife has been the Professor of Sexual Psychology at the University for years, and she told everyone she and her husband have an open relationship. Women's Groups have very strongly associated that with a woman's right to choose and a woman's right to decide freely for herself, and see the attacks on this situation as an attempt to impose moralism on women and suppress women's rights."

"Are any groups upset with this at all?" Priya asked.

"The Christian Far Right was strongly negative about the adultery portion, but even they were mixed when it came to Commander Troy acknowledging his parentage of his child and financially taking care of her." said Frazier.

"What are the D.A. race poll numbers?" asked Priya.

"Paulina Patterson has taken a hit." said Frazier. "Our early spot polling, with a margin of error of five points, is Miriam Walters at 36%, Patterson at 30%, Stiles at 24%, Krasney at 5%, and 5% undecided..."

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

The women of the talk show 'Point Taken' filed into the studio: Rosie Berkmar, Donna Roselle, Ruby Russell, Zara Zeigler, and Connie Chen. Zara was a pretty woman, white with very long, very straight, light brown hair. Connie was Asian, and married to a high level executive at KSB. Only Ruby Russell, daughter of U.S. Senator Samuel Russell, was not outright leftist, and she was a very moderate, pro-Establishment Republican that hated Val Jared and Commander Troy (like her father, U.S. Senator Samuel Russell).

"Weeee arrrrrre LIVE!" shouted out Rosie Berkmar over the applause of the all-female audience in the City. "Today, we have a very special and surprise guest, a true superstar and a blockbuster figure nationwide; ergo, this is not taped, this is a live show!" Applause from the audience.

"Okay, the big news story is once again in the northwest corner of our State," said Connie, acting as moderator. "Candidate for the District Attorney position, Paulina Patterson, has a two year old daughter, Tasha. It broke that Tasha was fathered by Commander Donald Troy of the Town & County Police Force."

Connie went on: "There are so many stories wound through this that it's like a Gordian knot. Ms. Patterson is black, and Commander Troy is white. Ms. Patterson has been accused of treason against her race by being an Assistant D.A. and prosecuting blacks, which some say were arrested by the TCPD for racial reasons rather than actual criminal reasons. Commander Troy is under investigation by the Independent State Counsel for helping Governor Val Jared harass two women who brought

very credible

claims of sexual harassment against the Governor, and now he's fathered a child out of wedlock. So... let's go around the horn on some of these things."

"First of all," said Zara Zeigler, "I want to put the part about Commander Troy's wife and the out-of-wedlock child to bed, pun not intended." The audience laughed, then Zara went on: "His wife is Dr. Laura Fredricson, who has appeared on this show several times. She's head of the Department of Psychology at the University, she's known and celebrated nationwide as the 'sex professor'."

"We've talked a ton of times," said Zara calmly, "about a woman's right to choose, about women's choices and women's freedoms, women's relationships and privacy, and women's sexual choices. Dr. Fredricson and her husband have chosen to have an open relationship. She came out and said she can't have any more children due to a hysterectomy, that she was aware of her husband's liaison with Ms. Patterson, and that she loves her husband's child as she loves her own. So the 'out-of-wedlock' narrative, while technically true, isn't going to fly with me."

"My problem with that," said Ruby Russell, "is that Commander Troy is a Police Officer and should have a higher moral standard. He's put himself on a pedestal of sanctimonious, holier-than-thou morality, then shows he's not up to that standard himself."

"By

whose

moral standard?" said Zara with some fierceness in her voice. "That is the problem. I am so sick of sanctimonious Republicans and far right Christians whining about moral standards! It's not their place to dictate to Dr. Fredricson what kind of relationship she has with her husband!" Loud applause broke out at that. Connie moved on to Rosie Berkmar, not giving Ruby Russell any chance to reply.

Rosie said "I do hope that Dr. Fredricson did know about her husband's relationship with Paulina Patterson, and that Dr. Fredricson is not having to stand by her husband as he humiliates her, as many politicians have done to their wives."

This was Rosie's shot at Ruby, whose father had humiliated her mother by being caught consorting with prostitutes. (

Author's note: 'Pink Panther', Ch. 04.

) Ruby didn't flinch, nor did she respond at the moment. Rosie continued: "But I think there are other, far more important issues, such as Commander Troy's integrity and his treatment of women."

Connie said "Donna, don't even try to call Commander Troy a racist, here. But what I want to know is how Paulina expects to win anything now that this sordid secret is out."

"Oh, come on!" interjected Zara. "Baby Tasha is not a 'sordid secret'. She's a child, a human being." Applause burst out. Zara was 'winning' today.

Connie said "Point taken, Zara. What I meant to ask was how the sordid affair is going to affect Paulina Patterson's chances in her District Attorney race."

"She's lost the White Christian vote." said Ruby Russell.

"She's lost the Black vote, too." said Donna Roselle. "If she ever had it to begin with."

"We have a special guest today," said Connie, "a resident of the Town & County, but an international superstar. Would you please welcome the legendary rapper, T-Square!"

There was strong applause as T-Square came out, wearing a suit with a light purple shirt and a more pure purple tie, and his trademark sunglasses (which he needed because of the bright studio lights). He sat down in the middle, flanked by the women of 'Point Taken'.

"I'll just ask this, T-Square: how's it going to go down?" asked Connie.

"Ladies, I'm going to shock you with my answer," said T-Square, "but this has to be said. It is time for all men, black men and white men, to step up and take responsibility for their children. Donald Troy stepped up."

The audience gave a big "Whoaaaaa!" and then T-Square continued: "He took care of his child financially. He did not flinch and deny his child, but took responsibility for her, and proudly claimed her as his own. He has set an example that I would like to see all men, Black, White, Latino, and everything else, do more of. Gentlemen, take responsibility for your kids."

Some in the audience applauded, and strongly. Some of the women of 'Point Taken' were stunned. "But T-Square..." gasped Ruby Russell, groping for words, "what about the adultery? What about Commander Troy cheating on his wife?"

"Did you not hear his wife's own words?" replied T-Square. "How is it 'cheating', if she not only knew, but accepted what was going on? And it's her business, not ours. Why are you even talking about Dr. Fredricson? She's a college professor, not a candidate for D.A."

"Speaking of that," said Donna Roselle, "Commander Troy's racist actions, such as shooting up a Park with a helicopter, cannot be excused. And Chief Griswold approves of what Troy has done, and wants to be Sheriff to cover for Troy. Doesn't Troy's actions in fathering a child out of wedlock not show how untrustworthy he is, and how dangerous it would be to elect Griswold Sheriff?" There was a smattering of brief applause in the audience.

"Of course Police brutality against People of Color is a huge issue in America today." said T-Square, which generated more applause. "No one has seen and been subject to that abuse more than me. And Jasmine Nix died as she was releasing an album addressing just that very issue of Police power and brutality."

"But on the other side..." T-Square went on, " when I find Police Officers standing up for Justice, when I find men working hard to be fair to people of all races, I must give them credit where due. Commander Troy is no racist. He has cleaned that Police Force up, and has made sure his Police Force is now very fair to persons of all ethnicities in his Town & County. He has done more than you know to wipe out racial hatred against People of Color. And Chief Griswold is no racist, either."

"Do you really believe Donald Troy is not a racist?" exploded Donna Roselle. "He's harassed women on behalf of Governor Val Jared, who is the most racist Governor in the history of this Nation!" The audience applauded very strongly at that one.

"We should call out racism when we see it," said T-Square, "but only when it is truly there. And I say unto you all that we need more men like Commander Donald Troy, and fewer men like Val Jared."