— But there are elections. You can choose another caste.
Jella made a characteristic gesture, slamming the palm of her left hand on the bend of the right elbow, and then explained:
— Not a chance in hell. The caste permeates the whole management structure and all channels of media. Elections are arranged so that only the members of the caste have a chance. I personally know only one proven way to change that.
— The Aluminium Revolution?
— Yes, this one.
— So — continued the reporter — the objective of the Aluminum Revolution has been to make sure no one can decide for people what’s better for them?
— Yeah. And if someone does try to decide, they will be executed or deported, depending on the circumstances.
— Got it. I think we got to the bottom of the case, eh?
— Yo — Jella nodded energetically .
— In this case, help me resolve the dilemma with the rights of citizens. Citizens can in fact resort to street actions, if their rights are violated?
— Of course.
— Here, — continued Sekar — a group of citizens came out to the streets demanding an end to discrimination based on their religious and moral convictions. What's wrong with that?
— Be specific with their requirements. What do the banners say?
— As I recalclass="underline" Stop the humiliation of faith. Down with the cult of depravity.
— Well, where do they see discrimination? If they do not like how someone talks about their faith, that is their problem, and depravity — the Charter could not care less about that.
— But their statements explain they are subjected to discrimination as a social group.
— Bullshit — she snapped — only individuals can be discriminated. None of these dudes was personally limited in rights compared with other people.
— Are you sure?
— Absolutely. No social profile even contains the column "religion". This is a private matter, as much as digestion.
— Speaking of digestion — he said — what about schools?
— What do you mean?
— Human biology lessons. Some religions consider them unacceptable.
Jella snorted.
— Bro, this issue has been clarified eight years ago in the Oscar case. According to the Charter, the school exists to give young people the skills and relevant knowledge about nature, man and society. To accomplish this, one has to show the properties of the human body. If some religions have a taboo on it...
— Then what should its believers do? — interrupted Sekar.
— It is their problem. What if someone considers the multiplication table obscene?
— But this is religious discrimination, do you agree?
— No. If one has holes in their matriculation certificate , their problem is lack of knowledge, not religion. The Oscar family referred to the practice of the countries that do not teach what is considered unacceptable in their religion, but the court explained that it is contrary to the Charter.
— How so?
— Because they demanded to restrict the rights of the other students, not to get more rights for themselves. An obviously destructive requirement. See?
Sekar scratched his head.
— I'm not sure. Do you have a reverse example on the same topic?
— Easily. The Chinese and school swimming pools. When we signed a friendship agreement with China, half a million families came to Meganesia. Then, surprise: most of their kids can’t swim, and the ocean here is for kids ... well, you know.
— You bet! — agreed the reporter — no school picnic is complete without it.
— The Chinese have established parent committees, and threw complaints all over: why do sports lessons not teach swimming? Observe the Charter! Before that, it didn’t occur to anyone, as our children generally learn to swim before they walk, but not these kids. Swimming is a relevant skill, and the school should therefore be obliged to teach it.
— So the pools were created for the Chinese immigrants?
— Exactly.
— So — concluded Sekar — they wanted something for themselves, and this is constructive?
— Yo!
— Got it. Now let me tell this in my own way, and can correct me.
— Go ahead, — she said, reaching for the sake .
7. The rules are for the man, not the man for the rules
The reporter followed her example, and opened up:
— A child comes back from a Communist meeting. His father asks: what do they want? The son replies: they want there to be no rich. Father replies in surprise: why don’t they want there to be no poor?
— Well — mused Jella — something like that. Idee fixe, a procedure for its own sake.
— You lost me here.
— It's elementary, Malik! Take the school pools. There was a committee, "Our Family", which demanded to keep them closed during recess. Teenagers didn’t want to deal with wet clothes and many went swimming naked. The Committee argued it is immoral, and human rights should be constrained by requirements of morality. The court said that even if morality has such a requirement, that is not fair.
— And how to determine whether something is fair?
— The Court went with Plato’s argument: Justice is the system under which every person fully realizes their natural potential.
— The rules are for the man, not the man for the rules?
Jella clapped her hands in approval.
— Yo! Any other interpretation would be against the Charter.
— Clearly — Sekar nodded — One more question. You're judging the case of police negligence?
— Yes, why?
— Of course, I understand that before the decision of the court ...
— Bullshit — she interrupted — I can share personal views with the press. Ready?
— Of course. I'm all ears.
— Let’s see. Ideally, riots should be stopped immediately, but the ideal would cost more than the police is funded with. The police is required to eliminate the usual threats to citizens and report unusual cases of social tension. It did escalate the risk of riots concerning the "Children of troglodytes". Everyone could have taken action, but no one did. Seven buildings were destroyed in ten minutes, and then the emergency reaction group interfered and has stopped the pogroms. Ten minutes is within their standard terms of service.
— But at the Gandhi Square, where the rally against the "troglodytes children" took place, there were three police officers, they had ...
— What should have they done? — interrupted Jella — open fire at the crowd? Can you imagine the results?
— But the "emergencies" did open fire right away.
— Well, they handle emergencies. They are trained whom and how to shoot during the riots. Why do you think the casualties were minimal?
Sekar thought for a few seconds and said:
— Are you saying that if those three police officers opened fire...
— Massacre — again interrupted Jella — a burst of machine gun fire at a thick crowd would mean several people dead or injured. And one salvo would not be enough.
— So I understand, the police acted appropriately?
— Let's just say satisfactorily. Of course, in hindsight, you can think of a lot of things, but no one expected those crazies would dare to do pogroms. Indeed, the handling of the “swine riots” sent a clear message: this is not Europe, there will be no ceremony in handling the fanatics.
— And who will pay the damages?