Rising Above: Anni's Campaign Against Intolerance

Anni runs for city council

The next day, Anni returned to her job at the library, feeling somewhat down but reminding herself that her current situation was part of a research project rather than something she could single-handedly fix. About an hour after the library opened, a large group of people walked in. Anni felt a surge of apprehension, but her worry dissipated when she noticed the woman leading the group wearing a broad smile.

"Hi, Miss Anni, I'm Marie Holtman, or should I call you Doctor?" Marie greeted warmly. "Anni is fine," she replied. Marie then gestured to the small crowd behind her and explained, "We just wanted you to know that not everyone in this city is like that crowd in City Hall last night. Many of us have been bullied by Pastor Vic and his cronies and are sick and tired of it, but we've never had a voice to stand up to them until now. You were brilliant last night, and the whole city is talking about it. Have you seen the paper this morning?"

"I haven't," Anni admitted. Someone handed her a copy, and there, on the front page, was a picture of Anni titled, "Librarian Takes on the Good Old Boys of City Hall." Marie then broached the subject of public office, asking, "Have you ever thought about running for public office?"

"What do you mean?" Anni responded, taken aback. Marie elaborated, "I mean that in four weeks, there is going to be a vote to replace a member of the city council who is retiring, and we would like you to run for that position."

Anni looked shocked. She confessed that she had only taken the library position as part of her research into book bans in Florida. A woman in the back approached Anni with tears in her eyes, pleading, "Please, Anni, you are the person we need to make change happen in our city. My son came out as gay last year. He was bullied at school, and when he sought information and support, he found none. Pastor Vic pressured us to send him to conversion therapy to 'fix' him. He came out of the experience broken, and a week later, he committed suicide."

The woman embraced Anni, crying on her shoulder, and implored her to help. Anni whispered to her in French, "Toutes mes condoléances pour votre perte" ("I'm so sorry for your loss"). Marie, overhearing, asked if Anni was French. Anni confirmed it, explaining that while she was born in France like her mother, she held dual citizenship due to her mother becoming an American citizen before Anni's birth.

Marie then asked if Anni was a registered voter, to which Anni affirmed. "Republican or Democrat?" Marie inquired. "I'm registered as independent," Anni replied. Marie smiled, remarking, "Excellent, so you're middle of the road. How about religion? Are you Christian?"

"I was raised Catholic," Anni answered. "Interesting," Marie commented, "I don't think that will be an issue. So, will you consider running for City Council?"

"I probably don't have a chance of winning a seat on the City Council, but I'll give it my best," Anni replied humbly. The room erupted with cheers, prompting Anni to remind them, "Excuse me, this is a library; please keep it down," eliciting chuckles from the crowd.

Marie assisted Anni with registering at the elections office and with her campaign. Anni couldn't help but admire Marie's enthusiasm and involvement in her community. In two weeks, a debate would be held at City Hall for those vying for the City Council position. Anni prepared diligently, treating it as though she were studying for a critical exam.

Time passed quickly, and soon Anni found herself sitting in front of the City Council alongside a hand-picked friend of Pastor Vic and his wife, Grace. Pastor Vic wasted no time in using his position and connections with local law enforcement to conduct a background check on Anni. Armed with this information, he confronted her during the debate.

"Says here you were born in France," Pastor Vic declared. Anni confirmed, explaining, "Yes, both my mother and I were born in France, and my father was born in Washington State." Pastor Vic seized on this, asserting, "Well, as a non-citizen and possibly an illegal, you aren't eligible to run for office."

The white nationalist members of the audience erupted in cheers of "America First," but Anni swiftly corrected them, informing the crowd that her father was a citizen and her mother had obtained her American citizenship before Anni's birth, making her an American citizen with dual citizenship with France.

Anni then swiftly pointed out the historical significance of the term "America First," referencing the America First Committee that advocated for National isolationism prior to World War II. A voice from the crowd interjected, questioning the issue with isolationism. Anni responded by highlighting how the America First Committee's stance during WWII exerted significant pressure to refrain from involvement as Europe fell to Nazi occupation. It wasn't until the attack on Pearl Harbor that the United States entered the war. Four days after Pearl Harbor, the America First Committee acknowledged their misjudgment and disbanded.

Another voice from the crowd challenged the contributions of France, asking, "What have the French ever done for us?" Anni anticipated this line of questioning and swiftly countered. She reminded the audience of France's crucial support during the American Revolution, citing instances like Benjamin Franklin seeking assistance in France and the contribution of Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, who designed the Statue of Liberty. Anni then addressed France's position on the Iraq War, explaining that while France did not support the invasion due to a lack of evidence of weapons of mass destruction, they still supported the U.S. and its allies by deploying 18,000 troops, constituting the second-largest European contingent in the conflict.

Anni's opponent, a friend of Pastor Vic, began his campaign speech echoing many of former President Trump's talking points. "We need to close our open borders to keep out the violent criminals and illegals that are rigging our elections!" he shouted. "We need to pass laws preventing them from voting."

Anni swiftly responded, reiterating facts she had previously shared. She pointed out that according to the Department of Justice, U.S. citizens are actually twice as likely to commit violent crimes as compared to non-citizens. Additionally, she highlighted that extensive investigations conducted by conservative-led committees had found only a handful of instances of non-citizen voting, and those votes had been blocked and not counted in the 2020 election.

Anni further clarified that there are existing laws in place preventing non-citizens from voting in state and federal elections. However, non-citizens may be eligible to vote in some local elections, such as school board elections. This nuance may contribute to the misconception that non-citizens are swaying elections. Anni's factual rebuttal effectively countered her opponent's claims and shed light on the reality of the situation

The challenger fell silent as Anni's well-researched and articulate response left no room for further debate.

Next up the election.