MapleSAP Special: Hackers
Part 6: Hatred and Intolerance/ Kerning City’s Political Storm

[“…today I signed this bill, that will ensure interreligious tolerance throughout Kerning City, effective immediately…as a fast-growing diverse peopulation, we must learn to tolerate one another…and that will begin with strict rules that govern churches’ attitudes towards eachother and all followers. Any religious institution that promotes a hostile act or policy that violates the new bill will be stripped of its operating license indefinately….”]
— recorded quotes of Mayor Rob Jackleton, KCTV, September 21, 1977

On September 21, 1977, Kerning City’s mayor Rob Jackleton signed the Interreligious Tolerance Bill 77 forcing religious organizations throughout Kerning City to cease all operations and elminate all policies that non-participants viewed as hostile. Churches were no longer allowed to send out aggressive recruiters who would clash with members of another church. Simply pit, IrTB-77 forbids any religious clashing whatsoever, and provides strict penalities.

The bill was first proposed when members of an evangelical Christian organazation set fire to a magicians’ church.
The same organization was also under investigation for psychological child abuse at the time.
The number of incidents where people were harassed by religious members was on a steep rise, and lead to assaults, vandalism, kidnapping, and such.
For eight months, the bill was in hot debate by the city senate and council before it finally passed and reached the Mayor’s desk.

When IrTB-77 became law, three major organizations were shut down: the Kerning chapter of the Jalonska Church,
the Naples Valley Amish Legion (who collaborated with gangs and thugs to coerce people into joining), and the Pure Light’s Evangelical Union. All three religious companies promoted violence, harassment, terrorism, even murder; much of the crimes were committed when the groups clashed with eachother.
After the new legislation was approved by the feds in Orbis, Kerning City police, and the GMs stormed the churches and buildings of all three groups, and arrested over 31 wanted suspects, some of who were at large for nearly 20 years.
As the cops went cleaning up other organizations’ acts, numerous pedofiles, conspirators, and others were bagged in the years to come.
In the group of 31, 17 were booked with medium charges and sentenced to 5-15 years. Major criminals, such as the Jalonska Church’s Disciple Edward Jhonas and his workers were accused of organizing attacks on other churches. Frollo Manshata of the NVAL was accused of ordering the Pumpkintown murders. (1967, the NVAL hired the X-tian gang to destroy the small suburb for not turning land over to the NVAL and converting to their way of life).
The Light Seven (highest administration council) of the PLEU were all convicted for terrorism when they set off chemical weapons in 7ung-Hwang.
Jhonas was found guilty for 17 of the 24 charges against him. Manshata was convicted in 1981, but he appealed. He was tried again in federal court. Manshata was sentenced to death. The members of the PLEU were found guilty of multiple murders that plagued the NBNC’s Rivershore children’s reserve.

IrTB-77 also lead to arrests and convictions for magician leader Jakk Dalzi who lead the retaliatory assault against the PLEU, hacker preacher John Hope for his crusade against the NVAL.

Most of the victims who were killed were hackers, believe it or not. the three radical organizations known as the ‘Evil Trio’ by the media and rival churches, waged much of their holy wars against the SEA Landers and their hackers. They had the funding and hired anyone who would kill ‘the devil’s vermin’. Up until the bill was passed, nearly 2000 SEA Landers died at the hands of these fanatics.
In 1978 after the fall of the Jalonska Church, NVAL, and PLEU, the City Religon Administration (as established by the bill) called a conference for every religious leader in the area. It was at this conference that a treaty of peace was signed between the leaders.

Passing of the IrTB-77 is perhaps one of the city’s proudest events, and served as an example of peace.
The men and women who conjured up the ideas that would become law were all awarded the 1978 Minerva’s Bell award.
However, everyone sobered up when the six men and women were shot dead at a tavern in Ellinia. It was never confirmed who was responsible for the murders, but everyone knew that the organizations who lost their power and influence weren’t about to give up.

As the years passed, the fanatics gained new ground as they weaved their way into corporate or political power in Kerning City. The 1980’s and 1990’s saw numerous failed attempts to veto the TrTB-77 bill. In 1981, the NVAL was re-granted it’s operating license. The PLEU established their new base; a town called Hansworth, just two miles beyond the Kerning regional border to the south, and in 1983, the Jalonska Church picked up intense momentum after the Food Uprising in Henesys, but they did not re-apply for their church license in Kerning city until 1991.
In 1995, the bill was under the axe again, despite intense protests outside the city hall. The council denied cutting the bill in a 46-54 vote. In October, the same veto was denied but by an even closer 51-49 vote.
In press conferences, the city councilmen said they voted against eliminating the bill because the people of the city, who always witness the result of government/corporate decisions firsthand.
Two years later, PLEU members Donny Williams and Jake Harper, and others from Henesys were arrested by police for attemptimg to assassinate members of the city’s democratic and liberal parties who strongly supported the bill.

November 1997 saw Kerning City’s stormiest political event since 1941 (when the municipal governer and council refused to turn control of the city over to the Sino Army). The right wingers and their supporters once again failed to bring down IrTB-77 in a damn close 50-50 vote. 13 members of the city councillors were representatives from the SEA Lander community, and feared the safety of hundreds would be compromised if this bill fell.
Then the mayor, Brian Brown, declared an election, and things heated up. While nobody was looking, Mayor Brown and several councilmen rushed a piece of legislation past the city senate (which was in a storm at this point) that forbade religious involvement in government affairs. The law, dubbed ‘FairSaver’ was signed by Brown himself and announced the next day, before the election.

[“…We interrupt this music program to bring you breaking news! With less than 17 hours to go before tomorrow’s election, Mayor Brown, backed by 47 of the 82 council members announced the FairSaver Bill, which Brown signed this morning at 4:18 local time, and passed into law by 6:35. FairSaver, an attatchment to IrTB-77, forbids religious influence and involvement in government operations and affairs. The new law states, ‘It is illegal for any leading and influential member of any religious organization to participate in any role of government’. This drastic action by Mayor Brown was made in response to last week’s almost successful attempt to scrap the bill that has been keeping religious groups from fighting for 30 years…..”] Maple Radio Kerning City

Outrage. Massive outrage among the hardcore conservatives and fanatics was the instant result of this broadcast that was aired on all of the city’s radio stations at 7:14 in the morning.
Despite their victory, the activists had to fend for them selves in the face of the angry mobs. Riots ensued as mobs of furious people marched into the Azn districts and they proceeded to take out their aggression on the Permanoobs and hackers, who they believe were responsible for the sequence of actions that kept the law in place.
The Justice Arrow was on the scene with it’s leaders including Dan Jalonska pep talking the members of the angered groups, who formed a union and attacked.
Magicians and even innocent civillians were not safe from the repeated attacks over the next two weeks.

The rioting and attacks lasted for a week before the Maple Peace Corps moved in to help the KCP restore order. The Justice Arrow and their newfound allies retreated to southern Victoria.

[“..This is KLON Radio 97.1. We take you live to City Hall for a speech of outgoing mayor Brian Brown….,,,…
…”My fellow citizens. In the wake of the last week’s events, I regret to inform you that I am stepping down as mayor. I planned to run again and hold a more steady election following the disaster we faced as a result of the FairSaver Bill. I rushed this bill into law in a bid to fix this government and to see to it that the rights and freedoms of everyone in Kerning City are protected by a body that is not influenced by one-sided religious organizations. Time and time again, the representatives and city councillers who are supported by and support the religious organizations have tried to destroy Rob Jackleton’s Interreligious Tolerance Bill of 1977. Let me tell you about this bill and why they wanted to remove it from law so bad….On September 21, 1977, the Kerning City Council and municipal senate approved this bill that put an end to the religious conflicts that threatened the stability of this region. One of the immedate changes was the decline in violence and crimes following the arrests, trials and convictions of criminals who only sought power.
The fanatic groups were stripped of their permits and ceased all activity. Over the last 30 years, we have enjoyed peace and prosperity as the cities in this region grew and continue to grow. Victorians and SEA Landers have gained much progress in coming to accept eachother. We have become aware of the communities of non-violent peaveful law abiding hackers who are pretty much no different than you and me. They have their issues and have developed ways to overcome their own challenges. Kerning is a model city not for Victoria, but perhaps for the whole country.

“I understand that I, or my colleagues involved did not disclose any information on the progress of this new bill because our then opponents would have put a halt to it. The minute I signed the FairSaver Act, I knew I was taking a big risk. This bill would be a milestone of peace against war. In the wake of the signing, I thought my plan would save lives. The mobs of evengelical fanatics suceeded in killing more than 460 people and injuring many more in the last week as a result of my actions. For the deaths of the innocent, I deeply apologize from the bottom of my heart to relatives and loved ones of the victims of this latest religious based crime in our history. I wanted a government who’s objectives were to maintain and ensure the growth and productivity of this city and the well being of everyone in it, not a one-sided body who would only seek control over the people they can manipulate, and the destruction of those who they oppose. I am resigning from my position as mayor, effective immediately and leave the position to my assistant, Vice Mayor Lena Roskoe. Thank you, and good night”,,……..”]

Brian Brown left Kerning City that night and hasnt been heard from since. Despite his best effort, he will possibly be targeted by the organizations he defied in the city hall. If the FairSaver bill fails the examination in Orbis, he could face major jail time.

The FairSaver bill came under review by the federal government in Orbis, as did the IrTB-77 bill.
These pieces of legislation, are yet to be approved or denied by the feds. They were designed to prevent hostilities and ensure peace and tolerance for the people, especially the magicians, Permanoobs, hackers, and SEA Landers. Religions were threatened by these laws because the policies that the groups promoted preach hatred, intolerance, and violence.

Today, things remain the same. The targeted groups are, for the time being, safe. The hackers enjoy the freedoms everyone else (with a few improvements for here and there) has. However, despite the best protection the law can provide, hackers like Alysha Erickson are constantly being hunted down by their pureblood familes and put to death on their request. For the attorneys who debate these cases in court, it will always be a busy day.