A Full Length Play

THE PROPHET FREEMAN

By G. L. Horton
copyright © 1990, 1996 Geralyn Horton

There is rage in the American Heartland, as the farmers and small business people who consider themselves the "real" Americans, the Keepers Of The Dream, see their way of life slipping away from them. Their land is being taken over by bankers and multinationals, their freedom threatened by taxes, red tape, and the stormtroopers of the ATF. Ready to lead the dispossessed from rage to action is a figure of militance and mystery: The Prophet Freeman.

Synopsis

Merilee and Frank Tibbetts, like most of their neighbors in the rural Midwest, are deep in debt and working at outside jobs in order to keep the family farm. Frank's leg was injured in a farm accident a few years back, and the strain of being on his feet all day and on night shift at the factory too means that he is living with a lot of pain. Merilee does a large share of the chores, since her day job doesn't pay much: she writes the "Tid-bits" column for the local weekly paper. Saramae, Merilee's editor, sees a story in a supermarket tabloid about cult leader J. Freeman Conners, known as the Prophet Freeman, who is operating not far from their town. Saramae assigns Merilee to do a feature on the Prophet and his followers-- Saramae believes that the rise of leaders like Freeman is a response to the area's economic distress, and that exposing the cult will draw attention to the problems and get people interested in finding more rational solutions. Also, it may make her little newspaper famous, and boost circulation so that it breaks even once again.

When Merilee tells her husband about her "investigative reporting" assignment, Frank reveals that he knows quite a bit about the Prophet already, and implies that some of Merilee's friends and neighbors are members of the Prophet's group. Frank warns his wife that she must be very careful if she writes about the Prophet. He has preached against "the media", and although the Prophet himself is bound to recognize that Merilee isn't an enemy, some of his followers aren't so reasonable "They'd as soon shoot you as look at you".

After some negotiation, Marilee is allowed to attend one of the Prophet's preachings, where she discovers that her closest friend Carrie Wheeler and her husband Okley are believers. Marilee is impressed by the preacher's eloquence, but unsure of exactly what he means when he promises "salvation" and a "better day". When she is invited to a private prayer session, she hears Carrie testify that the Prophet's laying on of hands has cured her of barreness, and that she is happily pregnant at last. The Prophet prays for Franks leg to be healed -- he says it will be healed, if Frank can only believe in the power. At the end of act one, Frank, converted, throws down his cane and waltzes Merilee around the floor.

In act two, Frank and Okley are hard at work, carrying out some mysterious construction project that the Prophet says will supply the group with "power". The Tibbitts farm seems to have become a sub-headquarters for the Prophet's followers -- and those followers, at least the men among them, seem to be arming and organizing a militia. Now that Okley is working for the Prophet and their financial problems are solved, Carrie is glowing with happiness, and sewing robes for a mystical marriage ceremony based on the Song of Songs. She is urging Marilee to become an initiate too, a Bride-- but Marilee has discovered that there is a cache of illegal arms stored in her cellar. She secretly telephones Saramae to report this, and Saramae tells her that she suspects a connection between the activities of the cult and a recent bank robbery-- from the description, the fugitive perpetrator sounds a lot like the Prophet's henchman Woodrow, an ex-con. Saramae alerts the sheriff, and drives out to the Tibbetts farm to get the story.

Woodrow has indeed been wounded in a bungled attempt to supply the movement with funds. He comes to the Prophet expecting to be healed and hidden, but the Prophet dresses him down for acting like a thug. The whole organization is imperiled by Woodrow's stupidity. Woodrow brandishes his gun, and sends the others to the cellar to arm themselves. The sheriff and deputies are outside now, calling for the group to come out one at a time.. Will they try to escape, using Saramae as a hostage? Surrender? Or take a stand and fight the forces of Mammon, trusting in the power of the Prophet?

Characters

Marilee Tibbetts, 29, strong and confident, with a genial sense of humor. Marilee worked as a typist in a Clarksville office for a few years after high school, before marrying Frank. She writes the "Tibbets' Tid-Bits" column and an occasional feature story for the local Weekly Bugle.

Frank Tibbetts, 31, Marilee's husband. Frank never wanted anything other than to farm his own land and raise a family, like his father and great- grandfather. He went to Ag. school for a couple of semesters, but he couldn't believe his luck when by age 26 he had his own place and had married the girl he'd admired in high school. Two years ago Frank injured his leg, and he walks with the help of a cane.

Carrie Wheeler, 29. Right after graduating from high school Carrie married Okley, Frank's childhood best friend. She's sweet, enthusiastic and pretty: radiant once she's pregnant with her first child.

Okley Wheeler, 32, wears a cowboy hat and boots. He was class clown; a good athlete, popular with girls even though he was kept back twice in school. Nothing's gone right for him the last seven or eight years.

Saramae Mollenhaur, 50, editor of The Weekly Bugle, which she took over when her husband died suddenly ten years ago.

Woodrow Wilkins, 35, a big tough-looking man, wears heavy American Indian jewelry, and his dark beard has a white streak in it. Wilkins is a menacing presence when he wants to be.

J. Freeman Conners. Of uncertain age-- sometimes he looks ancient, sometimes a vigorous fifty. The Prophet Freeman affects a humble folksy manner, but there's no question but that he knows he knows a lot more than ordinary people.

The principle set is the kitchen of the Tibbetts' Midwestern farmhouse. Other locations are the Bugle office, Okley's place, the Grange Hall -- none of these needs to be detailed. A practical "cellar door" is required because the Tibbetts' dark cellar functions as a hiding place. The time is the present.

ACT I
SCENE ONE

OKLEY and WOODROW cross, meet, WOODROW passes papers and money to OKLEY.

SCENE TWO

SARAMAE
So, Marilee, can you come up with a few more Tid-Bit items?

MARILEE I suppose I can. As long as they don't have to be funny. I think I've been funny as often as I can manage this week.

SARAMAE Just do what you can. Hochman pulled his ad, says he's probably going bankrupt. Leaves me with a little hole in this week's edition and another hole in the operating budget.

MARILEE Means you owe me extra.

SARAMAE You know I'd pay you if I could, Marilee. Rate the paper's losing money--.

MARILEE What you can do for me, what I'd like for you to do, is let me write a piece on the Militia. A real investigative piece, just as long as I want, and you run it as a feature.

SARAMAE I'm not printing any story that makes us out to be a bunch of right-wing loonies, here. Some of the most respected citizens of this town--

MARILEE I know, I know! But let me do it and show you. That's all I'm asking , Saramae.

SARAMAE To you and me, maybe, the militia looks childish. Little boys playing with uniforms, marching around and making noise. But if you want to make fun--

MARILEE I think they're dangerous! Guns and more guns, and kids no bigger than ten thinking they should be in on it too---

SARAMAE Our people know how to handle guns, Marilee. I've got a twenty-two, myself, and Frank's got -- what--?

MARILEE For possum! Not for threatening the sheriff's deputies--

SARAMAE You know as well as I do that was a stunt. Worked, didn't it? Ralph Pratt's buddies bought him some time, is all. Forced the bank to reconsider.

MARILEE So now the militia's all fired up, convinced they can win--

SARAMAE If that's what pulls them back from the gates of despair, more power to them. You know, in an economy as bad as this is, a body might be willing to go along with anything. You want to be my prize reporter? Get me a follow-up on the story in this week's Star: There's a kook who claims to be off of a flying saucer landed right here in Lucas County.

MARILEE (looks through purse for tabloid) There's what?! Wait: I think I know what you're talking about. I got a copy of that issue when I was in the check out: didn't look at it careful, though.

SARAMAE (corrects her) Careful-ly.

MARILEE (corrects herself) "Careful-ly." Hold on. (looks through a pile of papers) Yeah, here it is. (reads headline) "UFO beams down salvation, prophet says!!" You're right. This J. Freeman's preaching less than 30 miles from here.

SARAMAE How'd you like to get that story?

MARILEE Isn't it a tad ambitious for the Bugle?

SARAMAE Advertising's down 62 percent. Got to get more ambitious or maybe fold up. You chase this down, I bet I could promote some re-prints. Think you could get him? Beat the Journal to him? There may be something in our files--

MARILEE Well, you dig up anything you can, and I'll get right onto it.

SARAMAE Whoa, there! First things first. Finish writing your Tid-Bits column, I'm holding the issue. Then be a star reporter.

SCENE THREE

(CARRIE has a hymn playing on a portable tape machine near her and is humming along with it, as she knits.)

MARILEE Frank says that people will guess who it was and her feelings'll be hurt. But if I don't use her, what am I going to put in my column? You hear any good stories lately?

CARRIE Uh uh.

MARILEE Carrie, are you listening to me?

CARRIE Uhhuh.

MARILEE What did I say?

CARRIE You said Frank advised you not to write up about Evelyn's divorce. What you want me to say is that it's all right, go ahead.

MARILEE Or suggest something else.

CARRIE You're going to do what you want, Marilee. You'll find reasons without asking me.

MARILEE I can't believe you haven't a scrap of gossip.

CARRIE Does it have to be current? What about that time Irwin Macteague's prize hog ate the petunias. Oh-- and my cousin Helen's going to have a new baby.

MARILEE Is that who you're knitting for?

CARRIE Nope.

MARILEE Carrie, yours? Oh--! I'm sorry. I swore I'd never bring it up again unless you did.

CARRIE It's all right! How long's it been since you've seen me do something like this? But no more. Whether I ever have children or not, I'm going to fuss over them and enjoy them. My nieces and nephews. Nelly Ann.

MARILEE Nelly Ann'd be tickled. She says her dad and I are always too busy.

CARRIE I'd like to take Nelly Ann with me next week, to see Vida's puppies.

MARILEE She'd love that, Carrie. I know she would. You're being--

CARRIE Being what? Now Marilee, you stop that, now! (hits her with yarn)

MARILEE What?

CARRIE "What" what? Being careful! Marilee Tibbits, we've been friends since we were knee high, you can say anything you want to me! I won't break down and break. I know when I've acted like a fool-- Well, I'm over that. And I can't help believing I'd've been over it a lot sooner if you'd pointed it out to me.

MARILEE Me?

CARRIE If not my best friend, who, then? Reverend Brimmer?

MARILEE That may have been what I was thinking.

CARRIE Uh huh. You like this sweater pattern?

MARILEE Uh--Unusual. Where'd you get the yarn?

CARRIE Made it. Spun it myself from Allister's shearings. MARILEE Spun it! Even my grandmother didn't do that!

CARRIE Look here, feel this! Stuff you buy in the store these days is full of pesticide.

MARILEE Feels- uh-- (CARRIE giggles) Why the effort? You running short on work?

CARRIE I don't know, Marilee. I wish I could trust you, that I could tell you anything --

MARILEE Try me.

CARRIE And have it come out in the paper? No thank you! I'm not even going to tell you who this little garment is for. Cause it may be that the parents don't want the whole town to know until it's actually born!

MARILEE You can't keep a secret, Carrie. Fifteen minutes uninterrupted I can worm it out of you, so you might as well--

OKLEY Carrie! Good news! You got the robes ready? We're on for tomorrow --! Marilee! What are you doing here?

MARILEE That's a fine way to greet a friend. You drop the jack on your foot again, or something?

OKLEY Where'd you park? I didn't see your truck.

CARRIE Marilee came over to invite us to the movies.

MARILEE My mother says I ought to get out of the house, stop fretting about the bills and the mortgage. Offered to babysit while I go over to Clarksville to the pictures.

OKLEY What does Frank think of that, you stepping out without him?

MARILEE He won't notice, he'll be at work.

OKLEY Doesn't sound good.

MARILEE Since when were you all that concerned with good, Okley Wheeler? You been saved? That it, Carrie? Reverend Brimmer got him, finally? (awkward pause) You know Frank better than that. He's glad for me to get out once in a while. What do you say?

OKLEY I'm a busy man.

MARILEE Well, I beg your pardon. Next time I'll leave my calling card with your social secretary.

OKLEY Might be able to get away if they're showing an X-rated. You got in mind an X-rated?

CARRIE Okley, behave.

OKLEY Sorry, Marilee. We just don't have a minute, lately. Must've been, what? January-- the last time we saw a movie.

MARILEE Well, I'd like to get together. I missed you at the church potluck, Nelly Ann had a tooth--

CARRIE We didn't go, either.

OKLEY Like I said, we've been busy. In fact, we're due somewheres in about an hour, so we can't really chat, now.

MARILEE I was just going. I've got... Bye, Carrie. I'll call you later in the week. I'm glad about -- what you told me. (exits)

OKLEY What'd you tell her?

CARRIE Nothing, really. That I was through moping about the baby.

OKLEY Well, I should hope! That's good, though, that was the right thing to say. But I wouldn't go farther. When she calls, you make excuses. Be on your guard.

SCENE THREE
FRANK Marilee?

MARILEE When did you get back?

FRANK Where've you been?

MARILEE Bugle Office. It's Friday morning, Frank: deadline. Did you forget? You weren't home by nine thirty, so I had to drop Nelly Ann off at Mom's, and pick her up on the way back. She fell asleep in the car, thank God.

FRANK I was worried. Couldn't you have called from in town?

MARILEE (unpacks tabloid) I tried once. It was busy. I'm sorry if you were worried. When you didn't get home for breakfast I didn't know whether to go ahead and do your chores or figure you'll walk in any minute. Did you find something to eat?

FRANK Ate at work. Did you get the chickens?

MARILEE Fed and watered is all.

FRANK I'll get onto it.

MARILEE You need a nap. You're so worn out your leg is shaking. Put it up. (she massages FRANK 's leg)

FRANK Nap's no good. Tried to nap yesterday, couldn't, and then I didn't get to sleep when I was supposed to.

MARILEE Nobody's supposed to sleep from five to eleven. That's not natural.

FRANK I've been doing it for a year and a half--

MARILEE Fifteen months-

FRANK Anyways, I couldn't do it last night.

MARILEE Nelly Ann making too much noise?

FRANK Wasn't that.

MARILEE I had the radio way down.

FRANK It's all right.

MARILEE (puts her arms around him) Wish I'd known you weren't asleep. I'd have come and crawled in with you.

FRANK (smiles) You can always wake me up.

MARILEE Sure, If I want a grizzly bear.

FRANK This is no way to live, one night and one day. Married people should sleep together.

MARILEE If we'd sell the land-- ( FRANK is silent) Your Pa says that every egg from his chickens costs him pret'near two bits apiece: and they're a dollar fifteen a dozen at the store!

FRANK(pulls his leg away, ) Leave it, will you?

MARILEE How long can you hold up, never getting enough sleep?

FRANK (cleaning gun) I'm lucky to have a job. Okley and Jim've been laid off.

MARILEE Oh my God. When?

FRANK Starting the end of the week. Okley turned down night shift so's he could be home to milk: remember? And now he's out.

MARILEE Poor Carrie.

FRANK Don't run right over there to help her out, all right? Be a hell of a thing if he hasn't told her yet.

MARILEE After he's told you?

FRANK Didn't. I heard. MARILEE Well, I hope he tells Carrie soon. Not do like Luke Frye, go off like he's going to work and drink till quitting time.

FRANK Okley's quit drinking.

MARILEE Mrs. Frye never guessed till the sheriff came with the eviction.

FRANK So maybe I can't be home to milk. But at least maybe I'll get to keep the home I got. (begins to read tabloid)

MARILEE The home, probably. If we're careful. But how are we going to keep the farm, Frank? I did the milking with Nelly Ann strapped to my back again. You'd think by the time she weighs a ton she'd be able to sleep through till at least six, but she won't. I did half your chores too, since you were so late, --

FRANK I'll make it up.

MARILEE How? You've got to sleep, sometime. Frank, you're as good a farmer as any man can be, but you can't farm and work night shift at the same time. I know you don't want to hear this, but reading the paper while I'm talking is -- Oh, is that the article about the UFO nut?

FRANK You read this?

MARILEE About three times, now.

FRANK What do you make of it?

MARILEE Make of it? A good story. This old geezer is preaching right near here. If I can track him down and do a feature for the Bugle, before the News or the Journal gets to him--

FRANK What kind of a "feature"? What's Saramae want you to write?

MARILEE You know the kind. Human interest. If you can call it that, when you're talking about extraterrestrials! (laughs) Like: Where'd this J. Freeman Conners come from, what's his angle, who's crazy enough to believe in him? --

FRANK (crumples tabloid) This is garbage!

MARILEE (recovers it) Mine'll be good!

FRANK Makes us sound like a bunch of yokels! Like in those cute little "tidbits" things

MARILEE Frank, that's not how I'd write it! I see it like the Dempsey's Mill closing: I want to make people understand. This Prophet, nobody would have paid any attention to him five, ten years ago. But when your family's going under --

FRANK How you going to find him? You can't just drive on up, you know.

MARILEE Why not? He's in Lucas. It's not that big. Somebody'll know. (laughs)

FRANK I don't think it's a good idea.

MARILEE (refers to tabloid) He sounds harmless.

FRANK (warning) He's not.

MARILEE How do you know?

FRANK He didn't just drop in out of the blue --

MARILEE (giggles, waves hands) Off a saucer, isn't that how?

FRANK He came over here from Idaho. And he's been here three-four months, real quiet, setting up his operation.

MARILEE I can't believe it! If you knew about him, how come I never?

FRANK Because you write a gossip column! It'd be just like you to make some kind of stupid joke out of it. Have his whole church out for your blood!

MARILEE He's got a church, around here? People we know? When did you--?

FRANK (slams table) Danmation! You never let up!

MARILEE Sorry.

FRANK I knew once you got hold of it you'd pester the life out of me. I don't feature making enemies out of my old friends.

MARILEE Come on! I am your wife.

FRANK Yeah. But you think you're a Goddam reporter!

MARILEE (teases and tickles him) I won't say a word, cross my heart! Who? Who's joined up that we know? Clyde Baxter? No. Friends? Close friends? Like, Carrie?

FRANK Carrie's not a believer, exactly, but she goes to meetings.

MARILEE Carrie! I thought she's up to something! And Okley?

FRANK That's right.

MARILEE (laughs) Okley! I suppose that makes sense.

FRANK What'n hell does that mean? You think Okley's a nut? Damnation!

(slams stuff around, hurts his leg) MARILEE Are you all right?

FRANK I'm fine. Leave it alone.

MARILEE Come on, then! You were telling me about the prophet and Okley.

FRANK Not if you're gonna laugh.

MARILEE I like Okley.

FRANK But he's gullible. That right? Not smart, like Saramae, or that pointy-head professor whose book you've been typing--

MARILEE That's a job!

FRANK So Okley's just a dumb hick.

MARILEE I wouldn't call him that, exactly. Romantic, maybe.

FRANK Romantic! Okley? (laughs)

MARILEE He thinks he's one of the knights of old. Doesn't he? Comes tearing up here on his horse-- how many farmers you know got a horse these days? --a white horse, yet! And guns: he must have near on to a dozen guns, fancy ones. And when he peels out our driveway, he squeals his tires! The man's thirty-four years old!

FRANK (chuckles, conceding) Remember the time he hauled Lemmel Scoggs' chicken coop up on the roof of the American Legion? The bubble soap in the band instruments?! I laughed so hard --! You know, he never said, but I think he did that for me.

MARILEE For you?

FRANK Cause Johannson kicked me out of band practice.

MARILEE Uhhuh. Knight on horseback. I bet he's in the militia, too, isn't he? (FRANK glares) I'm not running him down, Frank. Lord knows, we can use a little more romance. Least, I could. (puts her arms around FRANK) How about you?

FRANK (kisses her) This's not how I planned.

MARILEE We got each other. Even if we lose the farm--

FRANK (shakes her) Don't talk like that! Our families've been here four generations. My kids are going to work alongside me like I did my Dad, and (looks out, then startled, yells:) Damnation! (and picking up his shotgun, rushes out the door.)

MARILEE Frank, don't! You'll wake the baby.

(she goes off to check. Pause. Two shots are fired. FRANK comes back in, reloads. Marilee returns.) MARILEE Did you get him?

FRANK Naw. Damn possum eats more out of that garden than we do. Didn't wake her, though, did I?

MARILEE She just twitched. Good thing, cause I got to get on the phone and start to track down my story.

FRANK (sits her down, confiding) Now, wait. You mustn't say a word about this to anybody: you promise? (MARILEE nods) The Prophet's healing Carrie.

MARILEE I didn't know she was sick.

FRANK Ten years she's been trying to have a baby. Went to the clinic in Clarksville, even. Now Freeman's doing a laying on of hands. It worked for Eunice Prescott, so Carrie's got her hopes up.

MARILEE Maybe it will. You hear stories about people who have one of their own just as soon as they give up and decide to adopt-

FRANK Well, Okley believes.

MARILEE I suppose they pay for it, this healing business. The way Allie Vickers sent all her insurance money off to that TV Evangelist? That kind of business makes me so mad,--

FRANK The Prophet's no fraud. He may be crazy. But once you've got close to him, felt the man's power, you won't be in such a hurry to call Okley a fool.

MARILEE (nods) That's the first thing. I got to get close. You know where to find him?

FRANK I can ask around. But if you get in, you've got to promise to be careful. I think you can just talk natural to the Prophet himself. He's not likely to take offense. But some of his followers, they're real touchy. Anything you say they don't approve of --

. MARILEE You're trying to scare me.

FRANK If you can't do what the Prophet wants, then you have to keep quiet. Not even let on that you saw him. Cause I'll tell you, honey, and I'm serious: there's men around Freeman don't trust nobody much, and they'd just as soon -- (sound of two shots. FRANK picks up his gun, runs to the door)

MARILEE Frank? Have these Prophet people threatened you?

FRANK I've got nothing more to say. Not till I've checked it out.

SCENE FOUR
(SARAMAE's office at the Bugle. MARILEE walks up to SARAMAE 's desk, to discuss her Tid-Bit items)

SARAMAE Marilee, I thought you said serious: " Rumor is- with yuppies moving in and farmers moving out, Melda Caffrey's turned her duck incubator into a yogurt maker." I love that. You make it up?

MARILEE Not entirely.

SARAMAE Good enough.

MARILEE It's the other one I'm worried about.

SARAMAE The panty hose used to replace a fan belt? It's a good story.

MARILEE Too good to be true, maybe. Lissa Butterfield told me it happened to a friend

SARAMAE I wouldn't worry about it.

MARILEE I got this funny feeling it was in Reader's Digest. I was going to check-- SARAMAE Afraid they'll sue?

MARILEE Don't want to look like a fool

. SARAMAE S'why I want you on this UFO thing.

MARILEE You find out any more?

SARAMAE Item from the Journal: three weeks ago where the sheriff got a call saying there were cars pulled up overlooking the gypsum quarry around 2:00 am, all blinking their lights like they had some kind of code. Time the sheriff got up there they were gone.

MARILEE Maybe signaling for a landing?

SARAMAE Over in Lucas about two months ago some campers saw white sheets and pointed hats. Couldn't tell if they were ghosts or Klan or what--

MARILEE What do you think? Is there a connection?

SARAMAE I got the address of an office in Atlanta keeps track of extremists. Call and describe this guy--

MARILEE Call? Not write?

SARAMAE Don't run up the bill! A quick description and then give them your number. They think it's important enough they'll call you.

MARILEE Somehow I don't think this is the way they operate at the Washington Post.

SCENE FIVE
FREEMAN Y' see, my friends, in the garden, ---- that is, before the Sons of Cain got a tiny bit smart and decided to cut themselves out from the other animals---- there was no problem. Adam picked a little fruit, stole some eggs, maybe got a rabbit if it wasn't fast enough. Hundred thousand years or so, he figured out that if he piled up a bunch of nuts, there'd be days he wouldn't have to go out and chase rabbits. Now for a squirrel with nuts, this' not a dangerous discovery. But Satanic man! Before you can say Sodom and Babylonia, he's piling it on, piling it up. Under the influence of usury, Cain's boy has got his fences and his chattel, and he's looking at his neighbor with covetousness, wanting to add him and his to the pile. (arranges objects on the lectern for a show & tell illustration of his points)

Now the universal design so far had been for synergy. Input-output: a stable system. But that's not enough. The sons of Cain want it organized so's it's all output, and Man won't have to give back. Not even his used up old dead carcass. Now once he's learned to save, he figures he needs to BE saved: live safe and live forever! From Pharaoh on down, everybody's got to scratch just to keep from being turned into the next fella's commodity. Grab onto that water, that energy! Sweat. Slaves. Gunpowder. Oil. Nuclear. And the condensed kind, the false coin of Caesar/Mammon that the bankers call money:

(FREEMAN takes a handful of $100.00 bills out of his pocket, displays it to their astonishment, crumples and squeezes it, it vanishes)

The usurers squeezed that life-energy into paper money, and that's how they put the squeeze on you. Bankers and politicians, taxes and interest, brokers and hucksters, always with their hands out for more. Drain the life-blood right out of the farmer, the carpenter, the honest businessman. Get their hooks into oil and gas, too: all a poor man's got left is the labor of his hands, cause the bloodsuckers tap off all that God-given energy! For awhile the bloodsuckers fool you, hire liars like our State Rep. Busick, there: try to look like they're on your side. Make you pretty speeches about how you're the backbone, you're the breadbasket. But when you're in trouble, what do they do? Sell you fertilizer, sell you pesticides. On credit. You get a big crop: three times the size the crop your grandpop had! Six times. But all along the soil's wearing out, and the pollution's getting stronger. Where you gonna sell that big crop, anyways? The sons of Cain own em all-- dealers, government--. What can you get for it?

(the $100.00 bills reappear. FREEMAN tears them into little pieces and throws them into the air to illustrate his point)

Don't worry, my friends-- that was a trick. Nothing of value there: just blank paper. I mean "bank" paper. Worse'n toilet paper. Contracts not worth the printing on them! See, a real contract, a covenant like God made with Abraham, is a promise to give value. On both sides. Your bankers, your tyrant oligarchical government-- never intend to keep that promise. If you could see through their tricks, when you got that so-called loan you'd tear it up and throw it away. Like I did. It's all a plan to get your land. And when they get it all, what do you think'll be the price of bread then? By the time the government's done, there won't be a real farm left! Be one big farm-factory. Maybe two. Republican and Democrat.

They got experts on the payroll, tell you it's nobody's fault. Economic forces. But economics isn't a force of nature, like gravity. It's a force of Man, like a gun. Somebody loads it. Somebody aims it. Somebody like you? Well, so far the law will let you protect yourself--- put up one hell of a fight.

You see, friends, we were set here to prove ourselves fit. Fit to survive, fit to inherit the earth and all its abundance, fit for the galaxies in all their glory. We failed before the time of the flood, when we went whoring after false gods. We failed in the Old Countries, when we bowed our heads to tyrants. But the Power that watches never gave up on us. We were shown the way out, shown how to sail to this promised land, land of the second chance. Land of the free. Home of the brave. Last best hope of mankind. Once America is purified, once we show that we can live together as family, in liberty and law, then the sky's the limit! Children, we've got a home beyond the stars.

END OF ACT I

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