Re: [BNW] population statistics

[Theo McGuckin <tsm@jlab.org>]

> I dont think that this is possible, remeber military law has been declared.
> I was thinking about the dailiy life of regs and it seems to me that
> kenndy's america would be a very conservative and predjudice '50's type
> society ie. black civil right movements, single mothers, homosexuals,
> prochoice groups etc would all be frowned apon, women would be expected to
> get married and stay at home, black people simply wouldnt get good jobs,
> fashion would be very dour and modest. America has been nuked by the
> devestator and by the russians, people have been living in a dictatorial
> state for what 40 years? getting a good job would be a matter of who you
> knew in high places rather than how good you are and anyone who didnt fit it
> or tow the party line would be shuned and certainly not get that promotion.

I see it as the opposite. At a basic level you have the attitude: "What do
I care if the guy to my left has a different skin color than me, the guy
to my right is 8 ft. tall and threatening to twist me into a pretzel if I
don't 'respect' him!"
Likewise with so many deltas on the loose and other problems there would
probably be a certain amount of "you have to know how to take care of
yourself" attitude. That's why almost everyone carries a gun. This would
lead to less prejudice towards single mothers and women's rights as they
would be "taking care of themselves."
In a world as un-sure as this fashion and style and such might be much
more free-wheeling. If you are constantly nervous about being attacked by
deltas or nuked by russians, you'd probably be a lot more willing to try
new things while you had the time.

I think a lot of this, however, doesn't apply. 
A big part of BNW is that all these bads things that are happening (delta
prime breaking into your house, being taken away in the middle of the
night, delta battles, etc.) happen to "them" (them being the
bad-evil-non-registering-defiance-deltas). Most of the bad parts of
kennedy's america don't effect the average reg. much. That's why the
general population let all this stuff happen, because it didn't effect
them. As long as they were good little americans and didn't develope
powers then they would be fine and everything would be hunky-dory. Of
course there is the risk of getting attacked by some of those
evil-defiance types, but that's why they have their shining protector DP
around.

> As to ID cards I think you need them or some other way of keeping track of
> people otherwise being registered isnt realy a problem for somone who pays
> in cash and uses a false name. for richer characters plastic surgery, false
> passports etc are all possible

Driver's license/ social security card comes to mind. There could just be
a special red R (scarlet letter?) in the corner that indicates a
registered delta.
Hell if you wanted to get really mean they could tatoo the registered
deltas on their arm or something.
Also remember that DP has "hounds" that can sniff out deltas. While I'm
sure they aren't a dime a dozen, they could be kept at key locations
(major airports and border crossings) to sniff out defiance members.

> the government might not be bashing them but I think to a reg they will all
> seem the same, at the end of the day fights between deltas wreck the city
> and kill innocents and DP is a ruthless organisation that breaks down your
> door in the middle of the night to search for defiants in the basement.

But DP only breaks down your door if you are an un-registered delta (or
are harboring one), in which case you are getting what you deserve. If DP
makes a mistake and breaks down the wrong door then whoever has the
misfortune of living there gets "disappeared" and the neighbors are told
that they were defiance members or were harboring a defiance member and
that luckily DP got to them before they were able to kill you. "Oh, thank
you, they got just what they deserved then. Probably communists too!"

> Police and Primers are bound to abuse their powers all the time and they
> will be seen as corrupt and authorative rather than kind saviours. Think of
> all your tax dollars paying for the luxurious lifstyle of the Primers etc
> etc

Why would police and primers abuse their powers? This would really hose
the propoganda that they are there for the reg's good and they would
probably get majorly chewed out if they went around abusing their
authority (at least openly enough to get caught).
Besides it is mentioned that the Primers live in very spartan surroundings
more a kin to the military than a luxury hotel (under the Triumph Inc.
stuff in the beginning of the book it talks about the Triumphants
returning to their plush condos and the primers returning to their
barracks).

> Also think of the corrupt courts. those judges arnt good and just when it
> comes to regs and then corrupt and uncaring when it comes to defiants. If
> your  in trouble the size of your wallet will be more important than
> evidence

Well I don't think deltas get much of a trial. 
Prosecution: he's a delta and unregistered.
Judge (no jury): off to the Fortress with him.
Of course in big deal cases like Patriot's there would be a trial, but it
wouldn't actually be a real trial, just something to put on a good show
for the masses.

And the legal system probably wouldn't much changed for regs, mabye some
stiffer fines and penalties, but the court system wouldn't be severely
changed from ours (and you don't see us citizens rioting and wearing drab
clothes, apathy goes a long way).

-Theo McGuckin, operations
"We waste more electrons by 6am then most labs make all day. Be all you
can be!"