Talk Show

Talk Show: Inmates Voting Scene one opens at a radio station in a undisclosed location. Two men sitting in a small room, both wearing headsets. The sound engineer is behind the glass in the next room, counting down three, two, one. Ray Thompson the talk-show host begins his show! Ray - And heeeeere we are on KGOO radio, here in sunny Northern California with open lines and a very special guest! Greetings I’m your host Ray Thompson and this is the Ray Thompson show! We have with us today, in an undisclosed location, none other than the original author of Proposition X, the Proposition that has people talking in the Bay Area, in Northern and Southern California, as well as throughout the rest of the Country! So, without further ado I bring to you the one, the only Mr. Charles Sharpe. (Sound engineer pipes in sound of applause.) Charles - I thank you Ray for the great introduction. (Ray is overwhelmed and tells the callers) Ray - Here is where I usually give our number, but our switchboard is already full! This never happens, so what we will do is take your calls in the order that they were received and get through as many calls as possible. This may be a little premature, but Sir, Mr. Sharpe, if we don’t get through all the calls would you mind coming back for another show? Charles - I’d be happy to come back, if your callers would like to have me back. Ray - Okay sir where would you like to start? Charles - Let’s start with you calling me Charles! Ray - Ok, Mr. Sharpe, Charles. Charles – Great! I’ve been a fan of yours for many years! KGOO radio is lucky to have you. Since the switch board is full, why don’t we go right to the callers? Ray – Not a problem, Caller number one you are on KGOO radio with Ray your host talking with Charles Sharpe, the author of Proposition X, the proposition that reinstated the voting rights of nonviolent incarcerated American citizens in California! Caller you are on the air; my screener tells me that your name is Teresa from Oakland California, what is your question?” Teresa – Hi, yes this is Teresa. Ray when you first came on you said you were operating out of an undisclosed location. What did you mean by that? Ray - Charles, would you like to explain why we are in an undisclosed location? Charles - No problem, there are people who would like to see me dead. I thought that assassinations were a thing of the past, but apparently, they are still taking place. I think what they would like for me to do is to shut-up. Since that’s not going to happen, they are trying other ways to silence me. Teresa – Isn’t that illegal? Ray - Sorry Teresa, due to the number of people we have on hold, we can only take one question at a time. The next caller is Forrest from Chapel Hill Tennessee! What say you caller?” Forrest – (Talks with a Southern drawl) Am I on the air? Ray - Yes you are caller. What’s your question? Forrest – “Well, I know that damn Proposition X passed in California, but it doesn’t stand a chance in hell passing out here in Tennessee.” Ray - Ok, that’s your statement, do you have any questions for our guest today? Forrest – Damn right I do. So, Charles… (Charles cuts him off). Charles - That’s Mr. Sharpe to you and by the way Forrest, are you related to Nathan Bedford Forrest, who served as a Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan who was also from Chapel Hill Tennessee?” Forrest – Are you talking about the honorable Lieutenant General Forrest of the Confederate Army, whose statue stands proudly in Memphis, Tennessee? Charles – Yes, I’m talking about the dishonorable slave owner, Lieutenant General Forrest of the Confederate Army, who committed war crimes at the Battle of Fort Pillow. He allowed forces under his command to massacre hundreds of black Union army and white Southern Unionist prisoners. That one, are you related to him? Forrest – Um…no no no. I’m not related to him. I think it’s probably some kind of coincidence (nervously Forrest continues). Ok, Mr. Sharpe, tell me this, Proposition X reinstates the constitutional rights of Incarcerated American citizens, right?” Charles – Yes, that is correct! Forrest – Okay, Mr. Sharpe, “Well tell me this, how can you reinstate something that has never been instated? Inmates have never had the right to vote and that’s why I would ever vote for a Proposition X, if and when it ever reaches Tennessee”! Charles – Well Nathan… I mean Forrest, or whatever your name really is, I hate to be the one to tell you, but you have been misinformed. Soon after Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, the ‘Reconstruction Era’ of 1866 emerged. During this Era there were many impressive legislative achievements including, the 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery, the Civil Rights Act of 1866, bestowing full citizenship upon African Americans; the 14th Amendment, prohibiting states from denying citizens due process and equal protection of the laws; the 15th Amendment, providing that the right to vote should not be denied on account of race. Forest during the “Reconstruction Era’, former slaves begin to vote in large numbers, African Americans were elected to political offices and in three short years gained close to 15% of all Southern elected offices. Needless to say, the Southern whites were not at all happy with the rapid and seemingly uncontrollable success of their former slaves. Thus, to control the advancement of non-white southern citizens, a new set of laws emerged which became known simply as Jim Crow!” Forrest – (angrily says) Now you listen here, I didn’t call up for no damn history lesson! I called up to tell you that I’m not voting for the damn Proposition X! And another thing…. (Ray cuts caller off) Ray - Thank you Forrest, or whatever your real name is! The next caller is Nancy from