Wednesday, February 7, 2018

A little more about me… and what I see in my own writings.

I’m about to anger some of my readers and delight others when I say the following four words.

I am a conservative.

A political conservative, that is.  I believe in small government, governing at the lowest level possible and personal responsibility.

That’s not to say that I don’t believe in the social safety net.  Indeed, were it not for that very thing, I would likely be dead today, or at the very least homeless.

And this conservatism extends to my writing.

Those who have read Orphans of the Void will notice that there are several references to a Trump administration.  This is deliberate, since that is the time period in which these books are written (depending on how many I write and how long the administration lasts).  The character of US President Halstead is also intended as a conservative in the mold of George H.W. Bush… only more successful in bringing both sides together.

But I want to make one thing clear.

It is not for me to dictate what the reader sees.  I am only stating my intentions.


The current debate about “Dreamers” lends itself to a major theme of the series: How should we react if a group of orphans were, essentially, left on our doorstep?

Personally, I believe we should welcome them.  But they should not become “instant Americans”.

That’s why (and I’m giving a little spoiler for something that will likely not be written for a number of years) I introduce the concept of “The Children of Illegal Immigrants Act of 2020”, which does welcome such children, but treats them differently than they are now.

For one thing, there are no guarantees of citizenship for these people.  Instead, citizenship is earned through public service.  Be it military, first responders or employment in essential occupations such as teaching, citizenship would require a sort of pennance

As they would have been illegals in their own right, albeit by no fault of their own, this would not be “taint of blood” as is prohibited in the Constitution.

Also, such children would not qualify for in-state tuition at colleges and universities.  Since they are not US citizens, they would instead pay the foreign student rate.  Or at the very least, a rate somewhat higher than those paid by US citizens. 

This would, most definitely, not prohibit them from seeking scholarships or other financial aid.  Indeed, there are and should be civic and educational groups that would provide such aid to Dreamers.

This would have the intent of placing a financial penalty on the parents of the children in question, as it was their crime that created the situation.  A financial burden is a great motivator.


Flirting with another spoiler, a major theme of Bluesalts is phobia.  Or, more properly, “blank-o-phobia”.

Islamophobia, transphobia, homophobia, and ultimately xenophobia, it’s all the same thing, ultimately.  Fear of “the other”, no matter how similar they actually are to you.

Such fears are endemic.  They are the most basic part of the human psyche.  In ancient times, it was, quite literally, a matter of life and death, when “the other” was competition for food and other resources.  Even today, the instinct remains, spurred on by things such as terrorism.  Some simply do not want to understand “the other”.  It is those who make the effort to do so who are the heroes of this series.


Take of this what you will.  I only place the words on the page or screen, depending on the format you’ve chosen.  It is your mind, shaped by our experience, that gives those words meaning.


Rest assured that I will not be offended should you find a different meaning in my words, just as I hope you are not offended by the knowledge of where those words come from.