Chapter 18
Sociology began. Mr. Harrison, disheveled as always, entered the classroom, dropped his messenger bag, and connected his laptop to the projector. The screen came to life, displaying a news channel logo.
"Alright, we're going to step away from theory a bit today," he began as the image focused. "We're going to talk about what's happening right now. We'll be breaking down last night's New York mayoral debate. Specifically, their positions on mutants. I've clipped the most crucial moments for us to discuss afterward."
A brightly lit studio appeared on the screen. The moderator, Wilson Fisk, and Raymond Thorne.
Moderator: Good evening. Tonight's debate is dedicated to New York's most pressing issue: the future of people with the X-gene—mutants. Mr. Thorne, we'll begin with you. Attacks involving mutants cause millions of dollars in damage; just look at the recent battle between the Abomination and the Hulk. If you become mayor, how will you guarantee the safety of the average New Yorker on their way to work?
Raymond Thorne: Safety is my absolute priority. Let's be blunt: the X-gene isn't just a "difference," it's a potential weapon. We don't let people walk through Times Square with a loaded assault rifle, so why should we allow it for those who can do the same thing with a thought? My administration will introduce a "Zero Tolerance" policy. Any unauthorized use of abilities will be treated as assault with a deadly weapon. We will strengthen the SOB, expand their authority. New York will once again be a safe city... for people.
The emphasis on the last word was clearly intentional. Now it was Fisk's turn. He spoke calmly, with weight, looking directly into the camera.
Wilson Fisk: Mr. Thorne is selling fear again. He wants to divide us, to turn neighbor against neighbor. I grew up in this city, and I've seen what fear does to it from the inside. Safety is not achieved with batons and segregation, but with integration and understanding. By driving the gifted underground, stripping them of their rights and their future, Mr. Thorne himself is creating the very "monsters" he uses to scare voters. My administration will give them jobs, give them the protection of the law, give them purpose. When a person has a stake in this city, something to lose, they will protect it, not destroy it.
Moderator: Next question. The debate over mutant registration has gone on for years. Mr. Fisk, you have consistently opposed it. Mr. Thorne, you are for it. A question for Mr. Thorne: Don't you believe that mandatory registration is a direct violation of basic civil rights? And a question for Mr. Fisk: How can the city prepare for a potential threat if it doesn't even know who, or what abilities, exist within its borders?
Wilson Fisk: "Registration." What a convenient, sterile word. Throughout history, it has often been used to justify the most repulsive acts. Anyone who has studied even a little 20th-century history knows that the Holocaust also began with registration. First, Jews were simply counted and singled out from society—the Nuremberg Laws. Then, they were stripped of their civil rights, economically and socially isolated. Then they created ghettos, herding all the "undesirables" into them. And after that... the death camps. Mr. Thorne, what guarantee is there that your registry won't be the first step down that same path? This city, this country, was built on the principles of freedom and equality. The moment we start taking them away from one group, we open Pandora's Box. My answer to the moderator's question remains the same: integration, not segregation. The creation of the "Guardians of New York"—a team of strong, city-loyal mutants who will protect us from those who choose the path of violence.
Raymond Thorne: Did you... did you just compare the United States to Nazi Germany?! Have you completely lost your mind, Fisk?!
Fisk didn't even raise an eyebrow, maintaining his icy composure. Wilson Fisk: When an opponent runs out of arguments, he usually just starts barking loudly.
Moderator: Gentlemen, please, calm down! All of New York is watching. Mr. Thorne, I'll repeat the question for you: Is mandatory registration not a violation of civil rights?
Raymond Thorne (still red with anger): We register guns, we register cars, we register doctors and lawyers. We do it for public safety! If someone sneezes one day and accidentally blows up the corner bakery, I want emergency services to know what they're dealing with! It's not a badge of shame; it's basic common sense! Refusing to register is criminal irresponsibility! You are putting political correctness and abstract "rights" above the very real lives of our children!
Mr. Harrison let us digest the first part for a minute, then played the video again.
Moderator: The next block of questions concerns the economy. Mr. Fisk, you've stated that integrating mutants will bring economic benefits to the city. Mr. Thorne, you claim they will become an unbearable burden. Please, explain your positions.
Raymond Thorne: A burden? They already are a burden! Insurance premiums in this city have skyrocketed because of so-called "collateral damage" from their antics. What businessman wants to hire a worker who might accidentally set the office on fire just because he had a bad day? Companies are fleeing New York because they're tired of paying the repair bills. We need to subsidize human businesses, create jobs for people, not waste taxpayer money rebuilding what's been destroyed!
Now it was Fisk's turn. He spoke calmly, methodically, as if explaining the obvious.
Wilson Fisk: Mr. Thorne is thinking in terms of the last century. He sees only risks and expenses. I see colossal potential. Imagine a construction company where one telekinetic mutant worker replaces an entire fleet of cranes. Imagine a firefighter, immune to flames, who can walk into the heart of an inferno and save people. Imagine the breakthroughs in medicine, energy, and material science that will be possible thanks to their unique abilities! This is the greatest untapped resource in human history. I am not just proposing to "integrate" them out of humanitarian concern. I am proposing to give them jobs within my new urban infrastructure projects. They will rebuild this city, create new technologies. They will pay taxes, Mr. Thorne, not live off the state. Integration is not charity; it is the most sensible and far-sighted investment we can make in New York's future.
Moderator: Thank you. And the final question for today, related to a recent tragedy. Last week, a mutant teenager, who allegedly controlled animals, was responsible for the deaths of at least three people. Your reaction?
Raymond Thorne: My reaction is anger. Anger, because this could have and should have been avoided! That teenager should have been under observation, in a specialized facility, not wandering the streets! My deepest condolences to the families of the victims. This horrific incident only confirms my position. We must send a clear and unambiguous message: our city is a safe territory for law-abiding citizens. And we will not tolerate uncontrolled threats here.
Wilson Fisk: I have personally studied the file on this case. The tragedy occurred after this teenager was attacked by a group of people. They mistakenly identified him as another mutant due to a skin rash on his face. Obviously, the attackers were simply looking for an excuse for aggression, and this became the trigger that provoked his powers. Understand me clearly: I am in no way trying to justify his actions. He is guilty of the deaths of those people. But the root of the problem lies deeper. If our society had accepted mutants from the beginning, created a system of support for them instead of persecution, perhaps this tragedy would not have happened. Let us not repeat the mistakes of the past. Let us learn to treat one another with honor and respect, regardless of whether we have an X-gene or not.
The video ended. Mr. Harrison turned off the projector and looked around the class. "Well, the positions have been stated, the arguments heard. Now let's see whose point of view you found more compelling. Please raise your hand if you support Wilson Fisk's position."
Hands began to go up. One after another, almost the entire class. Everyone except me. Not because Fisk's position was wrong, but because one of Thorne's arguments was bothering me. However, noticing all eyes were on me, I had to snap out of it and raise my hand too.
"Wow. Unanimous," Harrison noted with some surprise. "Mr. Thompson, if memory serves, you were a strong supporter of registration. What made you change your mind?"
Flash sat up straight. "I don't support Nazis."
Harrison was slightly taken aback by such a blunt statement. "Yes, that's... a powerful argument. I suppose. Elizabeth, what are your thoughts?"
Elizabeth Allan answered, choosing her words carefully: "Well... Fisk seemed much more confident. His arguments felt more thought-out, and he just seems more impressive. And... his words about unity, about integration... they just resonated more."
"A good answer," Harrison nodded. "Peter, your opinion is always interesting. What do you say?"
Parker thought for a second. "Thorne never actually answered the moderator's first question," he began calmly. "How exactly does he plan to guarantee safety? All he offered was to strengthen the SOB, which just means spending more money. That's not a solution; it's just an increase in expenses. He's passing the buck: 'someday' they'll find a way to subdue mutants, 'someday' it will all work out. He's not offering a concrete plan of action; he's just postponing the problem. That's irresponsible. Besides, based on his rhetoric, he's... a muta-racist? No, more like... a mutant-phobe."
Harrison nodded again. "A solid analysis. Diego, it was impossible not to notice you hesitated before raising your hand. Why?"
I had to gather my thoughts. "I was just stuck on one of Thorne's arguments. The one about, 'if someone sneezes one day and accidentally blows up the corner bakery, I want emergency services to know what they're dealing with! It's not a badge of shame; it's basic common sense!' It sounds logical, but if you think about it for a second, it's clear it's nonsense."
"Explain."
"Let's say this hypothetical 'sneezing' mutant is registered. His abilities are known. So what? The bakery is still going to explode, whether he's registered or not. The information about his powers won't prevent the incident. Furthermore, even if he's registered, how will emergency services know he was the one who blew up the bakery, and not some other mutant with similar powers who isn't registered? For Thorne's system to work, you don't just need to register mutants; you need to track every single one, 24/7. And that, as Fisk said, really does start to smell like a precursor to the Holocaust. And anyway," I had to add, "it seems to me that when confronting a mutant, it's better to assume you don't know what they're capable of. Uncertainty makes you more cautious. A false sense of confidence based on some entry in a registry could get you killed."
Harrison was silent for a few seconds, and then he clapped his hands. "Excellently put. Alright, we'll end the lesson there. Everyone who answered today gets an A."
"Even me?" Thompson asked, surprised. Harrison smiled. "Eugene, it doesn't matter if your opinion is right or wrong. What matters is that you have one. You're all dismissed."