"Fake" Gold Coin Is Actually Worth Millions, According to Numismatic Guaranty Corporation

Mistakenly believed by its anonymous New England owner to be a fake, this historic gold coin now has been authenticated as “the discovery of a lifetime” by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation

A small gold coin, mistakenly believed by its New England owner to be a fake, has been authenticated by rare coin experts as only the fourth known example of a $5 denomination coin struck at the San Francisco Mint during the California Gold Rush in 1854.  The historic rare coin was certified as genuine by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation in Sarasota, Florida, the world's largest rare coin authentication company.

Slightly smaller than a modern quarter-dollar, the 164-year old gold piece now is estimated to be worth millions of dollars, according to NGC.

"It's like finding an original Picasso at a garage sale. It's the discovery of a lifetime," said Mark Salzberg, NGC Chairman.

"The owner of the coin is a life-long New England resident who wants to remain anonymous.  He was stunned when we informed him that it is a genuine, multi-million dollar rare coin. He had shown it to a few collectors and dealers at a recent coin show, but everybody said they thought it was a fake because until now there were only three genuine surviving 1854 San Francisco Mint $5 gold pieces known," explained Salzberg.

"Our initial reaction on examining the coin was utter disbelief that a rarity of this magnitude could still be discovered in this era," said NGC President Rick Montgomery.  "But upon seeing the coin in person for the first time it was apparent that the coin is genuine."

“Discovery of a Lifetime”

Collectors refer to U.S. $5 denomination gold coins as Half Eagles, and Mint records indicate just 268 of them were made in San Francisco in 1854, the first year that coins were produced there. Until now, only three surviving examples were known, and one of them is in the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. The Smithsonian provided a photograph of its coin to Numismatic Guaranty Corporation to assist with authentication of the one owned by the New England man, according to Salzberg.

 SOURCE: Numismatic Guaranty Corporation

New CAIR Report: Trump's Muslim Bans Increased Anti-Muslim Discrimination, Violence

CAIR’s 2018 civil rights report (image via CAIR)

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today released a one-of-its-kind report offering data on the impact and legal pushback against anti-Muslim bias across the United States in the past year.

• Video: CAIR News Conference to Release 2018 Civil Rights Report
• CAIR 2018 Civil Rights Report: Targeted 
• Video: CAIR's 2018 Civil Rights Report Offers Data on Impact of Growing Anti-Muslim Bias

CAIR's 2018 civil rights report finds that federal government agencies have instigated more than a third of all anti-Muslim bias incidents in 2017. Of these, 464 incidents were related to the Trump administration's unconstitutional "Muslim Ban" executive orders. The new report, titled "Targeted," also shows a 17 percent increase in anti-Muslim bias incidents and a 15 percent increase in hate crimes in 2017 over the previous year. 

"Not only have anti-Muslim bias incidents continued to increase, but a greater percentage of these instances have been violent in nature, targeting American children, youth and families who are Muslim or perceived to be Muslim," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad.

"CAIR's 2018 Civil Rights Report provides concrete evidence that the unconstitutional Muslim Ban resulted in more Islamophobic hate and violence," said CAIR Research and Advocacy Coordinator Zainab Arain, author of the report. "The anti-Muslim hate incidents documented in CAIR's report are an indictment of the Trump administration and its unconstitutional and divisive policies."  

The most frequent types of incidents documented by CAIR in 2017 involved:  

• Harassment, a non-violent or non-threatening incident of bias, at 14 percent of cases.  
• Incidents in which the complainant was inappropriately targeted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), accounting for 13 percent of cases.  
• Hate crimes, including physical violence targeting individuals and damage targeting property, making up 12 percent.  
• Cases in which the FBI harassed or otherwise inappropriately targeted the complainant, constituting 10 percent.
•  Employment discrimination — including denial of work, being passed over for promotion, or harassment by a supervisor or other senior staff — accounting for 9 percent.  

The most prevalent triggering factor of an anti-Muslim bias incident in 2017 was the victim's ethnicity or national origin, accounting for 32 percent of the total. The second most frequent trigger was the perpetrator's perception of an individual as a Muslim – irrespective of the presence or not of an identifying marker such as attire. This trigger constituted 14 percent of the total cases. A head scarf on a woman was the trigger in 13 percent of incidents. The Muslim Ban executive orders made up the fourth most frequent trigger, at 10 percent. 

The report dataset is drawn primarily from the intakes CAIR conducts each year. With each case, CAIR's civil rights and legal staff seek to ensure the highest possible level of accuracy.  

CAIR said it has witnessed an unprecedented spike in bigotry targeting American Muslims and members of other minority groups since the election of Donald Trump as president and his appointment of Islamophobic advisers and cabinet members.

• CAIR: John Bolton Chaired Anti-Muslim Think Tank (NBC)
• Video: CAIR, Muslim, Arab-American, Asian-American, Anti-Torture Groups to Urge Rejection of Pompeo's Confirmation as Secretary of State

⏩ Community members are being urged to report any bias incidents to police and to CAIR's Civil Rights Department at 202-742-6420 or by filing a report at: www.cair.com/report  
   

⏩ CAIR launched an app to share critical "know your rights" information and to simplify the process to report hate crimes and bias incidents. CAIR is urging American Muslims and members of other minority groups to download the app and utilize this resource to stay informed and empowered.

⏩ For a quick download of CAIR's civil rights app, click here ⏪

“No Ban No Wall. Sanctuary for All.”  (image via CAIR)

About CAIR: 

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.

SOURCE: Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)

Related Stories:

• CAIR Calls for FEC and IRS Probes of Anti-Muslim Ads Backed by Trump Supporter and Targeting Voters in Swing States
• Video: CAIR Responds to Donald Trump's Anti-Muslim Retweets
• CAIR Calls on Feds to Probe Call to Violence Against U.S. Muslims at N.C. Meeting of Hate Groups

"Puppets For Puppetry" Benefit on Saturday, May 5, 2018 Hosted by Chris Hardwick, With Special Guests Jack McBrayer, Bobby Moynihan, and Musical Guest Jason Mraz

The Jim Henson Company will host the Center for Puppetry Arts' fundraiser Puppets for Puppetry, a night of special and surprise performances celebrating all kinds of puppetry honoring Caroll Spinney (image via LoupDargent.info)

The Center for Puppetry Arts will hold its second Puppets for Puppetry dinner and show on Saturday, May 5th, 2018, at The Jim Henson Company's historic lot in Hollywood.  

The benefit event will be hosted by comedian Chris Hardwick (The Wall, Talking Dead) and feature special guests Jack McBrayer (30 Rock, Wreck It Ralph), Bobby Moynihan(SNL, Inside Out), and Grammy Award-winner Jason Mraz ("I'm Yours").  

The benefit event will be hosted by comedian Chris Hardwick (The Wall, Talking Dead).

⏩ The unique fundraising event will honor the beloved puppeteer Caroll Spinney, best known to fans around the world as the performer of the iconic Sesame Street characters Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch.  

Favorite characters from the series and special surprises will also be a part of the unforgettable evening.  Bill Barretta, Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, Brian Henson, Eric Jacobson, and Matt Vogel are just some of the incredible puppeteers confirmed to participate.

Musical guest Grammy Award-winner Jason Mraz ("I'm Yours").

A limited number of tickets are still available at puppetsforpuppetry.com. The site also includes an online auction with collectible items including artwork from Caroll Spinney and Jim Henson, and a quilt from artists at Jim Henson's Creature Shop.  Puppets for Puppetry is presented with generous support from Joan Ganz Cooney, The Jim Henson Company, Sesame Workshop, and Tyler Perry Studios, among others.

“Untitled” Puppets for Puppetry commemorative print

"We are so honored to have such incredible talent join us for this year's Puppets for Puppetry event.  In his roles as Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, Caroll Spinney has shown how the art of puppetry can bring all kinds of people together and this not-to-be-missed performance, with such gifted and generous special guests, will be truly one of a kind.  Just like our honoree!" said Vincent Anthony, The Barbara and Bill Wylly Executive Director at the Center for Puppetry Arts. "We can't wait to share this exciting performance with our audience!"

The mission of the Center for Puppetry Arts is to inspire imagination, education, and community through the global art of puppetry. This Atlanta-based nonprofit is the nation's only resource of its kind, featuring an international puppetry collection, a vibrant theatre space, and workshops and performances that develop puppetry talent; it also houses more than 500 puppets and props donated by the family of Jim Henson and The Jim Henson Company in its permanent exhibit, The Jim Henson Collection. 

The Center's educational programs serve schools nationwide, complementing national curriculum standards in language arts, social studies, science, math, and other areas. In the Center's most recently-completed fiscal year, visitors came from all 50 states. The Center's Distance Learning program has also reached all 50 states and nine countries with live and interactive workshops and performances, delivered through videoconferencing.

SOURCE: The Jim Henson Company

Related Story:

• Center for Puppetry Arts Will Honor Caroll Spinney, Beloved Puppeteer of Sesame Street's Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, At This Year's Benefit Stage Show and Dinner

"The Angry Birds Movie 2" Flies In With All-Star Cast Of New And Returning Comedy Talent

"The Angry Birds Movie" (pictured) became a breakout animated hit in 2016. Sony Pictures announced today an all-star cast of new and returning comedy talent in "The Angry Birds Movie 2."

As Sony Pictures in association with Rovio Entertainment once again join forces on The Angry Birds Movie 2, the filmmakers have brought together a hilarious all-star cast of new and returning talent for the flightless birds and scheming green pigs as they take their beef to the next level.  The Angry Birds Movie 2 is slated to fly into theaters on September 20, 2019.

The first film's birds and pigs – including Jason Sudeikis (We're the Millers, Horrible Bosses) as the temperamental Red, Josh Gad (Beauty and the Beast, Frozen, Murder on the Orient Express) as speedy Chuck, Bill Hader (Barry, Trainwreck) as Leonard, king of the pigs, Danny McBride (Vice Principals, This is the End) as the volatile Bomb – are back for more fun, as is Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones, Avengers: Infinity War, Three Billboards), stentorian voice of the legendary Mighty Eagle.

They are joined for the sequel by a host of hilarious actors and comedy stars, including Leslie Jones(Emmy-nominee for Saturday Night Live, Ghostbusters) as the film's villain, Golden Globe-winner Rachel Bloom (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Golden Globe and Emmy-winner Sterling K. Brown (This is Us, Black Panther, The People vs. O.J. Simpson), Mexico's comedy superstar Eugenio Derbez (Instructions Not Included, Overboard), Zach Woods (Silicon Valley, The Post), Awkwafina (Oceans 8, Crazy Rich Asians), Lil Rel Howery (Get Out), Dove Cameron (The Descendants, Agents of SHIELD), Beck Bennett (Saturday Night Live, Brigsby Bear) and Brooklynn Prince (The Florida Project) have all signed on to roles.

John Cohen, producer of the film said, "I'm thrilled about our incredibly talented filmmaking team and the hilarious people we've brought together for the sequel.  We're so happy that Jason, Josh, Bill, Danny, and Peter are back for a second adventure joined by Leslie, Rachel, Sterling, Eugenio and this awesome ensemble of new talent.  We'll have many more exciting announcements to share soon."

The sequel follows on the success of the global blockbuster The Angry Birds Movie, which opened to #1 in 50 countries worldwide, including the U.S., in May 2016.  With $352 million at the global box office, it became the second-highest-grossing video game adaptation of all time.  The Angry Birds games have been downloaded over 4 billion times.

The Angry Birds Movie 2 is directed by Thurop Van Orman (The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack, Adventure Time), co-directed by John Rice (King of the Hill, Rick and Morty), and produced by John Cohen (Despicable Me, The Angry Birds Movie).  Mary Ellen Bauder Andrews is co-producing, Sean Charmatz (Trolls) is the head of story, Peter Ackerman (FX's "The Americans," Ice Age) is writing the screenplay, Pete Oswald is the production designer, and Linda Lamontagne is the casting director.  David Maisel and Catherine Winder are executive producers.  The talented team at Sony Pictures Imageworks handles the animation.

SOURCE: Sony Pictures Entertainment

1968 Olympics Protesters, Charlie Hebdo Cartoonist, and Reporters Who Uncovered Workplace Harassment Awarded the Newseum Free Expression Awards

Dr. Tommie Smith (center) and Dr. John Carlos (right) both accepted Newseum Free Expression Awards for their protest on the medal podium at the 1968 Summer Olympics.

On April 17, the Newseum presented the 2018 Free Expression Awards, now in its third year, to a group of individuals who exhibit passion for and dedication to free expression. The honorees have taken personal or professional risks in sharing critical information with the public, have been censored or punished by authorities or other groups for their work, or have pushed boundaries in artistic and media expression.

The New York Times Company chairman and former publisher of The New York Times Arthur Sulzberger Jr. received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his work to shape and implement innovative print and online initiatives at the Times. During his tenure as publisher, the paper earned 60 Pulitzer Prizes and provided its readers with innumerable examples of momentous journalism.

"The Newseum reminds us that great journalism has many purposes: to inform, to enlighten, to challenge and to surprise," said Sulzberger. "The highest and noblest role of a free press is holding power to account. That's been true throughout our nation's history but it is especially true to remember today." 

Newseum on Pennsylvania Avenue (Maria Bryk/Newseum)

• Dr. John Carlos and Dr. Tommie Smith both accepted awards for their brave protest on the medal podium at the 1968 Summer Olympics. Together they lowered their heads and raised their gloved fists in a silent protest of the mistreatment of black Americans and people of color everywhere. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, retired professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers, presented their awards.

• Thirteen journalists from four news publications received a Free Expression Award on behalf of all journalists who uncovered sexual misconduct in the workplace. Their work broke through a dam of suppressed stories and silenced voices to reveal decades-long harassment throughout the American workplace, including media, film, sports, manufacturing, the arts and Congress.

• Charlie Hebdo cartoonist Laurent "Riss" Sourisseau received a Free Expression Award for his fierce defense of the fundamental right to free expression. In January 2015, terrorists attacked the Charlie Hebdo headquarters in Paris, killing 12 of Riss's colleagues in revenge for the newspaper's caricatured portrayals of the prophet Muhammad, founder of Islam. In the three years since, millions have marched under the banner "Je Suis Charlie" ("I am Charlie") and, undaunted, Riss and his colleagues continue to exercise their freedom of expression to satirize the pompous and powerful.

• The 2017 Free Expression Awards honored U.S. Congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis; Apple CEO Tim Cook; journalist Martha Raddatz; Becket Law executive director Kristina Arriaga de Bucholz; Playboy founder and editor-in-chief Hugh Hefner; and former Playboy Enterprises Chairman and CEO Christie Hefner.

The Entire Free Expression Awards Program Video:

SOURCE: Newseum

Related Videos:

"Beyond I Do" Campaign Launches to Raise Awareness about the Prevalence of Discrimination Against LGBT People in the United States

The goal of the Beyond I Do campaign is to raise awareness of the discrimination millions of LGBT Americans face every day and to promote equality for all Americans.

A campaign launching today aims to raise awareness about the prevalence of discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in the United States, despite the widespread misconception they have basic protections.

The public service campaign from the Ad Council, in partnership with the Gill Foundation, promotes acceptance, empathy and understanding for the millions of LGBT Americans who can be kicked out of their homes, fired from their jobs or denied services because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. 

Created by ad agency CP+B with research and strategy from Redscout, the "Beyond I Do" campaign will confront the common misconception that LGBT Americans received full equality along with the right to marry.  

The campaign highlights many stories of Americans who have faced discrimination across the country, along with facts about discrimination, at BeyondIDo.org. They speak for the 55 percent of LGBT people who have reported being discriminated against due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. 1 And while public opinion research shows 79 percent of non-LGBT Americans support equality for LGBT people, 80 percent mistakenly believe it's illegal under federal law to fire, evict or refuse service to someone because they are LGBT. 2 3 In reality, 31 states lack comprehensive protections and allow these acts of discrimination against LGBT Americans.4

"Everyone should have the ability to live in safety, support their families, and go about their daily lives without the fear of being turned away because they're gay or transgender," said Lisa Sherman, Ad Council President and CEO. "By sharing powerful and poignant stories, this campaign highlights the values we hold so dear as Americans and provides a real opportunity to grow awareness and empathy."

"Beyond I Do" features stories of Americans from across the country who have been fired from their jobs, kicked out of their homes, or denied services because they are LGBT. They include:

• Krista and Jami of Michigan, who were married in 2012. A pediatrician refused to provide medical care for their six-day-old newborn because of the couple's sexual orientation. It was, and still is, legal in Michigan for a doctor to refuse service to a child based on the sexual orientation of the child's parents.
• Aaron and Shaun, who were married in 2015. Shortly after their joyous September wedding, they attempted to place an announcement in Shaun's hometown newspaper in Missouri to continue the celebration with his childhood friends and neighbors. The publisher decided that announcing the marriage between two men was inappropriate, and denied the announcement.
• Jimmie and Mindy of Ohio, who became the first LGBT couple to marry in Franklin County. Jimmie was unexpectedly fired from her job as a teacher when her school's principal and board members had "questions about her sexuality." Until that point, Jimmie had received nothing but positive performance evaluations.

Actor Nick Offerman also lends his voice to the campaign by recording radio spots that will be heard nationwide. Several media partners have made commitments to the "Beyond I Do" campaign prior to launch including Fox Networks Group, Oath, Pinterest and Upworthy.

"The power of this campaign comes from leveraging the shocking fact that millions of Americans are being denied basic rights," said Quinn Katherman, Creative Director, CP+B. "We realized that nothing could ever be as compelling as the true stories these couples have to tell."

"We wanted to be clear and non-judgmental with the message that we are all just human beings and yet some of us are denied basic rights," said Redscout Founder and Chairman, Jonah Disend. "Through real stories, the campaign is exposing the fact that the right to marriage wasn't a golden ticket to equal rights for LGBT Americans."

➤  Read all of the stories at BeyondIDo.org and learn more about discrimination protections in your state.

Footnotes:

1 GLAAD: Accelerating Acceptance 2018. A Survey of American Acceptance and Attitudes Toward LGBTQ Americans. Conducted by The Harris Poll. Available at: glaad.org/files/aa/Accelerating%20Acceptance%202018.pdf 
2 Ibid. 
3 Jones, Robert P., Betsy Cooper, Daniel Cox, and Rachel Lienesch. "Majority of Americans Oppose Laws Requiring Transgender Individuals to Use Bathrooms Corresponding to Sex at Birth Rather than Gender Identity." PRRI. 2016. prri.org/research/poll-lgbt-transgender-bathroom-bill-presidential-election/.
4 BeyondIDo.org

SOURCE: Ad Council

The Videos:

"A Different Kind Of Fire And Fury; Revenge" - A Timely, High-Octane Revenge Thriller For The #MeToo Era

"A Different Kind Of Fire And Fury; Revenge" - Cover

Julie Reichwein's new thriller is a raw revenge fantasy where fiction meets the real-world fight to stop sexual assault. 

The story begins as Detective Michelle Velasquez is assigned to two cases, the first of which is the rape of financial company intern Maria Acevedo. The second is a 30-year-old murder case involving her former friend, Susie Murphy.

Synopsis:

(Via WebWire)

Detective Michelle Velasquez kicks ass with the Santa Fe Police Department, and she’ll need all her moxie May, 2013 as she’s assigned two cases which may be related. She’s assigned a vicious rape case of Maria Acevedo, an intern with the Jones Financial Group, as she gets a call from an old friend, Richard Stanberry III. He’s intent on re-connecting, but she’s suspicious of his motives for good reason. 

As she digs into Maria Acevedo’s rape case, she’s assigned a thirty year old murder case of her former friend, Susie Murphy, who happened to be Richard Stanberry III’s girlfriend at the time of her murder. If Detective Velasquez wants to solve both cases, she’s going to have to put her life on the line to uncover some dark secrets that some prefer to stay buried.

The Trailer:

(Via Julie Reichwein's Twitter)

Book review by; https://t.co/BynBwIx5a2
Reichwein has her sights clearly set on the genre's bestsellers & has come out fighting w/a series that has huge potential.
A Different Kind Of Fire And Fury; Revenge is highly recommendedhttps://t.co/3DfG98WZ8V #IARTG #SNRTG #SupportIA pic.twitter.com/t6WQf3n0tt

— Julie Reichwein (@JulieReichwein1) April 1, 2018

Some Of The Reactions About the Book:

"Like the Uma Thurman revenge thriller Kill Bill, Reichwein's narrative is full-bore from the get-go…The title is an apt description for the raw emotion on display in this most unusual and effective novel." - Bestthrillers.com Book Review

"A classy and edgy debut for Reichwein and one that's sure to get her noticed by avid readers of the genre... A sure sign of a bestseller the forward momentum is relentless as Detective Michelle Velasquezfinds herself drawn into a web of lies and misdirection and whilst Reichwein may be new to the genre she's clearly adept at revealing her characters' emotions…Readers who like James Patterson will find this certainly hits the mark…."

"With her sights clearly set on the genre's bestsellers, Reichwein has come out fighting with a series that has huge potential and A Different Kind Of Fire And Fury; Revenge is highly recommended." - Bookviral.com Book Review

"Author Julie Reichwein has put together a gripping, relentless, super fast psychological thriller and I wouldn't expect less when it comes to... revenge! She did a thorough research about the different characters, for instance, sexual assailants and their psychology. The characters souls are masterfully exposed in their sick, gritty, dirty and dark glory…Reichwein is very good also when it comes to describing scenes, she makes it look effortless as she uses the exact right amount of description – not wordy but also not lacking in detail, this will make the reader easily visualize the scene in his/her mind. This novel features strong language and it is sexually charged."  - Circleofbooks.com 5 star review

About The Author:

(Via WebWire)

Author, Julie Reichwein, is a resident of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and was inspired to write her first book because of her interest in criminal psychology. Reichwein has been a life long reader and some of her favorite authors are Nelson DeMille, Paula Hawkins, Gillian Flynn, Tess Geritsen, David Baldacci, Janet Evanovich, Patricia Cornwell, Robert B. Parker, John Grisham and Dennis Leheane.

⏩ "A Different Kind Of Fire And Fury; Revenge" is available on Amazon

SOURCE: Julie Reichwein

Book Release: Satirical Novel from 2076 Describes America's Self-Destruction

"The History of the Decline and Fall of America, A Semi-Fictional Satire" - Book Cover

Azaria Press has released The History of the Decline and Fall of America, A Semi-Fictional Satire. Award-winning humorist Scott Erickson assumes the identity of a British historian looking back from the year 2076 to reveal how and why America fell.

⏩ The book is for people who suspect America is collapsing and need validation. The message to the reader is: You're not crazy, it's the world.

By examining America's past and projecting it into the future, the book allows readers to clearly comprehend how America's core assumptions have determined American history and will determine America's destiny. It shows that America is destroying itself while remaining absolutely clueless as to the reasons why.

The book provides insights into a variety of questions, such as: 

• Why is the cost of living continually rising with no end in sight? 
• What will happen now that oil is beginning to run out? 
• What are the effects of America's addiction to economic growth? 
• Why is America leaning toward fascism? 
• Why is the "dumbing down of America" turning into "America's embrace of stupidity"?

The History of the Decline and Fall of America openly embraces what America refuses to admit: If America doesn't change course, it's doomed.

The History of the Decline and Fall of America, A Semi-Fictional Satire 
Azaria Press
ISBN: 978-0-9898311-7-8
Available via amazon.com

The History of the Decline and Fall of America – Author Q&A:

(Via scott-erickson-writer.com)

Who is the audience for the book?

I think of the audience for the book as one of two basic types of people: people who suspect America is collapsing and need validation, and for people convinced America is collapsing and would like supporting evidence.

What value does it provide for this audience?

Hopefully the book will provide a kind of support or vindication. The message to them is: You’re not crazy; it’s the world. Because a lot of the time what makes us feel crazy isn’t what we’re feeling, but thinking that we’re the only ones feeling it. So in a curious way, I hope that the book will provide peace of mind. For those stressed about the possibility that America is collapsing, here’s some good news: You’re right!

A lot of people might think it’s a crazy idea to consider that America is going to collapse.

It shouldn’t be. The signs are everywhere, for anyone who cares to look. Although America refuses to openly consider that the country could possibly collapse, a growing number of people are actively preparing for it—not only “doomsday preppers” but also Silicon Valley billionaires who are investing in overseas escape properties. Respected economists openly discuss how our debt-based economic system can’t be sustained. Books such as Collapse make it very clear that America is following the same course as many doomed civilizations from the past.

But somehow, the idea isn’t openly discussed.

There seems to be a kind of taboo about openly considering the idea. Of course, it makes sense that people don’t really want to consider that the society they’re totally dependent on might collapse. Do parents really want to consider the possibility that they’re raising children to enter a doomed society?

Yet somehow a lot of people broke through that taboo.

For me personally, there’s a curious “disconnect” that can feel surreal. In my particular social circle, the idea of America collapsing is a no-brainer. When the topic comes up, the only question is about the timing—how much time have we got. Or what will be the trigger. But outside of that circle, I feel like I have to be careful who I bring up the topic with.

Because they might think you’re crazy?

Yes—that I’m some kind of “doomsday nut” or something. But over time I’m finding that a lot of people don’t find the idea crazy, but are afraid of breaking that taboo. I suppose that’s understandable, because lot of doomsayers really are crazy. Which is one reason why people resist talking about collapse, out of fear they’ll be seen as one of the crazy people carrying a sign saying “The End is Near.” As opposed to people concerned about collapse for entirely rational reasons.

How did this book come about?

My two previous satires explored environmental destruction and the growing embrace of stupidity. When I was considering what topic to write about, Donald Trump was campaigning for president. The rise of the alt-right and fascist rhetoric basically chose my topic for me.

But the title of your book doesn’t even mention fascism.

As I was considering how to approach the topic, it occurred to me that you can’t really understand fascism in isolation. Historically fascism has arisen as a response to social and political crisis. In the case of America, a main point of my book is that America is responsible for creating the crisis. You can’t really understand the rise of fascism in America without understanding the overall decline of America.

What makes your book unique?

Instead of exploring America’s problems in isolation, it examines then together to show how they’re interrelated and self-reinforcing. In this way, the book is able to provide answers to a variety of questions, such as: Why is the cost of living rising, and will continue to rise? What will happen now that oil is beginning to run out? What are the effects of our addiction to economic growth? Why is the “dumbing down of America” turning into “America’s embrace of stupidity”?

Why a “semi-fictional” book? That’s a very unusual approach.

It’s a curious mix, combining fiction with non-fiction, but it’s the only way I could communicate my message. Basically, everything I write about that occurs up to the present is based on historical research. As the historical past transitions into the future, fiction takes over in portraying how this movement may unfold. This allows readers to clearly comprehend how America’s core assumptions have determined American history and will determine America’s future. It reveals that, as Lao Tzu put it, “If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.”

You could have written a straight non-fiction book. Why satire?

There have been plenty of serious non-fiction books about everything I write about in the book. Such as the effects of environmental destruction. In the book Collapse, Jared Diamond made it extremely clear that civilizations that destroyed their environments did not survive. Yet what was the effect of that book?

Let me guess. Nothing?

That’s exactly right! You win this round and advance to the semi-finals. So we don’t need another “serious” book. From my point of view, all I could possibly contribute was satire. All I can hope is that satire communicates the message in a way that “serious” books cannot.

Are you concerned that people will find the book depressing?

This is one reason I think satire was the best approach. It can help us laugh at things that might otherwise cause us to sink in despair. It’s the reason that Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb was so important. The prospect of total nuclear war and the destruction of humanity should be depressing. But at a very critical time for a lot of people, that movie allowed people to laugh about it. Hopefully my book will allow people to stop worrying and love America’s self-destruction. Don’t mourn the impending death of America, celebrate the glory of what’s left of America, while we can.

About the Author:

Scott Erickson (image via Amazon)

Scott Erickson is an award-winning writer of humor and satire. His other books include the satirical novels The Invasion of the Dumb Snatchers and The Diary of Amy, the 14-Year-Old Girl Who Saved the Earth. He lives in Portland, Oregon, and is possibly the nicest curmudgeon you'll ever meet.

⏩ Visit www.scott-erickson-writer.com  for more information

SOURCE: Azaria Press