I was acting crazy in North America, and all the crazy people there took it seriously.

Chapter 212 The American Spiritual Revitalization Plan: Have you ever seen a prison at four in the morning?

Anne returned just in time.

This doesn't just mean she caught a wave of easy success, but also that she caught the wave of America's entertainment boom.

This all started with President Coolidge's reputation.

Since President Coolidge was appointed to take over the mess left by President Harding, everything he has done can be summed up in one sentence: "Stability, stability, and more damn stability!"

Therefore, despite the mixed quality and even scandals among the cabinet officials left by his predecessor, he publicly stated that he would not ask them to resign—this was for the sake of the stability of the administrative system;
Despite the illegal armed conflict in the south, he did not choose to suppress it militarily at any cost, but instead racked his brains to "drain" Wakanda to the Bahamas in order to maintain stability.

Despite the fact that the KKK members, who nearly sent him to his death, created "America's darkest day," and he wished he could eradicate them completely, he ultimately suppressed his rage and only authorized Hoover to secretly establish the "Loyalty Investigation Department," adopting a strategy of secretly luring and capturing potential lunatics rather than openly banning them—for the sake of political stability in the South.

However, politics is often a game of appearances.

President Coolidge's performance was seen by the public and most media outlets as utterly ineffective.

The media now universally reminisces about former President Harding, portraying the Harding era as "the last peace," and asserting with certainty: "If President Harding had not died, with his prestige and charisma, the country would never have been in such turmoil!"

As for Coolidge? He was just a president who only knew how to put on a show.

This taciturn, uncharismatic man, who always seemed to be "compromising" and "enduring," was far inferior to his ex-girlfriend, who commanded respect at first glance.

Some media outlets even claimed that a dog in Coolidge's position wouldn't do any worse—since neither of them did anything anyway.

Given this public opinion, Coolidge's approval rating has been steadily declining in opinion polls released by various organizations.

Political commentators began to assert that, given this trend, he had no chance of being re-elected in the next general election.

And the more this happens, the more unrestrainedly the media reminisces about the former president and dreams about the next one.

Hoover's "disloyalty" notebook was already full of these media outlets!

At this point, the loyalist—no, the pragmatic Logan—absolutely disagreed, and so, in a recent episode of "Fireside Chats," he publicly defended President Coolidge—

“My friends, I know that our country has gone through an extraordinary period in the past. We have witnessed challenges, experienced pain, and searched for direction through the fog.”

"Some people are confused, some are angry, and some even have doubts about the future of America."

"But tonight, I want to tell every citizen listening to the radio, every hardworking family, and every person who has faith in this land—America, under the steady and wise leadership of the President, is on the right path toward a stronger future!"

Next, he began to "translate" President Coolidge's contributions one by one:
"We can see that the armed conflict in the South has been successfully defused by our president in a far-sighted and humane way, turning a potential internal drain into a precise diversion of external instability."

"This is by no means a retreat as some people accuse; it is a shrewd strategic maneuver!"

"We have maintained the stability of America at minimal internal cost and, in a more constructive way, eliminated a long-standing threat near our coastline."

"We can see that at the international level, when certain old empires with malicious intent attempt to interfere in and instigate our internal affairs, under the president's decisive decision, the powerful American naval fleet does not hesitate to sail to where it is needed!"

"We demonstrated our resolve and responded firmly to the malicious interference and instigation of certain old empires in our internal affairs; we also demonstrated restraint and did not get bogged down in a costly all-out war."

"Now, shipping lanes in the Caribbean are safer than ever before, and the hand that tried to stir up trouble has been severed. This is a double victory for us, both diplomatically and militarily!"

"Domestically, despite the brief and emotional fluctuations in the financial markets, America's industrial base remains strong, and our innovation capabilities remain unparalleled. The temporary gloom cannot obscure our enormous potential."

"As for those cowards who try to destroy our spirit with the most despicable acts of terror, they have indeed caused us pain, taken some precious lives, and even damaged the symbols we cherish."

"They were halfway to success; they made fear dominate the lives of many people."

Here, Logan couldn't help but become a reflective monster once again:
"I have to reflect on why a country like the United States, with its strong material foundation, has fallen into a fear that has lasted to this day because of some internal conflicts and certain unusual celestial phenomena?"

"I believe the root of the problem lies in the fact that while we Americans have accumulated considerable material wealth, our spiritual world is quite barren!"

"Past traditional values ​​have stifled the spirit of Americans, making us so vulnerable and helpless when faced with challenges that defy common sense!"

Of course, even when Logan is a reflective monster, he doesn't just stop at complaining like other reflective monsters.

He then presented his own solution—

"Therefore, I solemnly suggest that the federal government should launch an 'American Spirit Revitalization Plan': create public art projects to nourish the American spirit; repair monuments that embody our history and spirit (including but not limited to the Statue of Liberty) and let them shine again; carry out a variety of patriotic education activities... The goal is only one—to strengthen the spiritual backbone of Americans!"

Logan believes that President Coolidge has laid the groundwork. "I would say that the fear created by a few misguided individuals blinded by hatred is short-lived because the president is creating a stable and predictable environment."

"Therefore, my compatriots, do not be disturbed by those short-sighted noises, and do not be misled by temporary gloom. The situation is getting better and better!"

"Trust in our president, trust in yourselves! The road ahead is clear, and the dawn of America is breaking!"

In short, in Logan's highly persuasive narrative, President Coolidge is portrayed as a great and wise ruler, and Americans should not be ungrateful!
Some people took it to heart and thought, "Hmm, that makes some sense. The president isn't so bad after all."

According to unofficial statistics, President Coolidge's approval rating rose by five percentage points after the "fireside chat" aired!
However, many people believe that Logan deliberately went against mainstream opinion; some even think that Logan's frantic flattery was to make the president treat him differently and give him preferential treatment for the rest of his term.

What a joke, how could that be?
He said it himself, the president is a wise ruler, do you understand what a wise ruler is?

A wise ruler considers the interests of the nation in everything he does.

So President Coolidge soon announced the launch of the "American Spirit Revitalization Plan," a framework that closely matched Logan's suggestions, aiming to provide policy and financial support for cultural, artistic, and sporting projects that could "strengthen the American spirit."

Isn't it a coincidence? Logan has prepared more than one "American Spirit Revitalization" project. Well, this is probably the resonance between a wise ruler and a loyal subject.

……

The core of the "American Spirit Revitalization Plan," stripped of all its lofty embellishments, is essentially to "let the American people relax," to help them become more relaxed and less prone to going crazy!
The Sun once again demonstrated its commitment to "thinking what the nation thinks and being anxious about what the nation is anxious about."

The Sun, in collaboration with Fox River Private Prisons, has officially launched the unprecedented American Prison Basketball League – Prison Basketball!

Professional basketball has been promoted in Chicago for some time, cultivating an initial market foundation, and the rules of the game are becoming more and more complete.

More importantly, they used this opportunity to cultivate a group of referees and organizers familiar with basketball, and most importantly, to cultivate a group of promising young players.

Now is the perfect time to start a basketball league.

Thus, The Sun and Voice of Liberty radio mobilized their entire propaganda machine, setting the stage for the grand opening of "Prison BA".

From Shackles to Glory: The Starting Point of the American Spirit's Revival—The Birth of the Prison BA!

"When the air of freedom was once polluted by fear, when the beacon of hope seemed to be shrouded in gloom, where would the spirit of America be rekindled? The answer may surprise you—within the barbed wire, behind the high walls!"

"If even criminals in prison have the right to dream and pursue excellence, what reason do we, the citizens of the free world, have not to rise up?"

"Prison Basketball is more than just a game; it's a brand new American story about redemption, discipline, and hope! Here, anything is possible!"

People outside of Chicago were stunned!

I know about private prisons; everyone has known that Chicago has private prisons for quite some time now.

But what is a basketball league?
Okay, let's leave that aside for now, but what does the prison league have to do with the revitalization of the American spirit?
Are you suggesting we take our kids to prison to watch a game and then educate them by saying, "Look, this is the American spirit"?
When did America fall so low that it needs to seek so-called "spiritual revitalization" from a place that detains social losers and dangerous elements?

The loudest and most sarcastic voices were not from the media—these days, when colleagues encounter The Sun, even if they don't understand it or think it's crazy, they instinctively remain silent—but from people involved in other sports.

They were overjoyed when the president announced the "American Spirit Revitalization Plan," thinking it was a perfect match for sports. They were eager to receive any support they could get their hands on!
Then the so-called "Prison BA" suddenly appeared!
Most of them had never heard of basketball, but when they heard it was a professional sports league, they instinctively felt repulsed: Damn it, what right do you bunch of jailers have to come out and compete with us for jobs?
As The Sun's claims grew increasingly grand, sports figures couldn't help but write sarcastic articles: "We Americans have never lacked sports competitions, why do we need to watch prisoners play to gain 'spiritual revitalization'?"

They also started constantly promoting how exciting their games were, saying they were far better than any basketball games they'd never heard of before.

However, The Sun just smiled.

You think this is a sports league? No, what you're about to witness is a live-action reality show!
The Sun knows that in the initial stages when audiences are still unfamiliar with basketball, they are not interested in the rules or tactics of the game. Pushing the game itself too hard is like talking to a brick wall.

What truly captures attention, stirs emotions, and sparks heated discussions is never the cold, hard rules, but rather the dramatic characters and stories.

Therefore, starting from the "drama" stage of "Prison Basketball League", The Sun, in conjunction with Voice of Liberty, carefully packaged and launched a series of distinctive "star" stories, turning an unprecedented prison basketball league into a nationally watched "inspirational drama behind bars".

Please welcome contestant number one, "Black Panther"!
"At Fox River State Penitentiary, while most people are still asleep and even the guards are showing signs of weariness, one figure is always present on the basketball court surrounded by high walls and electric fences."

"The moonlight and the faint light of dawn were his only audience. No matter the weather or how hard he had worked the day before, he could always hear the lonely and persistent sound of bouncing the ball every morning."

"When he first rose to prominence, a reporter asked him the secret to his success. He simply said, 'Have you ever seen a prison at four in the morning?'"

The readers/listeners were stunned, followed by an uproar.

"A prison at 4 a.m. every day? Are they even human?"

"I don't believe it, this is impossible, it's all made up."

"You can't make up a story this far-fetched!"

But The Sun did not respond, and instead immediately introduced a second candidate, "Optimus Prime"!
"He is a dominant center under the basket, but few people know that this powerful heart has a congenital defect. Doctors once predicted that he should not engage in strenuous exercise. Every run, every jump, and every intense physical confrontation could be a gamble with death."

"But all he ever says is that life is short, so you have to treat every game as if it were your last."

The readers/listeners' reaction this time was to start criticizing the prison authorities.

"Playing ball with a heart condition? Is this a moral decline or a distortion of humanity? Doesn't anyone care about private prisons?"

"No, there must be a reason why The Sun dared to report this so publicly."

"What benefits could possibly motivate him to risk his life like this?"

The Sun continues to introduce a new contestant, the "One-Eyed Sprinter"!
"When he runs on the field, you might notice the grotesque scar and hollow around his left eye. But that does nothing to diminish his dominance in the air."

"His dunks were powerful and heavy, full of cathartic power, as if he wanted to smash all the humiliation and pain of the past into that iron hoop!"

"He proudly declared that even with only one eye, he could soar above the basketball hoop."

"..."

By this point, readers had finally realized that everyone in Fox River State Prison was incredibly talented! They were all eloquent, and their stories were all incredibly inspiring!
So... how did you all end up in jail when you're all so awesome?

……

(End of this chapter)