ADVANCED HISTORY WAS VAUGHN’S favorite subject but wished he could find some other sources for it. Vaughn mused that every year at this same time, it was the same rehash. It’s infuriating and insulting to say the least. For one thing, to call the south fanatical, and dismiss any credibility for their secession based upon that accusation alone seems disingenuous. It’s not like our government is any less fanatical. I mean, damn, they keep everyone in fear all the time. How does it make them any less fanatical just because they hate the old religions? 
Vaughn ran his fingers through his wavy dark hair, trying not to ask the question, but then attempting to frame it with just the right words.
Mr. Coleman called on him. “Do you have something to contribute to our discourse?”
Discourse? Is that what you call it? Yes, let’s have one. “Sir, if you would help me understand something . . . or perhaps you might not know. I’m sorry.”
Coleman studied him. I always wondered about this kid, what’s below the surface. His question could be taken in so many ways. “I’m here to teach you. Speak.”
“I don’t understand how the United States held together for over two hundred years and then split apart so abruptly due to religious fanaticism. We’re told that those major religions had been around even before the United States. I understand what the terrorist attacks did -- how they inflamed everyone’s feelings! I understand how one side blamed religion, all religion, and the other side blamed our lack of religion . . . but, why should all that lead to Civil War?"
Coleman narrowed his eyes at Vaughn, but the boy’s stare wasn’t competitive or challenging so he answered seriously. “Sometimes things snowball. If you look at how World War One began, one small thing lead to another, then an assassination! People kept feeling compelled to go the next step almost as if everyone were egged on by some external force that would only allow escalation instead of withdrawal. Before I tell you about the very point in time where our last Civil War began, I want you to understand something about how our population changed due to the plague. The United States was mostly left with a bunch of small towns and for the south, that meant a far stricter religious population than ever before. However, up north, due to its mega cities, there were a lot of highly educated people living on their outskirts who survived and they tended to be anti-religious. Not only that, but most of the high-powered, very experienced congressmen and senators died in Washington DC. Most of the representatives who survived weren’t . . . ahh, well . . . hmmm, well, they just weren’t your -- Anyway, at the United States last congressional meeting --”
All the students had suddenly come awake and sat up straighter. This was something they’d never heard before. Many were thinking suddenly that Coleman actually knows something other than the government’s textbooks.
“-- a certain very religious congressman from the south stood up berating his opponents, and began waving his Bible in one of their faces like this.” Coleman came over, grabbed Vaughn’s notebook from his desk and shook it vehemently at him pronouncing: “We need GOD! We need CHRIST in the government.”
The teacher was actually a pretty good actor. It stunned his students to see his gestures, not realizing how much of a character their instructor really was, and then the notebook accidently hit Vaughn on the nose! A little blood came out as he flinched away. All the kids’ eyes widened. Coleman smiled and turned to the class. “Now consider whether I hit Mr. Vaughn on purpose for asking that question --” He paused, suddenly appearing very mischievous, and everyone broke out in loud laughter! That was the first time ever in classroom history when they actually experienced joy. Coleman politely hushed them. “Shh, you want the principal to come in here and summarily execute me?” He was still being humorous but everyone took on a more serious tone. They were starting to really like this teacher.
Coleman finished up his challenge. “Did I hit Vaughn on purpose or not? Does it matter? Because when that Bible hit another congressman in the face, he retaliated by knocking the guy out! The whole last Congress broke into a huge brawl! It was downhill from there, each calling in loyal troops for defense, and then as tensions kept mounting, one-armed side lined up against the other . . ."
Ralph raised his hand, though he really didn’t care one way or the other. The irony of his thought caught him appreciating how funny his idea would be, so he decided to share. Coleman nodded to him. “Let me guess, someone lit off a firecracker and they all started killing each other.”
“Bingo!”
Vaughn exclaimed in exasperation. “You’re kidding!”
But Coleman shook his head and the bell rang.
