The City of Springfield An Example of The Hunger Games In Real Life

by Ruth Ledbetter

11-2-2015

With a common story line of good verses evil, control verses the desire for freedom from oppression,  and slavery verses freedom, the city of Springfield has a truth that mimics fiction.  A young woman is thrust into the public's eye, not because she wanted the attention, but because she was chosen by the government to suffer a punishment so that no one else would dare rise up against the government.   It is the true story that is so very much like the Book and Movie series "The Hunger Games".

Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) From The Movie "The Hunger Games"

Jessica Lawson, playing the part of Katniss Everdeen, decided to volunteer and put herself in harms way in order to save other women who are oppressed because of their gender and their politics.  They are not part of the party that controls the government, so they feel trapped like slaves living their lives the way the government demands.  The part of Peeta Mellark is handled very well by Katie Webb.  Webb decided that in order for Lawson to succeed in her mission, that she would sacrifice herself and allow the forces of the government through other contestants, such as Jennifer Wilken, to come and attack her, in a bloody battle where the winner takes all and there are no prisoners left behind.  Webb has fought tirelessly beside of Lawson with both going before Burnett and the council to stand for the freedom of all and against government tyranny. 

President Coriolanus Snow (Donald Sutherland)

The role of President Coriolanus Snow is played by Springfield City Councilman Justin Burnett.  The vendetta against Lawson and Webb comes out in the new law passed to further subordinate the heroes and their fellow slaves.  He further gets angry that their act of defiance to his will has caused a rebellion of the other slaves to launch, and has used his army, Burnett Brigade, to hunt down all the rebels and do whatever it takes to destroy the rebellion.

One of the members of Burnett Brigade, David Cort, when explaining why Councilman Burnett had to make a harsher law and crack down on the rebellion, told YOJ, "Women in Springfield didn't have to be TOLD they couldn't walk around topless in front of a stranger's children. They didn't have to be TOLD what was decent and what wasn't. Now, it appears, some do."  Cort is running in Missouri's 133 District to defeat the incumbent Eric Burlison, the Speaker of the Missouri House.

Another member of the city council, Kristi Fulnecky, decided to punish the man in the role of Plutarch Heavensbee, Springfield Mayor Bob Stephens, because Burnett and Fulnecky believe that, although part of the government control of the slaves, he was secretly helping the slaves to rebel against Burnett.  Tasked with the effort to do away with the mayor, Cort created the Facebook page Recall Stephens, and quickly signed up Wilkin and Christina Tonsing to help with the mission.  

Source: Facebook

Only making matters worse for Burnett, Mayor Stephens made a move that helped the rebels by fighting back against Fulnecky for not even paying seven years worth of taxes to the government.  So now Stephens is on the run as a wanted man, while the state run media tell Burnett and Fulnecky's side of the battle in order to help put out the rebellion and then destroy Stephens.  

Fulnecky and Cort have begun attacking independent media that they do not control in order to discredit and put them down, showing that only their approved media are allowed and any rebellion against the status quo will be wiped out.  

Katniss with the Rebel Salute

While Lawson has been fighting both Burnett in court and Fulnecky's conspiratorial claims against Mayor Stephens, Webb has been firmly fighting to have Burnett recalled and tossed from City Council.  The two have given others who feel oppressed hope that Burnett's totalitarian government can be overthrown and a government that respects and gives freedom to all its citizens takes their place.  The two have bravely gone before the council and Burnett, arguing for freedom, personal liberty and justice for all.  They are also fighting against adding another law to the books.  

The duo have shown the oppressed how to fight against Burnett, and with the help of Stephens, they have been shining the light on the things that Burnett and Fulnecky wish to keep hidden.  Fulnecky and other members of Burnett Brigade are censoring anyone that they do not like - even constituents, banning them from posting or commenting on their various sites.  Fulnecky explained this by saying, "Freedom of speech is only for those that agree with you now".  Those like Fulnecky and Wilkin are showing their Biblical principle of submission to a man - Justin Burnett.  Anyone that does not agree are neither fit to speak or considered constituents, because they are heathens.

As the story of The Hunger Games plays out in Springfield before our very eyes, and with the battle looming, all eyes are on the duo of Lawson and Webb to see if they are successful in winning their freedom or if Burnett and his Brigade are able to put down the rebellion.  You can catch the final installment of the movie series, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, when it comes out on November 20, 2015.