novelnext Chapter 16: The Counterattack Begins
Chapter 16: The Counterattack Begins
"A big gift?" Leo asked. "What big gift?"
"Procedural flaws in the law are our sword," Roosevelt explained. "They can pierce the enemy's defenses, but they are not sharp enough to be lethal."
"We want the whole of Pittsburgh to be on our side. We want Mayor Cartwright and his friends to feel the burning heat of public opinion before they take any action."
The next morning, Leo told Sarah, Margaret, and Frank about the new strategy he had discussed with Roosevelt the night before.
The strategy of "Heart of Pittsburgh" needs to be changed.
It can no longer be just Leo sitting in front of the fireplace, analyzing legal provisions in front of the camera.
While those videos are professional, they are too far removed from the average person's experience.
They launched a brand new video submission campaign.
The name of the event is very simple.
"My Community Center Story".
Sarah designed a simple poster with the following text.
Have you or your family ever received help here? Have your children ever spent a happy afternoon here? Have you ever found a new job or a new friend here? Please tell us your story, and let's work together to protect our shared home.
The posters were put up at the entrance of the community center, and Frank's old friends also covered every corner of the community with them.
Sarah posted it on her Facebook and Twitter pages.
At first, not many people responded.
People are used to silence and are not used to telling their stories in front of the camera.
George was the first to step forward.
Sarah recorded a short video for him using her phone.
George sat on the worn-out sofa in the community center, speaking in heavily accented Pittsburgh English, recounting his life after losing his job and how the community center's computer classes had reconnected him with the world.
His narration was plain, without any dramatic plot, but full of genuine power.
This video was posted on the "Heart of Pittsburgh" channel.
The second story comes from Rosa.
She recounted the loneliness and fear she felt living alone after her husband's death, and how the senior choir at the community center helped her rediscover the joy of singing and smiling.
One story after another began to emerge.
In the following days, the "Heart of Pittsburgh" channel entered a state of content explosion.
Sara and Leo were shooting and editing almost every day.
They released more than a dozen short videos in a row.
Each video tells a true story of an ordinary Pittsburgh resident.
A Vietnam War veteran covered in scars speaks to the camera about how a community center's support group helped him gradually overcome the shadow of post-traumatic stress disorder.
A single mother who works at a restaurant tells the story of how her child, who has dyslexia, fell in love with reading through a free after-school program at a community center, which ultimately improved his grades and led him to get into a good community college.
A middle-aged steelworker who was laid off from his factory during the financial crisis recounted how he learned pipe repair skills in a free skills training class at a community center and found a job that could support his family.
Every story is real, simple, and full of emotional impact.
The video was made simply, consisting of faces etched with the marks of life's hardships and heartfelt narratives.
At the end of each video, Leo had Sarah add a black-on-white caption.
"Mr. Mayor, this is what you're planning to sell."
This series of videos completely ignited public opinion in Pittsburgh.
The video's cumulative views exceeded one million in just three days.
This is an astonishing number in a city with only 300,000 inhabitants.
Almost every Pittsburgh resident has seen one of these stories on their phone.
This time, the comments section was filled with tens of thousands of expressions of anger and support.
"I cried. That single mother's story was a reflection of my family's situation."
"I am also the son of a steelworker. When my father lost his job, our family also received food assistance from the community center."
"That bastard Cartwright! To curry favor with his rich friends, he's willing to tear down the last homes of us poor people!"
"Where will the hearing be held? We want to be there to show our support!"
The mainstream media can no longer remain silent.
They initially tried to smear Leo by claiming he was a "radical activist inciting populism."
But now, they are no longer facing Leo alone, but the stories of thousands of flesh-and-blood Pittsburgh citizens.
Any journalist who dares to question the veracity of these stories will be drowned in the spittle of angry citizens.
The Pittsburgh Chronicle had to change their reporting strategy.
They sent their best reporters to delve into the communities and interview those featured in the videos.
More in-depth reports appeared on the front page of the newspaper.
The incident at the community center has escalated into a major public event that is attracting citywide attention.
Mayor Martin Cartwright's office phone line and his social media comment section were completely flooded with angry citizens.
The pressure on the entire city is now focused on the city hall.
The night before the second hearing, Leo and his small team were making final preparations at the community center.
Dozens of community residents and volunteers crowded into this small office.
Some people are printing leaflets, some are making phone calls, and some are preparing placards for tomorrow's demonstration.
Just then, a volunteer approached Leo with a manila envelope in hand.
"This was delivered by a courier just now; he specifically asked me to give it to you."
Leo took the envelope.
There was no sender information on the envelope.
He tore open the envelope, inside was a stack of photocopied A4 papers.
He took out the papers, and after just one glance, his heart began to race.
It was a meeting summary from inside the city hall.
The meeting took place two days after the municipal government issued the auction notice.
The minutes show that Mayor Cartwright held an "informal private lunch" with the CEO of Summit Development Group under the pretext of discussing "future urban development plans".
While this is not direct evidence of corruption and cannot prove that they made any illegal deals at the dinner table, it is a clear signal of a "conflict of interest".
During a sensitive period when dealing with a public asset, the mayor held a private meeting with the sole bidder for the asset.
This in itself is a serious violation of the code of conduct for public officials.
Leo held the document, feeling his hands trembling slightly.
Roosevelt's voice echoed in his mind, tinged with a smile.
"Very good, it seems everything is ready now."
"Child, it's our turn to attack tomorrow."