071 Hearing End
"No. I haven't even heard of mutants before, until..." Stryker looked at Trask, and everyone looked at him. Trask retreated repeatedly, feeling worse and worse.
"So," Eric nodded. "If we give up on all disputes, I mean if nothing has happened, will you still persecute mutants?"
Stryk was silent. He thought for a while, shook his head firmly and said, "No, I won't."
He thought for a while and continued, "I will love my wife and son well. I used to have a home, but now I have nothing." He lowered his head, covered his face and cried.
I don't know if it's true that he feels something or his acting skills are too real, but he cries so sadly that even Eric can't see the shortcomings.
"Okay, Mr. Stryker, I believe your words." Eric sighed. "I cannot forgive your past mistakes on behalf of my fellow countrymen, but I want to say that I do not hate you. You are a faithful person who fulfills your duties, but your duties are too cruel."
After hearing Eric's words, people nodded, and then thunderous applause burst out, and even the security personnel and the committee members on the stage puffed up their hands.
Eric's toughness just now made them think that a bloody war was about to break out, but they didn't expect that this would turn in the end. If even Stryker could be forgiven, then the reconciliation between mutants and ordinary people would be near.
In any case, no one wants to see their homes beneath the fire of war. Even the high-ranking MPs don’t think they are as safe as Mount Tai.
Even the president can be assassinated by ordinary people who are not redirected. What is the MP? Only MPs in peacetime enjoy the greatest power, and everything has to make way for the monster that devours human life and money during wartime. In a sense, soldiers are the biggest enemy of Congress.
The chairman seemed to be moved by Eric's words, and he bowed slightly and expressed his respect.
"I'm very happy to see such an understanding between the two ethnic groups. I believe this is a good start. As the saying goes, a good start is half the success, but I think we can work harder to work for our country. Now I want to ask Mr. Representative, will the mutants be willing to work for this country and truly become a member of this country?"
He looked at Eric expectantly, thinking about what kind of benefits he could get from the mutants. In any case, as long as the hearing ended successfully, as a politician who ended the confrontation between mutants and ordinary people, he could get the greatest benefits second only to the president.
But Eric refused him again.
"Sorry, I'm afraid I can't." He said this, as if a bucket of cold water was poured on his head, and the warm atmosphere instantly cooled down.
"Mutants are unwilling to serve the country?" the chairman asked in surprise.
"So that's it." Eric replied.
"So are you willing to assist the country in some research?" The chairman changed the statement, thinking that perhaps this would make it easier for the other party to accept it.
"I don't think so." Eric still refused.
The Chairman's mind began to get confused. He couldn't figure out what Eric wanted. In his opinion, it was like a quarterback who finally made a comeback successfully. He ran to the opponent's half with only a few seconds left before the end of the game, and then neither made a touchdown nor passed the ball.
Not only him, but everyone inside and outside the camera was incomprehensible. He was still warm just now, but he became cold and frosty in a blink of an eye?
"What are you thinking, Eric." The professor clenched his hand tightly. He was indescribable and powerless, so he could only look at the screen nervously.
Ororo and Qin also stared at the picture, and the students did not dare to relax at all.
"Please don't get me wrong." In the silence, Eric's voice sounded, and he began to explain his reasons for refusing.
"My refusal does not mean that the door to cooperation between mutants and ordinary people is closed, but that I cannot agree to this kind of exchange-like practice." He said calmly. "Most of us were born in this country and grew up here. If it were not for exclusion and persecution, I think they would also like ordinary people, make money, start a family, buy houses, and pay taxes. They should have a legal identity in nature, so I will not trade the legal rights that my compatriots should have, because that is what we deserve and should not be obtained again through exchange."
The Chairman and some began to understand what he was thinking.
"So, how do you think we should cooperate?" asked a committee member. "You are unwilling to serve the country."
"Aren't we not playing for the country?" Eric retorted. "It's just that we didn't get a good result."
"If you can't give any guarantee and don't participate in any cooperation, what other rights do mutants want?" Another committee member got angry and asked loudly.
Eric shrugged, not caring about his dissatisfaction, and now the negotiations have completely fallen into his pace, waiting for the final moment of harvest.
"This is a question of whether there is a chicken or an egg first. There is no point in being obsessed with this. You must take constructive ideas to take the first step." He said casually.
The chairman knocked on the table, and now he fully understood that Eric was taking the opportunity to offer the conditions.
"So, tell me what you think." said the Chairman.
"I'm afraid the most important thing at the moment is not any project to cooperate with." Eric said. "I think we need to rebuild the trust relationship between us first."
"How do you say it?" the chairman asked.
"Let's think about it, the reason why we cannot participate in the government project is because of the lack of trust and the harm caused by human beings in the past is that mutants cannot completely hand over their safety to others. So, my idea is: to establish a department that specializes in the relationship between mutants and ordinary people, and it is responsible for coordinating related affairs. We can name it the Ministry of Mutants Affairs, and a person that both mutants and ordinary people can accept as ministers, and he will be responsible to the president and Congress, but maintain relative independence." Eric finally said his request. Now people suddenly realized that this idea is indeed good. Since the two sides cannot completely make up for the cracks for the time being, this kind of conditional cooperation is also a solution.
"Say no first, then negotiate." The chairman turned his head and said to his wife and brother-in-law. "He is very knowledgeable about our country's negotiation technology."
Xiuken asked in a low voice: "So how do we decide?"
"Nothing needs to be decided." The chairman shook his head. "That's not what we should do. This meeting is good enough to get the rest. Let's give others a headache."
So the chairman rang the table for the last time and announced that he would submit the results of the talks to Congress and the hearing was officially over.
"Everyone, although we cannot reach a specific resolution this time due to authorization, we should see that our results are very pleasant. Perhaps the mutants and ordinary people are still keeping a distance, but if both parties can treat each other pragmatically with a responsible attitude, then I believe we will have a bright future."
"Finally, let me tell you that the roots of trees are deeply rooted in the soil. In the first few years of their lives, they may only grow one foot a year, but when it spreads its roots all over the earth, it will grow rapidly at an incredible rate until it becomes a towering tree. I hope the same is true for our relationship. Based on this talk, one day it will produce wonderful flowers. Thank you for your attention, thank you."
The Chairman stood up amid the applause of the crowd, then turned his back and attracted an assistant.
"Go to meet Stryker, he is asking for us, and I am very interested in what he has in his hands." He paused and reminded him. "Go quietly and don't disturb those people."
Chapter completed!