America: From a Fallen Child Star to the Head of the University of the West

In the campaign office, Sean sat in the office chair that he had worn smooth from sitting on it so much that it was almost worn smooth, with Matthew, Sarah, and Vincent in front of him.

"Alright, let's begin our pre-battle meeting." Sean cleared his throat. "From today onwards, we are officially entering combat readiness."

"There is only one goal: to force the 76ers back to the negotiating table and get them to accept a fair deal for Chinatown."

"Therefore, we need to exert efforts on multiple fronts simultaneously."

Of course, he also wanted to teach Morey a lesson; he was no gentle, kind, respectful, frugal, or modest gentleman.

We must fight to the very last moment!

Sean stood up, walked to the whiteboard, picked up a marker, and began to write and draw.

"First, there's the information war. Rachel and her colleagues will be responsible for speaking out in the mainstream media. But attacks alone aren't enough; we also need to be prepared ourselves. Listen, everyone, I'm going to make the following arrangements..."

He first turned to Sarah.

"Sarah, I need you to prepare a backup plan for me."

"A safety net?" Sarah frowned.

“Yes.” Sean nodded. “No matter how this battle turns out, there has to be a way to end it. We can’t just say ‘don’t build it,’ we also have to tell them ‘how it can be built.’ A reasonable alternative site selection plan, or suggestions for improving the existing plan, can all become our bargaining chips in future negotiations.”

"But... although I studied some urban planning and commercial real estate at Wharton Business School, it's not my specialty."

"You don't need to be a professional," Sean laughed. "You just need to be a good project manager."

He took out his phone and shook the screen.

"Musk called me yesterday. He said their AI assistant, what's it called again... Grok 1.5, is about to be officially launched. We can try it out in advance now."

"Grok?" Matthew interjected. "Isn't that the AI ​​on the X platform?"

"Yes, that's the one." Sean nodded. "I heard it's even more powerful than Chatgpt-3.5. Boss Ma said it can help with a lot of data analysis and solution design. I guess he's trying to use this to give his new product a good whack."

"In addition to AI, he also sent a small team of technical talents to help us. They are the elites in his company, specializing in data analysis and visualization."

Sarah's eyes lit up. As a finance student, she knew all too well the importance of data analysis. With these resources, she could indeed create something decent.

"Okay, Mr. Pan," she nodded. "I will do my best."

"It's not just about trying your best, it's about making sure you do it." Sean patted her on the shoulder. "A top student from Wharton, don't let me down."

Encouraged by his words, Sarah's initial hesitation vanished. Her favorability towards Sean finally reached 70.

"Don't worry, I'll show you the results."

After settling things off with Sarah, Sean turned to Matthew.

"Your task is now complete, Matthew."

"Me?" Matthew pointed to himself. "What can I do? I'm just a history student."

"What are history students best at? Digging up old posts?" Sean chuckled, "I need you to be in charge of online public opinion."

"Online public opinion?"

"Yes." Sean drew a large Earth on the whiteboard. "We're going to launch a global offensive."

"Didn't you say that Chairman Cao owns a Chinese media outlet? He must know quite a few international students in the Chinese community. We should use these channels to spread the flames of war to the other side of the Pacific."

"The other side of the Pacific?" Matthew was a little confused. "You mean China?"

“That’s right.” A calculating glint flashed in Sean’s eyes. “Do you remember what Morey said on Twitter five years ago?”

"Of course I remember. You want to use this to your advantage?"

"Why not?" Sean spread his hands. "Chinese netizens hate Morey to the core. Not only Chinese netizens, but that incident back then directly led to the suspension of NBA broadcasts in China for several years, resulting in the loss of billions of dollars in market share."

"Now that the NBA has finally eased its tensions with China, what do you think will happen if someone jumps out and reminds everyone: 'Hey, that bastard from back then is bullying the Chinese community again'?"

"Of course, being Chinese is being Chinese, and ultimately that's just something to make a fuss about; that's only one point. You also want to dig up his past, expose his dirty history, and drag him into a sea of ​​online criticism..."

"Trade mistakes, player conflicts, declining performance—I see these as readily available ammunition."

"But..." Matthew hesitated, "Mr. Pan, although I am Asian, I am still an American at heart. I am not very familiar with the internet environment in China."

"It's okay." Sean gestured for him to relax. "I just want you to be in charge of coordinating this work. You can ask me anytime if you have any specific questions."

In any case, someone will be moved. It could be a sympathetic liberal, an anti-establishment figure within the Republican Party, or someone from some other background.

Matthew looked at him with a skeptical expression: "Mr. Pan, do you really understand Chinese people? Although your Chinese is indeed very good."

Sean gave a mysterious smile.

"I dare say that I am one of the people in the whole of America who know China best."

This sounds like bragging, but Matthew recalled the scene of Sean reciting Tang poems and reciting the names of dishes at Emei Mountain Villa, and had to admit that this guy was indeed not an ordinary white man.

"Okay," Matthew finally nodded, "I'll try my best."

"I believe you," Sean emphasized again.

Just as Sean was about to continue assigning tasks, the office door was pushed open.

But then Vincent strode in, holding a note in his hand.

"Pan, all set." Vincent handed him the note. "The production team for 'The Joe Logan Experience' has confirmed. You can start recording tomorrow at 3 PM."

Sean took the note, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.

"Very good."

Matthew was utterly astonished: "The Joe Logan Experience? That's one of the highest-rated podcasts in America! How did you get in touch with it?"

To be fair, Joe Rogen is truly a remarkable individual, the kind who can communicate with anyone, regardless of whether they're on the far left or the far right. Podcast culture, as an important part of American culture, is perfect for amplifying their voices. (Joe Rogen previously supported Sanders, and in 24 he supported Trump.)

"Thanks to Thomas K.," Sean shrugged. "Joe Rogan and Musk are old friends. You probably saw the episode where Musk smoked marijuana on his show, right?"

"I've seen it, I've seen it."

"I'm not planning to upload videos to my own channel this time," Sean explained. "While our previous videos went well, the audience was still too narrow. It was mainly young people and my fans who watched them."

"But Joe Rogan's show is different. His audience is very diverse, ranging from Silicon Valley elites to Midwestern truck drivers. I need to get our voices heard by people from even more diverse backgrounds."

Finally, Sean stood up from his chair, stretched, and said, "Alright, everyone get back to work. Tomorrow, I'm going to make Philadelphia's voice heard all over America."

……

The following afternoon, Sean flew directly to Austin, Texas. Although he is currently only out on bail, the Pennsylvania prosecutors are not currently monitoring him closely.

Inside the recording studio for "The Joe Rogen Experience," Sean sat on the iconic leather sofa, opposite the bald Joe Rogen. Several microphones and two glasses of whiskey sat on the table between them.

The bald man's favorability rating towards him is only [50].

"So, Sean," Joe Rogan began, "you really did go from Hollywood to Philadelphia, and really went from actor to...political activist? That's quite a change."

"I never expected it to turn out like this," Sean replied with a smile. "Life is always full of surprises."

"Tell me, what made you decide to get involved in this mess? I mean, the Philadelphia Chinatown thing."

Sean picked up his whiskey and took a small sip.

"Joe, do you know what the name Philadelphia means?"

"Philadelphia?" Joe Logan thought for a moment. "I think it's Greek, meaning brotherly love?"

“That’s right. Brotherly love.” Sean nodded. “More than three hundred years ago, when William Payne founded this city, he hoped it would be a place where people of different faiths and backgrounds could live together peacefully.”

"Later, the founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence here. They wrote the famous words: 'All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.'"

"This is the spirit of Philadelphia. This is the spirit of America."

Joe Rogan agreed with him: "Indeed, Philadelphia is a very important city in American history."

【55】

“But you know what, Joe,” Sean’s tone turned somber, “something very un-brotherly is happening right now in this city named after brotherly love.”

"There is a group of people whose ancestors crossed the ocean to the United States more than a hundred years ago. They experienced the persecution of the Chinese Exclusion Act, the insults of racial discrimination, and the pain of being marginalized and forgotten countless times."

"But they didn't give up. They took root, struggled, and multiplied on this land. They opened restaurants, laundromats, and grocery stores. With their own hands, they built a community called Chinatown in a corner of Philadelphia."

"That is their home, the culmination of generations of hard work, and their spiritual refuge in a foreign land."

Joe Logan listened quietly without interrupting.

[60] This means that Sean can continue speaking and is completely safe.

"Now, someone wants to tear this house down."

"They said they were going to build a new basketball arena. They said it would bring economic prosperity, create jobs, and make Philadelphia a better place."

"Sounds wonderful, doesn't it?"

"But the question is: whose prosperity is this? Whose opportunity is this?"

"What can the elderly people who have lived in Chinatown for decades, and the merchants who rely on small businesses to make a living, gain from this project?"

"The answer is: they get nothing." Sean put down his glass and looked directly into the camera. "They'll just be forced to leave their homes and watch helplessly as bulldozers crush the place they've lived their whole lives."

"Joe, do you know why I stood up for you?"

"It's not because I have any special relationship with Chinatown. To be honest, I hadn't been to Chinatown much a few weeks ago."

"I stood up because I believe in a very simple truth: in America, the voices of ordinary people should be heard!"

【70】

"Those who live in Chinatown don't have lobbying firms, public relations teams, or billions of dollars in capital backing them. They only have each other, their stories, and their dignity."

"When I saw them being ignored, belittled, and treated as obstacles that could be trampled on at will on the road to development, I felt I had to do something."

"Today it's them, tomorrow it could be us."

Joe Rogan agreed, saying, "This is definitely a concern. But I have a question, Sean. You're white, why are you speaking up for the Chinese community? Aren't you afraid people will say you're just trying to gain attention and votes?"

Sean smiled.

"Joe, that's a good question. Some people do say that about me. But I want to ask those people: since when did helping others require verification of identity?"

"Martin Luther King Jr. was Black, but there were a large number of white people who supported the Civil Rights Movement. Lincoln was white, but he freed the slaves."

"Justice knows no color, and compassion knows no race."

"I'm speaking up for Chinatown not because I want Chinese votes. To be honest, the Chinese voter turnout is pitifully low. Even if they all voted for me, it wouldn't make much of a difference."

Although this sounds hypocritical, the role of the Chinese community is indeed limited. His main purpose was to use this opportunity to demonstrate his "philanthropy" to a wider audience.

"I did this because it's the right thing to do. It's that simple."

At that moment, Joe Rogan was actually moved by his sincerity. "So how do you think this will end?"

"I don't know," Sean said honestly, "but I do know one thing: even if we lose in the end, at least we fought. At least we let the world know that in Philadelphia, there are ordinary people fighting for their home."

"Joe, do you know how the Philadelphia 76ers got their name?"

"I remember it being related to the Declaration of Independence?"

"That's right. In 1776, the Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, declaring independence from British rule."

"How ironic! A team named after an independent spirit now wants to crush the rights of ordinary people."

"I don't know if those team owners have thought about this question. But I want to tell them: the spirit of 1776 is not the spirit of the strong oppressing the weak, but the spirit of the weak uniting to resist the powerful."

"If they are truly proud of the Philadelphia 76ers, they should learn from the magnanimity of the Founding Fathers and listen to the voices of ordinary people."

The recording studio was silent for a few seconds.

Then Joe Rogan clapped.

At this moment, he felt a surge of affection for Sean. [73]

"Well said, Sean. You've spoken for everyone."

"No matter how things turn out, I support you. If you need any help, feel free to contact me anytime."

"Thank you, Joe." Sean raised his glass and clinked it against Joe Logan's. "With that in mind, this trip to Austin wasn't in vain."

……

The podcast officially launched two days later.

In just 24 hours, this episode was downloaded more than five million times.

On social media, the hashtags "SaveChinatown" and "Philadelphia76ers" simultaneously trended on social media.

Rachel's commentary was published in the Los Angeles Times and reprinted by numerous media outlets.

On social media platforms across the Pacific, old grievances about Morey have resurfaced, with countless netizens expressing less anger and more mockery of the so-called American spirit.

Meanwhile, in Hollywood, many left-wing entertainment stars have begun to support Sean, with some even claiming it's time to make an Asian version of Avatar.

But this is just the beginning...