Homeland

Gene Ruffini’s Homeland is set in a future America which lives under a repressive, authoritarian government which mandates super loyalty, censorship, restrictions on speech and activities, champions militarism and encourages people to spy on each other and report any diversions from the mandated path.

The plot centers around the family of George Bentley, a librarian, his wife, Helen, a teacher, and their daughter, Melinda, a high school student who is gay. Their neighbors are Ezra and Lois Boone. Ezra is a shop-keeper and a fervent believer in the new order. Lois is a housewife. Their daughter, Barbara, is a high school student and closet lesbian who is the lover of Melinda. There is also Indira Patel, an Indian immigrant who works at George’s library; Miles Coleman, the chief librarian; Mario Tonnelli, an attorney for the ACLU and Donald Bronz, a government prosecutor. George and Indira chafe under the new rules regulating which books they may keep on the shelves. Miles also disapproves of the new edicts from Washington but cautions them to go along. Ezra and Lois seek to enroll George and Helen into neighborhood terror patrols and other new “patriotic” activities, but George and Helen are reluctant to do so. Meanwhile, Barbara and Melinda continue their hot affair and discuss attempts to organize youth into military activities. Indira is threatened with deportation because of her refusal to ban books from the library. George loses his job because he supports her. His wife also loses her job. Deportation hearings are held – not only for Indira, but also for George, Helen and Melinda under new laws allowing for the ouster from the United States of any who disobey the government’s new regulations. They are defended by Mario. In the hearing, Barbara, fearful of being revealed as a lesbian, testifies against the Bentleys as does her parents who are anxious to prove their loyalty as good Americans. Miles refuses to toe the party line, however, and bravely denounces the proceedings. Indira has struck a deal. She testifies against the Bentleys so she can remain in the United States. And then…

Appropriate For Ages: 13 and up