The Similars (The Similars #1)(23)
“Why?” I shout, without raising my hand. “What are you implying—that clones are dangerous? You know there are two clones sitting in this classroom, right?” All eyes turn to Levi, who’s staring out the window like he doesn’t have any vested interest in the conversation, and Theodora, who is furiously writing in her journal. Is she taking notes? I wish I could see. I’m the only one not lingering on Levi. My ears burn thinking about him.
Henry looks exasperated. “I know that. And I’m sure they’ll make excellent contributions to this school. We’re happy to have them here because Darkwood is progressive.”
“Do you even know what that means?” I press, feeling myself getting increasingly worked up. “Darkwood has welcomed students of all races and religions and sexual orientations for decades. We had the first gender-neutral bathrooms and dorms of any boarding school. We have wheelchair access in every single classroom and meeting space. We are inclusive, and we celebrate that. ‘Inclusion’ is one of Darkwood’s founding tenets. It’s in our school pledge, and it’s why Headmaster Ransom knew Darkwood would be a safe space for the Similars!”
“I know that!” Henry cuts in, obviously flustered. “Look, I’m only repeating the facts. Clones are people, but they’re different from regular people. It’s not an opinion, Emma. It’s science.”
“We must have a very different definition of what qualifies as science,” I say.
“Perhaps it would be helpful if our new students weighed in,” Mr. Park says delicately. “Levi? Theodora? Would you like to contribute to this debate?”
Levi shrugs. “Darkwood might be progressive, but your society on the whole has a long history of classifying people by their race or religion or sexual orientation or gender and using those classifications to subjugate particular groups. Is it surprising that a bunch of small-minded government leaders think cloning is the first step onto a slippery slope toward total Armageddon and the demise of the human race as we know it?” He stares at Mr. Park as if he’s actually expecting an answer. Again, I look down at my desk. I know everyone else is staring at Levi. I can feel Madison bristling.
“Excuse me,” Madison interrupts. “Those government leaders are trying to protect our society from the inevitable pitfalls that come with playing God. Like eugenics. If it’s okay to create a clone, what’s to stop us from screening embryos for hair and eye color and intelligence, or even more specific genetic markers, and creating a super race?”
“I think we’re missing the big picture here,” Theodora says with quiet confidence. We all turn to her, surprised she’s looked up from her notebook to say anything at all. “We’re failing to separate the act of cloning from the product of that act. Cloning itself is not legal in the United States. Whether or not it should be, it isn’t. That’s something U.S. scientists and lawmakers are going to have to sort through. It really has no bearing on whether or not clones—or people like us”—she indicates herself and Levi—“should be treated differently than anyone else.”
“You shouldn’t,” Pru pipes in, but Mr. Park holds up a hand to silence her.
“Excellent point, Theodora,” Mr. Park says. “Is it fair to punish the product of a scientific advancement because we don’t agree with the means by which that product was created?”
“Yes,” says Madison at the exact same time that Pru offers a vehement “No.”
“But, Mr. Park,” Pru keeps going, “that’s discrimination. It’s unconstitutional. Plus, it’s cruel and bigoted, and we have to stop that kind of thinking before people start believing it—”
“I beg to differ,” Madison responds. “A slew of judges and thinkers agree with me. My father says—”
“Isn’t your father’s work funded by the National Anti-Cloning Commission?” asks a boy in the back of the class. “And weren’t they a big backer of his campaign?”
Madison narrows her eyes at him. “Leave my dad’s campaign out of this.”
“Should we leave your clone out of it too?” I blurt. “Maude isn’t here to defend herself, but I’m pretty sure she’d have a few opinions on whether or not she deserves the same rights as you.”
“Maude Gravelle came to Darkwood in spite of my family’s warnings,” Madison says, barely hiding her fury, “proving her judgment to be questionable.”
The class turns to me for a response. “What are you saying?” I ask. “That Maude’s intellect is lesser than yours, even though it was formed from the same DNA? Do you think Maude is somehow lesser than you, even though the two of you are technically as similar as if you were identical twins developed in the same womb?”
Madison processes what I’ve said. Then a smile creeps over her face. “Identical twins? Interesting point, Emma. I guess you’d say the same thing about him, wouldn’t you?” She nods at Levi. “Should we consider him Oliver’s twin, since he and Ollie are so similar? You know, Emma, that’s not a bad idea. Then he could be your new best friend.”
“That is completely different,” I say hotly, every cell in my body on fire. I can’t believe she’s twisting my words. Clones deserving equal rights as everyone else has nothing to do with how I feel about Levi.