Nathan Petrelli at the Disney Press Conference.
Press Conference Speech
Nathan waited a moment, letting Mr. Lensherr’s words resonate before he finally stood. Inside he was a ball of nerves, knowing the professional tightrope he was about to walk, while outside he was the calm picture of confidence and professionalism. At the podium, he looked out to the crowd, his gaze settling on where Katherine, Peter and Sasha sat in the front row. He gave them a small, thankful grin and then began speaking to the attendees.
“When my brother Peter and I were younger, we used to make time every Saturday to go downtown and get the latest comic books. I would read them to him and then watch him pretend to help people or save the world. He wanted me to lift him up and ‘fly’ him around the house. I was always somewhat envious of his ability to pretend and imagine things were different than what they were. My world was all too real so that his didn’t have to be. Still, I would lift him up to ‘fly’ him until he decided he was too old for such antics.”
“Comics were a tradition for us, albeit something those around us dubbed as frivolous and a waste of time. When I went away to college I brought them home every weekend so that we could read them together. When I went away to serve our country in the Navy, Peter didn’t buy a single comic until I returned. We spent a week holed up in a room to catch up.” He smirked amusedly at the memory. “It was our common ground, a place we could… imagine all of the ‘what ifs’ and possibilities of something different, something more, or something better. It gave him, and vicariously myself, the ability to dream.”
He shook his head. “But reality is not a comic book. Reality is more difficult and diverse than words on a page or a fight between good and evil. This is reality where lines are blurred and people, situations, and ideals don’t always make perfect sense. Everyone has his or her own agenda and while a course of action is important, we can’t forget about why we’re here. We’re here not for ourselves… but for those around us and those that come after us.”
A pause as he looked down to his notes and back up again. “The proposition for this meeting was presented to me first by my brother, then Ms. Pryde and finally Ms. Dane. I was admittedly somewhat hesitant to accept the invitation. It’s no secret that those with abilities are a topic of some contention within the political world. A person’s stance on such could make or break a career. Any dreams of reform and change for the betterment of society that one had going into an office could instantly fall on deaf ears if just through association. But the problem with dreams is that they’re just that: dreams -- unless you chose to act upon them, or to reach out and try to attain them. If we remain stagnate, choosing only to dream and not to reach for the stars, how can we expect change?”
“I thought over the offer to attend this gathering for quite some time before finally reaching the conclusion. If I truly believed in everything that I have worked so hard for and fought overseas for, there was no question. I believe in dreaming and the right to live those dreams. I believe in equality of all life. I believe in freedom of all to do and say and think and be as long as the individual does not willingly and knowingly cause harm to others. I speak for the people, the common men and women who work and live and rarely have their voices heard by those in office.”
“The word freedom has several definitions: The state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint; Exemption from external control, interference, or regulation; the power to determine action without restraint. Just to name a few.”
“The common denominator in every definition I’ve found is that freedom ideally should come without exception. Such a simple word that carries with it the weight of hope, goodwill, war and peace. It’s something that most of us would die for so that others could live it and experience it and be it.”
“Freedom: The word is all encompassing. At its core, it should extend to every aspect of life, no matter race, color, creed, or genetic identity. And yet, there are those who wish to put limitations on it for those exact reasons. They want to sanction and limit the freedom that belongs by right to every single one of us.”
Nathan paused and glanced to Katherine and then back to those listening. “I submit to you that freedom with limitations, in all actuality, is not freedom at all. Freedom for some and not for all is not the kind of freedom our ancestors have fought and died for. It’s not the kind of freedom I fought for during my time served in the military. It’s not the kind of freedom I want our children to grow up with. And it isn’t the kind of freedom that I continue to fight for today in my Congressional seat. And that’s the reason that I’m here. I’m here in an attempt to break barriers, seek answers, unite, and lift all of us up so that together we all can fly.”
Smooth as silk, he grinned again before adding a bit of inside humor that he knew only he would get. “…Metaphorically speaking.” His grin grew and he nodded before continuing.
“I also submit to you that freedom is a doctrine. It does not come without a price. You have to work for it, fight for it, and above all, you need to believe in it. You have to have faith in it and inspire others with that same faith and belief.” With that he looked to Peter, the one who inspired him in almost everything he did. “You have to trust in those that believe in it with you… those that fight by your side for it. And you have to know when it is better to fight with words of compromise and peace rather than a vindictive battle of war and combat.”
He scanned the audience. “I think that what most of us want out of life can be summed up by a common goal that inevitably unites us all. It’s something that we pray for and hope for in regards to those we hold dear and those that come after us: Equality and Freedom.”
“We want the ability to imagine and dream of a world where we all have the same rights and liberties. We want to stand shoulder-to-shoulder, comrade-to-comrade and call out to all that will listen that this is what we want and this is what we will have: freedom without exceptions. We want to be lifted up so we can fly.”
Another pause before he nodded in gratitude for their attentiveness. “Thank you.”
He turned to walk back to his seat and await the next speech. Once seated, he looked to Katherine, Peter and Sasha still the confident professional.
Nathan waited a moment, letting Mr. Lensherr’s words resonate before he finally stood. Inside he was a ball of nerves, knowing the professional tightrope he was about to walk, while outside he was the calm picture of confidence and professionalism. At the podium, he looked out to the crowd, his gaze settling on where Katherine, Peter and Sasha sat in the front row. He gave them a small, thankful grin and then began speaking to the attendees.
“When my brother Peter and I were younger, we used to make time every Saturday to go downtown and get the latest comic books. I would read them to him and then watch him pretend to help people or save the world. He wanted me to lift him up and ‘fly’ him around the house. I was always somewhat envious of his ability to pretend and imagine things were different than what they were. My world was all too real so that his didn’t have to be. Still, I would lift him up to ‘fly’ him until he decided he was too old for such antics.”
“Comics were a tradition for us, albeit something those around us dubbed as frivolous and a waste of time. When I went away to college I brought them home every weekend so that we could read them together. When I went away to serve our country in the Navy, Peter didn’t buy a single comic until I returned. We spent a week holed up in a room to catch up.” He smirked amusedly at the memory. “It was our common ground, a place we could… imagine all of the ‘what ifs’ and possibilities of something different, something more, or something better. It gave him, and vicariously myself, the ability to dream.”
He shook his head. “But reality is not a comic book. Reality is more difficult and diverse than words on a page or a fight between good and evil. This is reality where lines are blurred and people, situations, and ideals don’t always make perfect sense. Everyone has his or her own agenda and while a course of action is important, we can’t forget about why we’re here. We’re here not for ourselves… but for those around us and those that come after us.”
A pause as he looked down to his notes and back up again. “The proposition for this meeting was presented to me first by my brother, then Ms. Pryde and finally Ms. Dane. I was admittedly somewhat hesitant to accept the invitation. It’s no secret that those with abilities are a topic of some contention within the political world. A person’s stance on such could make or break a career. Any dreams of reform and change for the betterment of society that one had going into an office could instantly fall on deaf ears if just through association. But the problem with dreams is that they’re just that: dreams -- unless you chose to act upon them, or to reach out and try to attain them. If we remain stagnate, choosing only to dream and not to reach for the stars, how can we expect change?”
“I thought over the offer to attend this gathering for quite some time before finally reaching the conclusion. If I truly believed in everything that I have worked so hard for and fought overseas for, there was no question. I believe in dreaming and the right to live those dreams. I believe in equality of all life. I believe in freedom of all to do and say and think and be as long as the individual does not willingly and knowingly cause harm to others. I speak for the people, the common men and women who work and live and rarely have their voices heard by those in office.”
“The word freedom has several definitions: The state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint; Exemption from external control, interference, or regulation; the power to determine action without restraint. Just to name a few.”
“The common denominator in every definition I’ve found is that freedom ideally should come without exception. Such a simple word that carries with it the weight of hope, goodwill, war and peace. It’s something that most of us would die for so that others could live it and experience it and be it.”
“Freedom: The word is all encompassing. At its core, it should extend to every aspect of life, no matter race, color, creed, or genetic identity. And yet, there are those who wish to put limitations on it for those exact reasons. They want to sanction and limit the freedom that belongs by right to every single one of us.”
Nathan paused and glanced to Katherine and then back to those listening. “I submit to you that freedom with limitations, in all actuality, is not freedom at all. Freedom for some and not for all is not the kind of freedom our ancestors have fought and died for. It’s not the kind of freedom I fought for during my time served in the military. It’s not the kind of freedom I want our children to grow up with. And it isn’t the kind of freedom that I continue to fight for today in my Congressional seat. And that’s the reason that I’m here. I’m here in an attempt to break barriers, seek answers, unite, and lift all of us up so that together we all can fly.”
Smooth as silk, he grinned again before adding a bit of inside humor that he knew only he would get. “…Metaphorically speaking.” His grin grew and he nodded before continuing.
“I also submit to you that freedom is a doctrine. It does not come without a price. You have to work for it, fight for it, and above all, you need to believe in it. You have to have faith in it and inspire others with that same faith and belief.” With that he looked to Peter, the one who inspired him in almost everything he did. “You have to trust in those that believe in it with you… those that fight by your side for it. And you have to know when it is better to fight with words of compromise and peace rather than a vindictive battle of war and combat.”
He scanned the audience. “I think that what most of us want out of life can be summed up by a common goal that inevitably unites us all. It’s something that we pray for and hope for in regards to those we hold dear and those that come after us: Equality and Freedom.”
“We want the ability to imagine and dream of a world where we all have the same rights and liberties. We want to stand shoulder-to-shoulder, comrade-to-comrade and call out to all that will listen that this is what we want and this is what we will have: freedom without exceptions. We want to be lifted up so we can fly.”
Another pause before he nodded in gratitude for their attentiveness. “Thank you.”
He turned to walk back to his seat and await the next speech. Once seated, he looked to Katherine, Peter and Sasha still the confident professional.