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+----- Thread: Appeal to the Assembly (/thread-1868.html)
Appeal to the Assembly - Dalimbar - 03-09-2015
Honourable Members of the Assembly,
This is the second time in recent memory that I have applied for citizenship here, and the first where I have had to address you to appeal a decision made by the Vice Delegate declaring me unsuitable for citizenship due to being a “security risk”. I know it is impossible for this appeal to be made by a unanimous decision. I am far too much of a realist to fall for that illusion. It is my wish that I can convince enough of you over the next couple days that I am not the bogeyman, I am not out to get you, and that I mean no harm.
We should get the nitty-gritty out of the way first. I am a specialist on GCR security, having organized both coups and counter-coups. With the exception of The Empire, all of the coups I have been involved in were due to internal political matters. The Empire, as it was initially referred as, was the organization which brought together a lot of high-profile nations from different fields of the game, and couped The East Pacific in 2008. We did this because of the internal stagnation of the region, because of a wish to prove that a properly developed outside force could take and hold a GCR (not the regular way of couping from the inside), and for many due to boredom. The field was not as busy as it was a few years prior to then for many of us, nor as busy as it is these days. I have no apologies for The Empire, yet I (along with Neenee) get along great with TEP these days, because everyone realizes that was in 2008 and it is 2015 now, and there is no climate of paranoia and fear.
It saddens me to say this, but there is a climate of paranoia and fear here now. It is understandable due to recent incidents. After many years of studying this subject, my advice is to simply state: Stay vigilant, but don’t give in to paranoia. It will weaken you, and make you blind to real threats.
The defence of a region is the main function of any government. Failure to do so is to abdicate responsibility. Use your authority, or lose it. Protecting oneself from legitimate threats is the proper and right thing for a government to do.
I put to the Assembly that in my case, I am not a legitimate “security threat”.
I would like to ask the Cabinet a few questions:
- Is “The Empire” a Prohibited Organization under TSP Law?
- Under this Cabinet, what defines a “security risk”?
- Between the acceptance of my citizenship request last year and now, have I committed any actions that would be considered a “security risk” to The South Pacific?
- If the Cabinet feels I am a “security risk”, why would the previous Cabinet let me in?
I would like to state this for the record: I have no ambitions at all to seek the Delegacy of The South Pacific, a Cabinet-level position, nor seek any positions regarding board security (such as the Administrator or Moderator level). I would like to contribute to the region when time allows, and if permitted by the Assembly.
I would like to thank you all for considering my introductory post on this subject. This appeal is a process which I don’t think anyone wishes to see. I will happily take questions from Assembly members.
Appeal to the Assembly - sandaoguo - 03-10-2015
You have no regrets for what you did, and you insult the region by calling rather obvious decisions on security "paranoia" and an "abdication of responsibility."
RE: Appeal to the Assembly - Tsunamy - 03-10-2015
As I've told both the CSS and the Cabinet, Dali and I have developed a friendly relationship via IRC and through that, I invited him to join the region prior to his first application. As such, I've found it best to remove myself from discussions and decisions of his citizenship.
However, I would like to get Dali's opinion on activity in our region currently.
RE: Appeal to the Assembly - Unibot - 03-10-2015
I love how this appeal letter only discusses The Empire's involvement sans 2008. Not like Osiris is buddy-buddy with The Empire.
1. The Prohibited Organisations Law is prohibitive not preventative: organisations can only be prohibited in retrospect AFTER they have been found to coup, commit espionage etc. in The South Pacific. That does not mean however that The South Pacific likes to wait for problems to occur, because as you say, we are vigilant. The citizenship application process is where the Vice Delegate makes preventative decisions regarding the state of our region's security.
2. A security risk would be a risk to what we are trying to keep secure: the coalition. A free and fair democratic, constitutional political community.
3-4. Last year, I was banned from The South Pacific, Dalimbar (I should add, through an entirely different system). Do take notice that the government has changed. Granting of citizenship does not work like a legal precedent; if the government disagrees with past governments, it amends its past mistakes.
Furthermore, something has happened between then and now: Brave Little Toaster. The public acknowledgement that The South Pacific's electoral system was targeted for the purposes of political malfeasance. While you, as far as I know, had no part in that particular event - the essence of Brave Little Toaster - gaining control of a region by barraging its political system, is very much present with your own history as a player. So, on a more academic level, I guess you could say it isn't you that has changed (unfortunately), it's The South Pacific that's changed - it's gotten a bit wiser, a bit smarter.
RE: Appeal to the Assembly - TAC Saxton - 03-10-2015
I have no issues with giving Dali citizenship. Unlike Neenee, he didn't list his involvement with The Empire as a current affiliation.
RE: Appeal to the Assembly - Wolf - 03-10-2015
(03-10-2015, 11:48 AM)Unibot Wrote: While you, as far as I know, had no part in that particular event - the essence of Brave Little Toaster - gaining control of a region by barraging its political system, is very much present with your own history as a player. So, on a more academic level, I guess you could say it isn't you that has changed (unfortunately), it's The South Pacific that's changed - it's gotten a bit wiser, a bit smarter.
Complete bollocks.
Dragging Brave Little Toaster around like a political weapon, for shame. Dali had nothing to do with that and Unibot's hitting him with it all the while apologizing like saying sorry means something. Utterly contemptible.
This is nothing more than an attempt to keep out those some in the Cabinet view as undesirables. If Unibot really was sympathetic, he would be giving Dalibar a chance instead of blocking his citizenship. The "apologetic citizenship denial" act is an insult to the intelligence of everyone involved.
(03-10-2015, 11:48 AM)Unibot Wrote: 1. The Prohibited Organisations Law is prohibitive not preventative: organisations can only be prohibited in retrospect AFTER they have been found to coup, commit espionage etc. in The South Pacific.
Has The Empire been declared a Prohibited Organization? No? Then why even bring it up other than to confuse people?
These citizenship denials have gotten completely out of control.
RE: Appeal to the Assembly - Sopo - 03-10-2015
Dali was previously a citizen and did not cause any problems for us. I have no reason to believe that he is a current security threat.
RE: Appeal to the Assembly - Unibot - 03-10-2015
(03-10-2015, 03:09 PM)Wolf Wrote:(03-10-2015, 11:48 AM)Unibot Wrote: While you, as far as I know, had no part in that particular event - the essence of Brave Little Toaster - gaining control of a region by barraging its political system, is very much present with your own history as a player. So, on a more academic level, I guess you could say it isn't you that has changed (unfortunately), it's The South Pacific that's changed - it's gotten a bit wiser, a bit smarter.
Complete bollocks.
Dragging Brave Little Toaster around like a political weapon, for shame. Dali had nothing to do with that and Unibot's hitting him with it all the while apologizing like saying sorry means something. Utterly contemptible.
This is nothing more than an attempt to keep out those some in the Cabinet view as undesirables. If Unibot really was sympathetic, he would be giving Dalibar a chance instead of blocking his citizenship. The "apologetic citizenship denial" act is an insult to the intelligence of everyone involved.
(03-10-2015, 11:48 AM)Unibot Wrote: 1. The Prohibited Organisations Law is prohibitive not preventative: organisations can only be prohibited in retrospect AFTER they have been found to coup, commit espionage etc. in The South Pacific.
Has The Empire been declared a Prohibited Organization? No? Then why even bring it up other than to confuse people?
These citizenship denials have gotten completely out of control.
Specious bullshit, and you know it. I explained what the Prohibited Organization law is - because you and others have misunderstood it - it's impossible for the Prohibited Organization law to be used in a preventative sense. Therefore, it's totally irrelevant to the discussion here.
Furthermore, I brought "Brave Little Toaster" up because that's what has changed in TSP - we've become more acutely aware of the threat that citizenship influx can have on the functioning of our elections and our democratic process. Dalimbar is a member of The Empire - an organisation which has, time and time again, excelled at gaining control and influence over Game-Created Regions. He is a security risk and in light of recent events, we're more aware of that then we were in the past.
RE: Appeal to the Assembly - QuietDad - 03-10-2015
Considering the ONLY reason Dali isn't a citizen is because his citizenship (yes he WAS a citizen) lapsed due to inactivity and we've always said how easy it is to reapply, this shouldn't even be a discussion.
RE: Appeal to the Assembly - Wolf - 03-10-2015
(03-10-2015, 11:48 AM)Unibot Wrote: Furthermore, I brought "Brave Little Toaster" up because that's what has changed in TSP - we've become more acutely aware of the threat that citizenship influx can have on the functioning of our elections and our democratic process.
The only thing that has changed between the last time Dalimbar was a citizen and now is Unibot using the "Brave Little Toaster" plot as a political tool to try and justify the denial of citizenship to people who have never done TSP any harm.
(03-10-2015, 11:48 AM)Unibot Wrote: Dalimbar is a member of The Empire - an organisation which has, time and time again, excelled at gaining control and influence over Game-Created Regions.
If The Empire is a threat to TSP, then why has the Cabinet not declared it a Prohibited Organization?
The law exists for a reason. Either use it or don't, but have the common deficiency to refrain from falsely pretending that The Empire is a declared Prohibited Organization when it is not.