Cultural Act

An act outlining the customs of the South Pacific

4. Symbols

(1) The official emblem of the South Pacific is a spiral of one full turn and uniform thickness, extending from an encircling ring of the same thickness and capped in a dot. A wave is formed in the negative space.
a. This emblem must always be presented in one of the official colors of the South Pacific.
b. An example of this emblem is as follows:



(2) If the official flag of the South Pacific includes a charge, the official emblem must be its primary charge.

(3) The official historical or traditional flag of the Coalition of the South Pacific consists of a white palm tree upon a black sail, with a white star in the lower left corner of the sail. The black sail surmounts a white ring and flies upon a South Pacific Blue background.
a. This flag will be flown above the region on every Coalition Day and Independence Day, and will be used to commemorate notable events in the Coalition's history.
b. An example of this flag is as follows:

~ Aumeltopia ~

Raccoons are bandits! First they steal your food . . . and then your heart/identity!

(This post was last modified: 01-24-2021, 06:52 PM by Somyrion.)

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So, I'm unclear where exactly I should be posting this ... but why do we have competing threads over a flag and wave-like spiral? Like ... what is the impetus for this?

To both proposals ... this isn't really how culture works?

As I believe I stated somewhere in a previous discussion, I'm pretty sure I jacked the original design from the Killer Monkey forums and used them on our/my forums. If I remember correctly, in the beginning of time, regions didn't even have flags and this was just something later incorporated into the NS dynamics and whoever, at that time, pulled what we had been using on the forums. That's not to be an argument in support of the current (?) flag, but meant as an illustration of how something relatively pedantic gets picked up as culture. (In a similar way, I'm pretty sure the aqua-ish/orange dynamic we've been using for some time really came about because I like those colors and keep the WFE in those colors when I was delegate.)

Anyone my larger point: We can legislate our ass off but if people aren't largely in support of using a particular flag (old or new) it's not going to become ingrained in the community. Or, alternatively, it will weed its way out of the culture. I'm not quite sure why we're trying to force this?

-tsunamy
[forum admin]

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So, I'm unclear where exactly I should be posting this ... but why do we have competing threads over a flag and wave-like spiral? Like ... what is the impetus for this?

To both proposals ... this isn't really how culture works?

As I believe I stated somewhere in a previous discussion, I'm pretty sure I jacked the original design from the Killer Monkey forums and used them on our/my forums. If I remember correctly, in the beginning of time, regions didn't even have flags and this was just something later incorporated into the NS dynamics and whoever, at that time, pulled what we had been using on the forums. That's not to be an argument in support of the current (?) flag, but meant as an illustration of how something relatively pedantic gets picked up as culture. (In a similar way, I'm pretty sure the aqua-ish/orange dynamic we've been using for some time really came about because I like those colors and keep the WFE in those colors when I was delegate.)

Anyone my larger point: We can legislate our ass off but if people aren't largely in support of using a particular flag (old or new) it's not going to become ingrained in the community. Or, alternatively, it will weed its way out of the culture. I'm not quite sure why we're trying to force this?

I largely agree with you. I'd rather not legislate things like this. Belschaft made clear, however, that he would stop at nothing short of getting the Assembly to outright ban any development of our visual identity. The recent update to our graphics, run through the Ministry of Engagement's Graphics Department, have been broadly well-received by South Pacificans. Many newer TSPers, especially, were excited to start using the ministry logos and the TSP logo (the spiral/wave) when we released them as emojis on the Discord. I understand the bittersweetness, as you put it, of letting the region move to new places, and I know that's especially hard for people who have seen it through thick and thin. But the wholesale hostility that Belschaft and just a few others have angled at this effort has been astounding. We'd like to revitalize our visual language, not destroy any memory of our heritage.

In the MoE, our plan has been to introduce graphics updates slowly, so that at each step things get picked up naturally rather than seeming forced. We weren't intending to take a look at updating the flag until a long while down the road, when the new logos had settled in and become, as you say, ingrained in the community. If they do, they do -- great -- and if they don't, we'd re-evaluate. Instead, what's happened is that Belschaft has decided that his opposition must be forced into law immediately because he can't stand the thought of most TSPers disagreeing and updating things. Because of that, I haven't had much choice but to present an alternative. If he's rushing things unnaturally and forcing a timeline... I guess we have to go along. I'd really rather not. But it's better than letting a restrictive, conservative agenda that's counter to all the growth we've experienced over the years pass through the Assembly because it looks unobjectionable to those unaware.

In contrast to Belschaft's proposal, which mandates a specific flag that cannot be changed, I've still left what flag we use wide open. I don't want to pin that down. I've also made the effort to preserve our traditional flag in an official capacity because of its historical importance. This alone should make it clear enough that I really don't want to excise anything from our identity -- if this proposal has to do something, then it should smooth the transition to an updated but still linked-to-the-past set of icons as much as possible.

Basically: if Belschaft wants to legislate -- despite the fact that culture doesn't work that way and that the current project is already a ministry-run plan that has been broadly accepted -- at least we can legislate in as flexible and respectful of a way as possible.

~ Aumeltopia ~

Raccoons are bandits! First they steal your food . . . and then your heart/identity!

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As Belschaft's has been motioned and has a second, I motion this bill to a vote as well.

Midwesterner. Political nerd. Chipotle enthusiast. 
Minister of Culture of the South Pacific // Former Prime Minister

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Belschaft made clear, however, that he would stop at nothing short of getting the Assembly to outright ban any development of our visual identity.

I know you've already read bel's reply, but for anyone else reading this: it's been clarified that's not what's intended and also the proposal on closer reading makes that clear too. It's simply intended (as the rest of the cultural act is) to mark it as official for anyone who needs to know.

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Belschaft made clear, however, that he would stop at nothing short of getting the Assembly to outright ban any development of our visual identity.

I know you've already read bel's reply, but for anyone else reading this: it's been clarified that's not what's intended and also the proposal on closer reading makes that clear too. It's simply intended (as the rest of the cultural act is) to mark it as official for anyone who needs to know.

Yes, and we should be able to develop our official visual identity without the burden of overlegislation dragging us down.

Midwesterner. Political nerd. Chipotle enthusiast. 
Minister of Culture of the South Pacific // Former Prime Minister

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As Belschaft's has been motioned and has a second, I motion this bill to a vote as well.

I second the motion.

Founder of the Church of the South Pacific [Forum Thread] [Discord], a safe place to discuss spirituality for people of all faiths and none (currently looking for those interested in prayer and/or "home" groups);
And The Silicon Pens [Discord], a writer's group for the South Pacific and beyond!

Yahweo usenneo ir varleo, ihraneo jurlaweo hraseu seu, ir jiweveo arladi.

Salma 145:8

translate

The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
Psalm 145: 8

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This has been brought to vote here.

I have been things

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This has failed.

I have been things

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