I'm sorry, but not really. I realize, completely and truthfully, that the very large majority of you are what can be called "good people." But this region, and the way you run it? I can't deal with it anymore.
Ever since the days of the NPC, I have seen nothing but bluster and rhetoric when it comes to "democracy", accompanied by actions of manipulating and twisting those documents that you cherish so much for protecting our liberties in order to get them to say whatever you want. Polts "proposal" was quite accurate that it would at least be quicker and get the same end result. Except that Polts would just be more honest about it, and probably more competent too.
This region has never been about democracy, but about maintaining its own clique. The conflict between Cathyy and the rest wasn't a conflict between freedom/dictatorship or anything of the sort, it was a civil war in the ruling clique of the region, the oligarchy splitting in two.
None of you are liars, at least I hope not. Most of you truly believe the things you say, your own rhetoric and, to an extent, there is truth to it. But dissent, real dissent, isn't really tolerated. Paranoia and fear-mongering are the most common tactics to silence the minority. Irrational bleating on about "rights" and "democractic values" used to drown out logical solutions to the problems this region has.
This is exemplified when we study the first two Prime Ministers of this region.
Tresville, the man who really brought me into the clique, showed me how things were done, and, to a large extent, I'm still influenced by him, even if I don't necessarily like it, was never a supporter of democracy. He wanted to do what was best for the region, and what "the region" (however he personally defined that rather nebulous term) wanted, but he didn't particularly care about "democracy". From purposely manipulating processes to keep GM and Polts out of the Constitutional Convention to overextending his authority in order to keep raiders out of the region for no other reason than that they were raiders, he proved plenty of times what he was really about.
Poltsamaa, a man vilified for his "authoritarian" leanings, accused countless times of trying to overthrow the "democratic values" of this region, and plenty of other such things. While undeniably an ass, he was the first (last?) truly democratic leader of this region. He did all in his constitutionally prescribed authority (and nothing outside that authority) in order to right the wrongs his predecessor had committed.
I have had extensive personal dealings with both of these men, I know them, who they are, what they believe and what they stand for, and I know which of the two is more truly open to a democratic region, where dissent, differing views, political debate and argument, and all the symptoms of a healthy democracy are apparent and rampant.
A hint: It's the villain.
This hypocritical standard is the most blatantly obvious measure of what this region is really about. Most of the rest is a bit more subtle.
This region, this forum, this community, has long outgrown the game of NationStates, yet it refuses to admit it, even to itself. A hint that you have outgrown the game is when the governing documents for your "region" begin to blatantly refer to out-of-game entities (i.e, players).
I can no longer stand to put up with the charade, the constant facade. I have (a result of my Tresvillian influences, no doubt) a true affection for this region, and have tried to help right the ship, but, simply put, this is supposed to be a game. It is supposed to be fun, entertaining, not stressful and frustrating. When it becomes this, I must leave.
I can no longer stand the dishonesty and self-denial, the false posturing and hollow rhetoric, of a community that refuses to acknowledge the most self-evident truths. Therefore, I must remove myself.
This is not to say that this is true of everyone, or that this region is condemned to such a fate. I'm just a tired, cynical, old, crabby and grumpy guy standing in his underwear on the front lawn waving a shotgun around drunkenly and yelling at the damn pigeons for crapping on the broken down truck in the yard.
I do, indeed, like quite a few of you, I just dislike your, for lack of a better word, "politics". Pick, I'm sorry to do this to you since you're one of the better ones (which is the only reason I agreed to be your deputy to begin with), but I'm no use to you like this. OPA, I fucking love you, and want you to have my children. Hope I see you on AIM more often (or in CN?). And, Polts!!, see you in #NPOwned.
Consider this my complete and total resignation from all positions within this region.
Ever since the days of the NPC, I have seen nothing but bluster and rhetoric when it comes to "democracy", accompanied by actions of manipulating and twisting those documents that you cherish so much for protecting our liberties in order to get them to say whatever you want. Polts "proposal" was quite accurate that it would at least be quicker and get the same end result. Except that Polts would just be more honest about it, and probably more competent too.
This region has never been about democracy, but about maintaining its own clique. The conflict between Cathyy and the rest wasn't a conflict between freedom/dictatorship or anything of the sort, it was a civil war in the ruling clique of the region, the oligarchy splitting in two.
None of you are liars, at least I hope not. Most of you truly believe the things you say, your own rhetoric and, to an extent, there is truth to it. But dissent, real dissent, isn't really tolerated. Paranoia and fear-mongering are the most common tactics to silence the minority. Irrational bleating on about "rights" and "democractic values" used to drown out logical solutions to the problems this region has.
This is exemplified when we study the first two Prime Ministers of this region.
Tresville, the man who really brought me into the clique, showed me how things were done, and, to a large extent, I'm still influenced by him, even if I don't necessarily like it, was never a supporter of democracy. He wanted to do what was best for the region, and what "the region" (however he personally defined that rather nebulous term) wanted, but he didn't particularly care about "democracy". From purposely manipulating processes to keep GM and Polts out of the Constitutional Convention to overextending his authority in order to keep raiders out of the region for no other reason than that they were raiders, he proved plenty of times what he was really about.
Poltsamaa, a man vilified for his "authoritarian" leanings, accused countless times of trying to overthrow the "democratic values" of this region, and plenty of other such things. While undeniably an ass, he was the first (last?) truly democratic leader of this region. He did all in his constitutionally prescribed authority (and nothing outside that authority) in order to right the wrongs his predecessor had committed.
I have had extensive personal dealings with both of these men, I know them, who they are, what they believe and what they stand for, and I know which of the two is more truly open to a democratic region, where dissent, differing views, political debate and argument, and all the symptoms of a healthy democracy are apparent and rampant.
A hint: It's the villain.
This hypocritical standard is the most blatantly obvious measure of what this region is really about. Most of the rest is a bit more subtle.
This region, this forum, this community, has long outgrown the game of NationStates, yet it refuses to admit it, even to itself. A hint that you have outgrown the game is when the governing documents for your "region" begin to blatantly refer to out-of-game entities (i.e, players).
I can no longer stand to put up with the charade, the constant facade. I have (a result of my Tresvillian influences, no doubt) a true affection for this region, and have tried to help right the ship, but, simply put, this is supposed to be a game. It is supposed to be fun, entertaining, not stressful and frustrating. When it becomes this, I must leave.
I can no longer stand the dishonesty and self-denial, the false posturing and hollow rhetoric, of a community that refuses to acknowledge the most self-evident truths. Therefore, I must remove myself.
This is not to say that this is true of everyone, or that this region is condemned to such a fate. I'm just a tired, cynical, old, crabby and grumpy guy standing in his underwear on the front lawn waving a shotgun around drunkenly and yelling at the damn pigeons for crapping on the broken down truck in the yard.
I do, indeed, like quite a few of you, I just dislike your, for lack of a better word, "politics". Pick, I'm sorry to do this to you since you're one of the better ones (which is the only reason I agreed to be your deputy to begin with), but I'm no use to you like this. OPA, I fucking love you, and want you to have my children. Hope I see you on AIM more often (or in CN?). And, Polts!!, see you in #NPOwned.
Consider this my complete and total resignation from all positions within this region.
