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[disfavored]

Greetings, once again. I've only been here for a short while - and apparently most of us have not been here long - but it has come to my attention that we're rather unorganized and lack the political representation that the native residents have.

I've brought this issue forward and have been granted permission by the Emperor to form a government of our own to deal with certain issues pertaining to us, rather than going to her for help. She'll still be open to visitation, I'm sure, but you'll have an alternative.

We are a very diverse group, so I would propose a sort of coalition - or council, if you will - to be elected by democratic vote.

You may nominate someone, if you wish, although they'll have to agree to put their name in the running. Or, you can nominate yourself.

I'd like to start by volunteering myself - I am Tarrlok, for those of you I haven't met yet - and I'll open myself up to any questions any of you might have. I encourage any other interested parties to do the same.

Comments

NOMINATIONS / VOLUNTEERS

[disfavored]

[ooc: Your characters can nominate themselves or someone else here, and anyone can reply to them, not just Tarrlok, so think of it like a mini-post. If you'd rather make your own separate post you're free to do so as well, but please drop an OOC note here so I can keep the list of nominees organized.]

[usavatar]

I'd like to nominate Margaret Carter. [As he silently hopes she doesn't kill him for this.]

[littlecousin]

I nominate Cap! Uh, that's Captain America, Steven Rogers.

[She is so happy with herself, all participating in the democratic process.]

audio; anonymous

[amonfire]

[ Look it's that completely unremarkable Northern Water Tribe healer that doesn't know you personally at all. His voiced forced into something less hoarse, and barely recgonizable to something you may have heard hijack a radio broadcast.Or several. ]

A democracy? Are you planning to go against the Emperor, or work within her sovereignty?

audio;

[disfavored]

I plan on independence, more than anything. Perhaps some debate, perhaps some collaboration, but I am not planning on working against or under the Emperor.

[video]

[littlecousin]

Voting, huh?

[Being a citizen of an absolute monarchy back home, she's tickled by the prospect.]

[video]

[disfavored]

Yes. Have you ever voted before?

[He wouldn't be surprised if most people hadn't, seeing as his own world is largely non-democratic.]

video

[wherethestoryis]

Interesting.

[Tarrlok, you don't know Lois Lane. You have not seen that expression on her face before, eyes bright.

You are now Her Current Interview.]

Could you clarify what you mean by 'certain issues pertaining to us'?

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[disfavored]

[He's prepared for an impromptu interview. It's part of his job. That, and he's used surprise interviews against other people before, so he knows enough to always take the possibility into consideration.]

I have not quite worked out exactly what power the Emperor holds, and how much we can hold here on our own in comparison.

But, the Emperor isn't always available and there may be some things we are perfectly capable of solving on our own if we organize ourselves. Things like responses to violence, or disasters such as the recent storm, and even things like helping new arrives get acclimated, or the planning of events.

[And now it's time to throw the Emperor under the bus a little. Oops.]

As well, when I spoke to the Emperor she said she would like to see someone try and "corral this rabble". I have a little more faith in us than that, and I think we ought to prove that we can at least be independent and organize ourselves in a civil manner.

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[controlledvariable]

[Steph is - political minded, but she has very little faith in the actual system back home. She's willing to think it might be different here, so she's just gonna go ahead and ask a couple things]

How are we going to decide how many members of council there are, and have you put any thought into having representation for individual groups? It seems like most of us here are human, but people who aren't should be able to represent themselves too.

[Like people with superpowers, or the visible non-humans.

After a moment, she adds:] I'd like to be involved without actually being on the council, are there ways I could do that?

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[disfavored]

It depends on how many people volunteer, I suppose. I'll admit I'm playing it by ear here a bit. Representation for different groups is a good idea. I imagine there'll be an opportunity for a public forum before anything is put to a vote.

And of course, do you have any specific idea of what you'd like to do?

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[shootingshields]

I'm not sure how much of an independent government it will turn out to be. While the exact nature of how powerful the Emperor is remains to be seen, these aspirations seem a little high in that regard. [She read over the other feeds okok] Sovereignty in an intermingled population is difficult enough.

If it's to be a council of our interests as 'foreigners', care must be taken to assure that all interests will be heard and treated with fair concern. We are a very diverse group, and there should be diversity on this council, however many there will be. [She wants to know that.] I don't think those elected should be so permanently either.

But I also think it's also important that we do not come across as a threat to the kedan, and there is potential for that in rhetoric. The city is to be shared whether we like it or not, and though we are unorganized as a whole and at a disadvantage, I'd like to avoid drawing any further wedges. [GANG WARS PART II = DNW]

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[disfavored]

My aspirations are high, yes. But if we don't try we are guaranteed failure. I don't mind difficult tasks.

I agree with the rest of your points. There was a representative from each nation back where I was from and, while it may not be practical to have a representative from each individual world here we should try our best to be diverse. And elections would be a regular thing, so no one is elected permanently.

I'd hope we could work with the kedan, and if one of us were victimizing the native population, that ought to be something we deal with, too.

Video;

[andaway]

[So Lois is already on it, he should have guessed. Every reporter to themselves and all that jazz, even when he's talking about his own wife. Pushing his glasses up, the glasses don’t manage to cover the glint the smile of a new interview brings to any competent reporter. If he wasn’t the one getting ready to interview he’d feel sorry Tarrlok has found himself on the crossfire of two starved journalists.]

Tarrlok, sir... I understand your main intention for creating this 'government', this coalition is to assure us foreigners will have our voice and vote among the Kedan and to make it easier for us to coexist and live in harmony with each other. I approve of that completely and I assume most of us will also agree, but I have to wonder where will be the point where we draw the line.

We have already found how much our laws differ from their own on occasions. And we can’t pretend to simply enforce our own sense of justice when we are the foreigners and we’re such a diverse group.

My question is how will you deal with the differences between two groups if you are elected.

[He'll save the questions about how does he plan to get specific answers about their stance here and their purpose later.]

Video;

[disfavored]

As far as drawing the line goes, that is why I am suggesting multiple representatives to be elected. One person constantly going to far will be easily voted down, and among the group a suitable balance will likely be found. It will encourage moderate solutions rather than extreme ones.

[That almost hurts him to say because boy does he ever love extremes. Oh well.]

I think we should do our best not to interfere with the kedan, if at all possible. We should not disrupt their way of life. If something comes up that will affect them and there is no way around it, we should discuss it with them first and see about reaching a compromise. Our presence here alone affects them in some way, so it cannot be avoided. But they won't be shoved to the side as if they're less important.

[lunargoodness]

[Hm. This... actually sounds like it'd be quite interesting. Although there are certainly some things she's curious about.]

I agree that working together to maintain some kind of order could work well. However, I'm curious about what sort of 'issues' would be covered. [Because that's fairly vague, and could mean all sorts of things. She may not have had a voice in her father's own small council, but she learned plenty of things from sitting in on each meeting, and one of them was that being vague is rarely helpful. Better to be specific, so everyone can understand and properly discuss exactly what's going on.]

Also, are you planning on making this completely independent? Because I imagine that there would be some instances where we'd have to work with the kedan, regardless of any council formed.

[disfavored]

I have a few ideas - a resource for new arrivals has already been discussed, as has a line of defense against further attacks and a way of planning organized events and public forums. Other candidates may have their own ideas.

I'm in favor of as much independence as possible, but I don't think complete independence is realistic.

[notpredictable]

Oh, goody. [Nothing better than a mass of sheep trying to take charge of themselves.]

[disfavored]

I sense that your enthusiasm may be feigned.

[Mostly because it's obvious. Also, wow, you're blue. Would it be rude to say something about that? Yeah, probably.]

[knowsmadness]

Well, this ought to be interesting.

[disfavored]

Are you interested in taking part, then?

[whoneedsbending]

So, what happens if there's more events like the one we've already had? Where we were targeted even though we did nothing? I mean, the police here acted on it, but it started the riots and wars which we were dragged into.

How does it work? My Tribe had a Chief.

[disfavored]

We will be able to organize faster to support each other and fend off the attacks, if we are targeted unfairly again.

I had a Chief as well back when I still lived with the Northern Water Tribe, but in Republic City we had an elected council. Everyone voted on the candidate who they would most want to represent them, and the one with the most votes is elected. It would probably work something like that here.

[Oh Sokka, if only you knew you'd be on that council someday.]

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[agentdork]

[ Politics rub him the wrong way, always have, but he's seen how single power goes and doesn't want that again. He doesn't want to get to be the most involved, but still. ]

I'd be interested in havin' a say. Never been too good at politics, but if we're in it for the long haul-- and it seems like we are, then it may be worthwhile.

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[disfavored]

Alright. Are you interested in running, or just in voting?

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[wolfnamedkitty]

[Kitty's looked through some of the questions that have been aimed at this guy, but no one's directly hit on the immediate big one, at least that she's seen.]

The lack of self-governing didn't seem like a problem, but now you're demanding full autonomy, and volunteered yourself to lead it. Don't you think a power grab like this is a bit too blatant?

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[disfavored]

I'm hardly making demands, here. Perhaps of the Emperor, but she agreed to this idea. I'm certainly not making any demands out of you or the rest of us.

I'm not offering to lead it. In a council, no one is the leader. I'm just putting the idea for an election out there. As I have already stated, I am aware that offering to run does not guarantee that I will be elected.

I nominated myself because putting the idea out there means I am obviously interested. Saying you can nominate anyone you like and then not nominating myself would carry the implication that I was waiting for someone else to nominate me, and that would have, frankly, been passive-aggressive.