In June 2007, Chaucerin resigned as Lord High Advocate and left me with the job. At the time I told him that I was honored – terrified, but honored – to be considered as his replacement.
Two years later, I find that Chauce has resigned again, and left me in charge once more. I must say that while I'm flattered at the show of confidence, I really wish he didn't trust me quite so much.
I hope you will forgive me the quip; while tongue-in-cheek, it betrays a deeper truth. I have never been eager to hold the role of the Founder in Equilism. There is one very simple reason why: I knew that if I ever found myself in that position, it would mean Equilism had suffered losses I could scarcely imagine – the loss of Neo-Conservatism, Tse Moana, Westwind, and Chaucerin, and perhaps others I did not then know. And over time – slowly, but all too soon – that almost unbearable thought has become reality.
To be sure, it wasn't as bad as I pictured it. New members have joined us and become as dear to me as the friends I knew at first. And though Tse is still absent, Neo has returned; Westwind (thank God) is still here; and Chaucerin (conspicuously not thanking God) may still return someday to finish trouncing me in the religion thread on the Open Debate Board.
But the fact remains that I'm only speaking to you today because someone else is not. The ascension of a new Monarch means the loss, to at least some extent, of the old one. A sort of death is inextricably connected with change. Those of us who are left to make a new beginning have to face that shadow as we move on.
If there's one thing I can promise you, it's that Chauce's shadow will be felt very strongly as we move on. It's become a commonplace to note that NationStates forum life is a remarkably good simulation of real life politics. In truth, however, NS is a remarkably good simulation of real life because it
is real life. None of us are government leaders outside of these forums, but while we're here, the conversations we have and the decisions we make shape our time together – at least that portion of it which each of us chooses to spend here. That is the curious reality behind our virtual world – the reality which makes each member's departure seem like a death and each return like a resurrection.
Like most of us, I think, I've occasionally been guilty of forgetting that the real reason we're all here is to enjoy each other's company. It's easy to get lost in the rush of government business until visiting the forum seems like a chore. I know that sometimes when I'm absent, it's because I don't feel I can face the to-do list that will be waiting for me here. I can't help but think that that feeling has been behind most of the departures we've seen in our history, including this most recent one.
If there's one thing I want to see change for us as a community, it's that. Some of our newer members may not feel it; but I think all of us who have been in leadership will understand – and I think we would all agree that that's not something we want the next generation of leaders in Equilism to have to face if we can help it.
I'll put it simply: I'm tired of projects. I'm tired of keeping up activities which began from the enthusiasm of members when the enthusiasm to keep them up is no longer there. We are a region with rich traditions, but Equilism is not a tradition – it is a community. I want us to hold off on asking what we can do for our community, until we've asked what our community wants to do.
I may hold the Founder nation today, but Equilism isn't about me. I have ideas about where we can go from here, but I don't want to go there without each and every one of you.
Over the past four months, we've experimented with a number of new initiatives for the region – some of which have worked, and some of which we've had to correct as we went along. This process of correction will continue, but, I hope, in what may come as an unexpected direction.
In my mind, the constitution of the Confederation was meant to recollect the old Commonwealth constitution under which I joined Equilism. In the end, we also took so many clauses from the constitution of the Realm, and rewrote so many others in the quest for activity, that it became more unwieldy than either of the documents it superseded.
I propose to correct this by a simple expedient. I hereby request that the Prime Minister bring before Parliament a vote to restore the Commonwealth.
Many of you may not realize the significance of that proposition. Those who do remember the Commonwealth may be scratching your heads. After all, under the Commonwealth, Equilism fell into such a state of inactivity that the leading members of the region decided it would be better to stage a civil war than allow Equilism to fade away under a broken system. Am I asking that we return to a system that has been proven not to work?
No. As a region, we learned important lessons from the Schism that it would be foolish to discard. The Commonwealth constitution will need to be amended to account for the realities of NationStates gameplay that we have come to recognize since. In particular, we must recognize five specific principles: the role of the Founder as a safeguard for the ideals of the region, the centrality of the E-Army to our regional identity, the as-needed nature of the work of the Judiciary in NationStates, the importance of recruitment for our continued well-being as a community, and the necessity of encouraging new members to bring their ideas to the table as equal partners with those who have more experience. I have in mind changes that I believe will address those goals and principles; but if this effort is to succeed, I will need the input, criticism, and support of Equilism as a whole to ensure that we as a community choose to govern ourselves by a document acceptable to all.
In other words, the vote I am requesting puts forward one simple question: will Parliament sanction my proposal of a new constitution for our region, and allow discussion and voting on the matter to be opened to Equilism as a whole – or failing that, opened at least to the consideration of Parliament? If so, then I will refrain from appointing a Governor General until the question of the constitution is settled. If, in the end, we cannot reach a better compromise document than the one under which we currently operate, then first of all I will eat my hat; and afterwards I will appoint a Governor General as called for by the current constitution, and request sponsors for amendments and other legislation less sweeping in scope to be voted on piecemeal.
This is not only about the legal structure of our government, but about a return to the spirit of cooperation, trust, and give-and-take that has always characterized Equilism at its best. It is about reclaiming our past and using it to shape our future. It is about reimagining our community.
In conclusion, I want to draw your attention to a small change you may have noticed recently: the security status has been lowered from 'Elevated' to 'Guarded' on the recommendation of the Equilism Intelligence Agency. More than a simple cosmetic alteration, this goes hand in hand with my conviction that the changes we have ahead of us are not ones we need to fear. NationStates is stirring with innovations in the code and the return of old players, while shifting dynamics between raiders and defenders have brought us back closer to our friends and allies in the defender world. We are not alone. We have our friends, and most importantly we have each other. In the end, that is what truly matters.
I leave the question of the constitution in the hands of the Prime Minister and Parliament, and wait with anticipation for your response.
In the mean time, please join me once again in thanking Chaucerin for the foundational role he has played in our community over so many years. We could not have asked for a fiercer guardian of our laws, a stronger defender of our community, or a better friend. Cheers, Chauce.
Thank you for your attention, everyone, especially if you read that all the way through.
I look forward to seeing what the new day has in store for all of us. And I look forward to finding out with you.
Yours,
~Naivetry
Keeper of Equility