The Amistad Declaration on Slavery and the Rights of Man

[Universal explorers]

I propose an amendment to this document whereby any person or nation who practices slavery forfeits their rights as a human being, and therefore become beasts to be treated as they treated the humans under them with exemption from this document. If the tendency for enslavement of persons is hereditary, their descendents shall be considered beasts as well.

[Urmanian]

I propose an amendment to this document whereby any person or nation who practices slavery forfeits their rights as a human being, and therefore become beasts to be treated as they treated the humans under them with exemption from this document. If the tendency for enslavement of persons is hereditary, their descendents shall be considered beasts as well.

It's up for individual nations to interpret this document, really. If your government wishes to uphold the Declaration in such a way, go for it (we personally do consider slavers less-than-sapient), but I personally wouldn't narrow the interpretations down so strictly. Besides, this might scare away the more moderate nations that would otherwise sign the Declaration.

[The Ctan]

Transmission Source: Lygngarama nos Dunnealc, Eternal Necrontyr Empire of the C'tan
Destination: Signatories of the Amistad Declaration
Secondary Destinations: General Release
Subject: New Memberships
Security: General broadcast

We are pleased by the recent expansion of the Amistad family and would like to share our warm regards with those states who have recently joined us. We are particularly pleased to welcome the The Sovereign Military and Monastic Order of Kells, whose activities have already garnered our attention most effectively.

We must oppose the notion brought forth by Universal Explorers, on two grounds. The first is ideological, although we are merciless to slavers we do not believe that holding others is slaves is a heritable condition, and we believe that allowing such an aberrant practice would be to become slavers ourselves. On a more practical basis no means exists to amend the Amistad Declaration; it is a statement to which one may subscribe or may part ways from, but it is a finished product, though naturally in time it will be superseded, it is not a living document. This is part of the reason for its remarkable success; the process of joining the forces aligned to the Declaration is an entirely internal one, without any lengthy approval process, and this, we think, it should remain.

Patrast Lygngarama, The International Department

[Kardelia]

OOC, Kardelia has re-instated slavery, maybe someone is interested?
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=252811

[Slakonian]

guys could you add our nations that have asked to be part of the Amistad signature, want to use it against a slaver nation that Allaena has declared war as well.

[Allanea]

OOC: For some reason I have issues editing the first post, but anyone who posts here can freely consider themselves a signatory, we have no authority to deny anyone.

[Universal explorers]

Hmm, I just realized a ambiguaty that needs to be delt with. What do we do about nations who do not condone slavery or have any part of the enslavement of other peoples, but do not persecute those who practice slavery inside their borders?

[Virana]

Hmm, I just realized a ambiguaty that needs to be delt with. What do we do about nations who do not condone slavery or have any part of the enslavement of other peoples, but do not persecute those who practice slavery inside their borders?

The ambiguity in the declaration allows for individual nations to determine solutions to such issues with their own judgement.

The general understanding is neutrality towards such nations in relation to the Declaration.

[Allanea]

Hmm, I just realized a ambiguaty that needs to be delt with. What do we do about nations who do not condone slavery or have any part of the enslavement of other peoples, but do not persecute those who practice slavery inside their borders?

Official Allanean Reply:

If slavery isn't banned by your laws, you are slavers.

[Universal explorers]

Now, for another important question, how is it to be determined when this article is to be called upon to bring all signatories against the nation believed to be practicing slavery?

[Allanea]

The declaration is not an alliance. It has no enforcement mechanism by which we can 'call everyone to action'. It is a statement of principles to which all members individually commit.

[Universal explorers]

The declaration is not an alliance. It has no enforcement mechanism by which we can 'call everyone to action'. It is a statement of principles to which all members individually commit.

So a signatory could use this document as an exuse to declairation war on the rest of the world because of there most likely to be a black market slave trade even in nations that banned it and there is nothing other signatories could do to remove that association. That is just great (OoC: that last sentence was sarcasm).

[Allanea]

Note what I talked about: I talked about countries that do not ban slavery at all, even though they technically 'do not condone it'.

''Condoning' something means your government actively approves of it. Most governments do not condone pornography, yet it is legal.

Also, if a state has banned slavery and are not enforcing that law, then this is also different from 'slavery is illegal and we do our best but we can't catch everyone as nobody can'.

[Hobbiest Republic]

The declaration is not an alliance. It has no enforcement mechanism by which we can 'call everyone to action'. It is a statement of principles to which all members individually commit.

So a signatory could use this document as an exuse to declairation war on the rest of the world because of there most likely to be a black market slave trade even in nations that banned it and there is nothing other signatories could do to remove that association. That is just great.

Signatories of the Amistad are free to do whatever they please, even if it is something as non-nonsensical as declaring war upon other signatories for being slavers. Generally this doesn't occur because signatories are not total idiots. Everyone who is a signatory generally applies something rather rare contrasting rather interestingly with its name, 'common sense'. Although I enjoy a good barbecue as much as the next person, there are plenty of 'lulz oppression and total grim-darkness' slavers to destroy before turning on each other for the nuances of respective 'freedom levels'.

Please spell excuse and declaration correctly next time, as there is no excuse when you have a spell check readily available and within a moments access. Having a firm grasp of spelling tends to reinforce any argument you make with a modicum of authority. That is, if you wish to be persuasive.

[Universal explorers]

So a signatory could use this document as an exuse to declairation war on the rest of the world because of there most likely to be a black market slave trade even in nations that banned it and there is nothing other signatories could do to remove that association. That is just great.

Signatories of the Amistad are free to do whatever they please, even if it is something as non-nonsensical as declaring war upon other signatories for being slavers. Generally this doesn't occur because signatories are not total idiots. Everyone who is a signatory generally applies something rather rare contrasting rather interestingly with its name, 'common sense'. Although I enjoy a good barbecue as much as the next person, there are plenty of 'lulz oppression and total grim-darkness' slavers to destroy before turning on each other for the nuances of respective 'freedom levels'.

Please spell excuse and declaration correctly next time, as there is no excuse when you have a spell check readily available and within a moments access. Having a firm grasp of spelling tends to reinforce any argument you make with a modicum of authority. That is, if you wish to be persuasive.

Funny coming from a nation mostly made up of Drow, who in your history, have enslaved countless people and who's treatment would be considered abusive by even the most cold hearted of criminals. Seeing as such, your people can be considered slavers according to the declairation seeing as there is nothing in the declairation for the ceasation of attacks if they cease the process of slavery.

[Menelmacar]

Signatories of the Amistad are free to do whatever they please, even if it is something as non-nonsensical as declaring war upon other signatories for being slavers. Generally this doesn't occur because signatories are not total idiots. Everyone who is a signatory generally applies something rather rare contrasting rather interestingly with its name, 'common sense'. Although I enjoy a good barbecue as much as the next person, there are plenty of 'lulz oppression and total grim-darkness' slavers to destroy before turning on each other for the nuances of respective 'freedom levels'.

Please spell excuse and declaration correctly next time, as there is no excuse when you have a spell check readily available and within a moments access. Having a firm grasp of spelling tends to reinforce any argument you make with a modicum of authority. That is, if you wish to be persuasive.

Funny coming from a nation mostly made up of Drow, who in your history, have enslaved countless people and who's treatment would be considered abusive by even the most cold hearted of criminals. Seeing as such, your people can be considered slavers according to the declairation seeing as there is nothing in the declairation for the ceasation of attacks if they cease the process of slavery.

Hobbiest Republic isn't a nation of Drow, though it may well include some.

[Universal explorers]

Wait a second! Wait a second! I just found a blaring hole in this document. There is no definition of what defines slavery within this document! That means that a nation could call the work of any person within any nation, slavery. That hole is a major danger to the public relations between signatories and all other nations. This document, as it currently stands, appears to me to be a lisense to unleash Armageddon.

[Universal explorers]

Looks like another group of slavers have popped up http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=266815 . Time to strike them down for their savagery.

[Lamoni]

Looks like another group of slavers have popped up http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=266815 . Time to strike them down for their savagery.

From talking to Jenassa OOCly, she is getting out of the slaver "game," and sending her slaves to a sanctuary created by Ganos Lao. So, as a signatory of Amistad, I think that we can let that one go.

[Allanea]

Bumping for recruitment.

[New Edom]

Upon careful thought, and with devotion towards the pursuit of goodwill and freedom from slavery, the Allied States of New Edom agrees to sign this alliance, in particular as nations which New Edom respects and has close relations with already have signed it.

- William Touchstone, President of the Allied States of New Edom

You might want to update your list of signatories.

[Allanea]

For some reason the forum software glitches sometimes when I edit the first post, so I just consider anyone who's posted here to be a signatory.

[Sovereign California]

From: The Office of the Empress of the Californian Confederated Empire

The Californian Confederated Empire hereby signs, and ratifies this declaration.

Signed,
Sélené Aléssandra Michelle Dévnostraéva.


Signed,
Fiora Selene Alexa Dévnostraéva.

[Alduinium]

The Empire of Alduinium agrees to sign and ratify the Declaration.

With best regards, Emperor Alduin.

[Seripheap]

I Shall Join