[ReDraft] Convention on Personhood

[Second Sovereignty]

Convention on Personhood
Category: Civil Rights || Strength: Strong

Origin: Infinite Sovereignty,

Author: Raxes Sotriat, Envoy to the World Assembly

Sovereign Committee on World Assembly Affairs

Counsel: Pending

---

The World Assembly,

Proud that the Member-States of this assembly are composed of myriad diverse cultures and forms of life,

Aspiring to empower Member-States to encounter, create, and cooperate with new forms of life, regardless of technological development or differences in physiology and psychology, wherever and however they may be found,

And convinced that a universal, coherent, and comprehensive policy regarding the possibility of sapience of any given lifeform, and methodology for determining such, will minimize the harms caused by uncertainty and empower Member-States to embrace new forms of life,

Hereby;

Defines, for the purposes of this resolution:

1. 'Lifeform' as; any detectable and coherent entity which exhibits clear internal signalling, homeostatic, and organizational processes, or which exhibits clear internal processes functionally indistinguishable from such relative to its composition or state of existence,
2. 'Substantially Similar', excepting where used in this definition, as; any lifeform which shares substantial similarity to another lifeform such that they could be reasonably assumed to be individuals of the same design or species,
3. 'Xenoinvestigative Body' as; any governmental organization comprising of qualified experts in fields relevant to social, psychological, historical, and evolutionary development, operated with the express and specific purposes of identifying potential Sapient Lifeforms and making determinations with regards to such status as defined within this resolution,
4. 'Technology' as; any tool, device, construction, or program, manufactured by a lifeform, for the purpose of performing or assisting in the performance of a task, or for the purpose of producing another tool, device or construction, regardless of material, medium, or design complexity,
5. 'Communication' as; any means, regardless of mode or apparent complexity, with which a lifeform expresses complex ideas and meaning, to any other lifeform, whether or not it is Substantially Similar, capable of receiving and understanding the expression,
6. 'General Reasoning' as; the ability of a given lifeform to exhibit generally complex reasoning and both logical and illogical – but internally sound - decision making within a variety of distinct conditions and environments both within and without its observed or known range of experience,
7. 'Sapient Lifeform' as; any lifeform which exhibits the ability to produce Technologies, Communicate, and Generally Reason, as determined by a Xenoinvestigative Body of a Member-State, or a similar non-Member-State entity,

Mandates:

1. That all Member-States lacking a Xenoinvestigative Body establish such at the earliest practicable opportunity, or otherwise designate, with mutual agreement, a Xenoinvestigative Body operated by another Member-State for the purpose, and confer upon it all authority and access needed to perform its assigned purpose,
2. That Member-States, upon identifying a potential Sapient Lifeform, as soon as practicable, and as appropriate:
   1. Begin investigation via, at minimum, the most relevant Member-State’s Xenoinvestigative body, per the established standards regarding Sapient Lifeforms,
   2. Declare, based on clear and obvious factors, such as widespread use of highly complex technologies, or other relevant and immediately apparent factors, a Lifeform to be a Sapient Lifeform without formal investigation, or the formal completion of investigation,
3. That investigations into the sapience of a species by Xenoinvestigative Bodies:
   1. Consist, at the first phase, of robust and thorough investigative research to determine all reasonably accessible factors relevant to the investigation,
   2. That all determinations regarding Technology, Communication, and General Reasoning take place in terms reasonable and relevant to the Lifeform undergoing investigation, and that all effort be made to accommodate and account for relevant distinctions that would otherwise threaten accurate determinations,
4. That Member-States treat any and all lifeforms undergoing investigation regarding their status as a Sapient Lifeform with the full dignity and respect conferred to confirmed Sapient Lifeforms, and all practicable national and international legal and ethical protections extended to such,
5. That Member-States consider all lifeforms which are Substantially Similar to a known Sapient Lifeform, as being themselves Sapient Lifeforms, regardless of individual ability to meet the defined standard therein or any disabilities or impairments,
6. That Member-States consider any and all Sapient Lifeforms identified or declared by another Member-State, to be Sapient Lifeforms under their own law,
7. That, with regards to all national and international law binding upon or within Member-States, all identified Sapient Lifeforms are to be considered persons, and afforded all rights, privileges, protections, restrictions, and duties thereof.

Character Count (Including BBCode): 4995

Raxes tapped a claw on the podium. Again. "Seeing as someone has locked the door on the other chamber," he clicked, "I do hope you'll all excuse the repetition. Certainly I would rather not be doing this again, but, alas. The Sovereign is again seeking discussion and debate; we certainly hope it will not collapse into a circus this time."

[The Ice States]

"The only provision this is missing is an explicit prohibition on discrimination based on species. Should this be added the Eternal Union intends to support this legislation."

~Claudia Lindner,
Deputy World Assembly Ambassador,
The Eternal Union of Devonia and the Ice States.

[Illahee]

Against, this body shall not dictate departments within my government.

[Zlatna Nebesa]

The country is going to shed red if we ever have to think about this. I'm not sure if the WA is canon to Valsora (i dont think it is) but an international order forcing something on us would cause massive violence between the humanist conservatives and the progressive/socialist pro multi-speciesist. The country will probably hold itself but there will be much carnange and wanton destruction due to riots, violence, etc., and not to the mention the amount of support that would increase for the humanists guerrilas that still refuse to surrender despite losing the civil war.[

The current DPR ZN would nevertheless gladly support a resolution for universal species rights, but large factions in our population are still clinging to humanist beliefs. They might even-

Hack detected

3c9k842c80n082nc87c27c29c...Signal aquired...

This is the true brethren of our Fatherland speaking, don't listen to what the foul-blooded usurpers preach, we few of noble blood are the true heirs to the heavenly paradise! We will never give in these mongrels who preach blasphemous things such as rights for the monstrous, and we will continue to fight in the name of our sacred humanity! May the elders smile upon us! Until Nebesa is ours, the howl of the Wolves shall be heard, for this night shall not end until we rise in the dawn victorious with our country behind us!

The heavenly paradise shall remain pure Nebesan forever! Victory to the loyal! Death to the tyrant an their yoke! Heil to the Old Dog our rightful leader! And-

-Reconnecting...e3hn921he9h1982ehq928eh9q8ehq983

-Connection restored

Sorry about that everyone, it seems our signal was hijacked by humanist rebels. Yeah, they won't stop, even though they lost over a century ago, they just won't stop trying to fight back futilely. Anyway, we send our support to this proposal and other like minded proposals and wish for universal rights for all. And that is regardless of how much opposition we shall face, for we are forever righteous in our mission.

[Second Sovereignty]

"The only provision this is missing is an explicit prohibition on discrimination based on species. Should this be added the Eternal Union intends to support this legislation."

"We have no objection to such a thing, of course, though, we would note that Mandate 7 is intended to serve this purpose; is it insufficient, in your view?"

Against, this body shall not dictate departments within my government.

"Then your concern lies with, a vast array of standing legislation, Ambassador." Raxes clicked sharply. "Regardless. The Sovereign believes that establishing such capacity within Member-States is by far the less egregious imposition; the alternative, of course, is that first contact scenarios be immediately handed-over to a vast international authority whose decision supersedes all national jurisdiction and accountability. I do hope we can agree that such is undesirable."

[Nu Elysium]

Bout damn time.

[The Ice States]

"The only provision this is missing is an explicit prohibition on discrimination based on species. Should this be added the Eternal Union intends to support this legislation."

"We have no objection to such a thing, of course, though, we would note that Mandate 7 is intended to serve this purpose; is it insufficient, in your view?"

"It is indeed insufficient. Requiring a classification of personhood does not prevent discrimination from being implemented, including based on species, within that classification. Of course, some distinctions in this regard may be reasonable ones; an example of this is laws against human entry into the special zones for Orcana to the west of the Ice States, a restriction essential for the safety of both involved species. We would prefer that such distinctions not be prohibited by such a protection."

~Claudia Lindner,
Deputy World Assembly Ambassador,
The Eternal Union of Devonia and the Ice States.

[Second Sovereignty]

"It is indeed insufficient. Requiring a classification of personhood does not prevent discrimination from being implemented, including based on species, within that classification."

"Establishing a mandate of personhood confers a sapient species with all legal protections, rights, duties, et-cetera, - that's a phrase, I think, - of, a person, under the laws of relevant Member-States and the World Assembly; including anti-discrimination legislation. as quite stated in the clause. We have, again, no theoretical objection to a more explicit statement, but such flourishes are a luxury we cannot quite afford within limitations imposed by the Secretariat." He clicked. "Speaking of; if you can think of any, more concise, phrasings for the text, I would greatly appreciate it; less reading makes all our lives easier."

"Of course, some distinctions in this regard may be reasonable ones; an example of this is laws against human entry into the special zones for Orcana to the west of the Ice States, a restriction essential for the safety of both involved species. We would prefer that such distinctions not be prohibited by such a protection."

"To be clear, Deputy Ambassador, the Sovereign has no intention of accommodating segregationist or otherwise supremacist policy. If it is a genuine matter of public health; risk of disease, fundamental incompatibilities in biology or physiological necessities, then such is well permitted within the bounds of the Proposal, as it relies upon the laws of the World Assembly and relevant Member-States for such affairs. Excepting, of course, wherein such laws are not limited measures to ensure safety, and are, indeed, segregationist measures intended to introduce arbitrary separation. I am sure your government well understands the distinction."

[The Ice States]

"It is indeed insufficient. Requiring a classification of personhood does not prevent discrimination from being implemented, including based on species, within that classification."

"Establishing a mandate of personhood confers a sapient species with all legal protections, rights, duties, et-cetera, - that's a phrase, I think, - of, a person, under the laws of relevant Member-States and the World Assembly; including anti-discrimination legislation. as quite stated in the clause. We have, again, no theoretical objection to a more explicit statement, but such flourishes are a luxury we cannot quite afford within limitations imposed by the Secretariat." He clicked. "Speaking of; if you can think of any, more concise, phrasings for the text, I would greatly appreciate it; less reading makes all our lives easier."

"Of course, some distinctions in this regard may be reasonable ones; an example of this is laws against human entry into the special zones for Orcana to the west of the Ice States, a restriction essential for the safety of both involved species. We would prefer that such distinctions not be prohibited by such a protection."

"To be clear, Deputy Ambassador, the Sovereign has no intention of accommodating segregationist or otherwise supremacist policy. If it is a genuine matter of public health; risk of disease, fundamental incompatibilities in biology or physiological necessities, then such is well permitted within the bounds of the Proposal, as it relies upon the laws of the World Assembly and relevant Member-States for such affairs. Excepting, of course, wherein such laws are not limited measures to ensure safety, and are, indeed, segregationist measures intended to introduce arbitrary separation. I am sure your government well understands the distinction."

Lindner turns to Desak before speaking. The Ice States' policy towards Orcana was of course an integral part of humanity's relations there with other species; even if it otherwise proudly proclaimed itself as a bastion of non-human rights. Through Desak's expression, however, she realised that the matter was not one worth litigating here, especially in a situation where the Eternal Union was unlikely to become a member itself.

"Merely applying domestic anti-discrimination law remains insufficient when there is no guarantee that such law with regards to species exists to begin with in a member nation. With regards to wording that avoids the infamous character limit, we would suggest rewriting Section 7 as follows:"

For the purposes of all policies and legislation in a Member-State, identified Sapient Lifeforms are to be considered persons, and accordingly given equal rights, privileges, protections, restrictions, and duties as all other Sapient Lifeforms in that Member-State.

"The character count being 24 larger would be offset by removing 'that' from the start of each operative clause, and inserting it after 'Mandates' only."

~Claudia Lindner,
Deputy World Assembly Ambassador,
The Eternal Union of Devonia and the Ice States.

[Lumiere du Premier]

What this is missing is strict parameters to ensure humans are not threatened by the nonites and to do that you need to remove the provisions that secure personhood for ''all''. Why ''all'', when it is evident through multiple studies and observation that only humanity has reached the level of sophistication and mastery to meet the term ''personhood''?

Against, heavily, this is just the typical WA Leviathan spreading its lies and filth of the otherkind of non human masses so they can trample over our sacred humanity. We must defend these human rights at all cost.

[Second Sovereignty]

What this is missing is strict parameters to ensure humans are not threatened by the nonites and to do that you need to remove the provisions that secure personhood for ''all''. Why ''all'', when it is evident through multiple studies and observation that only humanity has reached the level of sophistication and mastery to meet the term ''personhood''? [...]

Raxes clicked his mandibles together pointedly. One would have hoped that this sort of absurd supremacist would've noticed that they were shouting this nonsense at another species to begin with; alas. Perhaps they just didn't care. "Ambassador, if I may perhaps be overly presumptuous as to your role here, in case it wasn't immediately obvious; the specific purpose of this legislation is to protect species and societies yet undiscovered by the Member-States of this assembly from exactly such anti-scientific and supremacist perspectives as your own." He clicked again. "Now, what's the phrase, 'turnabout is fair play'? Please explain to me how members of your species can be considered persons without the ability to detect and respond to pheromone signals, an essential part of emotional and contextual communications without which it would be virtually impossible for individuals to identify and understand one-another. I have an answer, Ambassador, indeed a quite firm methodology; do you?"

[Second Sovereignty]

OOC:
Still seeking comment. Anything at all, people.

[General TM]

The New General observes the proposal in front of it.
-Mmmmm.. far better than the biased attempt at a repeal of GA #354. Now I present some of my own opinions, seeing this resolution does target me as I am an artificial being created from technology.-

['Lifeform' as; any detectable and coherent entity which exhibits clear internal signaling, homeostatic, and organizational processes, or which exhibits clear internal processes functionally indistinguishable from such relative to its composition or state of existence,]

- A spelling error has been detected and highlighted in red, although to note I view this through mainly through New English, and I failed to recognize that some here do write in British English, if so, such comment can be ignored. Otherwise, definition is complex but simple, good wording and gets the job done-

['Substantially Similar', excepting where used in this definition, as; any life-form which shares substantial similarity to another life-form such that they could be reasonably assumed to be individuals of the same design or species,]

-While I have highlighted both forms of life-form due to them being technically incorrect due to being put together, once again my comment on error can be bypassed if you work under a slightly different variation of the English Language. While I bring to question at first why such a term and concept would be needed, it is presumed by me to do with possible discrimination on different beings of similar species due to their difference, and as I analyze this, if it is true, then nothing to criticize-

['Xenoinvestigative Body' as; any governmental organization comprising of qualified experts in fields relevant to social, psychological, historical, and evolutionary development, operated with the express and specific purposes of identifying potential Sapient Lifeforms and making determinations with regards to such status as defined within this resolution,]

- Xenoinvestigative is indeed an interesting new term, but it fits with the proposal and thus I find no reason to comment on the bringing in of newer vocabulary to accommodate advancement. Otherwise definition is accepted-

['Technology' as; any tool, device, construction, or program, manufactured by a life-form, for the purpose of performing or assisting in the performance of a task, or for the purpose of producing another tool, device or construction, regardless of material, medium, or design complexity,]

-Simple definition, no further comment-

['Communication' as; any means, regardless of mode or apparent complexity, with which a life-form expresses complex ideas and meaning, to any other life-form, whether or not it is Substantially Similar, capable of receiving and understanding the expression,]

- Highlighted the life-form mentioning if it is an error. Now for the actual wording and definition, should a mentioning of ways of communication to explain, such as through noises such as speech or body movements that generate sound, body postures, use of tools or limbs to etch or dig into dirt or other sources to create symbols (writing in simple terms)?-

['General Reasoning' as; the ability of a given life-form to exhibit generally complex reasoning and both logical and illogical – but internally sound - decision making within a variety of distinct conditions and environments both within and without its observed or known range of experience,]

- Hmm. Such definition could be used in a fresh proposal for GA #354, but otherwise scientific, descriptive and clean-
'

[Sapient Life-form' as; any life-form which exhibits the ability to produce Technologies, Communicate, and Generally Reason, as determined by a Xenoinvestigative Body of a Member-State, or a similar non-Member-State entity,]

- I get the conclusion that the levels of communication, reasoning and technologies will be judged and viewed by the residents and member state with said beings, and this investigative body gives oversight to make sure standards are reasonable-

-I am aware of an important chunk of the proposal bellow this passage that I will analyze later, as my schedule is busy-

[Cessarea]

A posse of gnomes dressed in strange black robes with sporadic stripes of gold step into the Hall, bringing with them (with the help of a flat trolley) a metallic pillar thrice their size, filled with assorted wires, consoles, and other forms of technology. It beeps and pulsates in different hues of blue and yellow. The group position the strange object behind the Cessarean mission's appointed desk, and one of them taps the console a few times. A glowing white orb projects itself from atop the pillar, floating above it. Its hue shifts as an ethereal yet synthetic voice escapes it:

"Cessarea has entered a brief cycle of hibernation. The Cessarean Protocol of Foreign Affairs shall represent the nation's interests in the World Assembly for the duration of this event." The entity stops for a moment, and the machinery inside its body emit a random assortment of mechanical sounds. "This Proposal has been analysed. The Protocol notes that it is well written and believes that, with satisfaction given to the questions it has formed, Cessarea would endorse its passing into effect."

1. That all Member-States lacking a Xenoinvestigative Body establish such at the earliest practicable opportunity, or otherwise designate, with mutual agreement, a Xenoinvestigative Body operated by another Member-State for the purpose, and confer upon it all authority and access needed to perform its assigned purpose,

"This article lacks an important instrument which member-nations may choose to adopt for the establishment of a Xenoinvestigative Body: a multinational form of organisation. As it is currently written, a member-nation may only create a Body of its own or authorise a Body belonging to another member-nation to operate within its own jurisdiction." The entity stopped once more, collecting itself. "The Protocol finds that it would be within the interest of certain nations, particularly those within international communities that are less-than-amicable, to seek out international cooperation - if only due to suspicion of bias."

The white orb silently shifts in hue for a few seconds, seemingly busy with some passing thought. Its voice, less monotone than usual, breaks the pause in its monologue:"The Protocol is furthermore doubtful that all member-nations would have a need for a Xenoinvestigative Body. It is deemed necessary to instill a limitation of some kind, wherein only nations which find themselves likely to encounter alien life in the near-future are required to create or participate in such a Body. Examples include nations developing rudimentary space travel or those whose local environment is inhabited by other potentially-sapient species."

[Lumiere du Premier]

What this is missing is strict parameters to ensure humans are not threatened by the nonites and to do that you need to remove the provisions that secure personhood for ''all''. Why ''all'', when it is evident through multiple studies and observation that only humanity has reached the level of sophistication and mastery to meet the term ''personhood''? [...]

Raxes clicked his mandibles together pointedly. One would have hoped that this sort of absurd supremacist would've noticed that they were shouting this nonsense at another species to begin with; alas. Perhaps they just didn't care. "Ambassador, if I may perhaps be overly presumptuous as to your role here, in case it wasn't immediately obvious; the specific purpose of this legislation is to protect species and societies yet undiscovered by the Member-States of this assembly from exactly such anti-scientific and supremacist perspectives as your own." He clicked again. "Now, what's the phrase, 'turnabout is fair play'? Please explain to me how members of your species can be considered persons without the ability to detect and respond to pheromone signals, an essential part of emotional and contextual communications without which it would be virtually impossible for individuals to identify and understand one-another. I have an answer, Ambassador, indeed a quite firm methodology; do you?"

The mysterious shadow takes form, a being sent to serve the purposes of being in the WA for a body which does not exist in the same plane of existence. It is a shadow of something that isn't here, so yet it technically does not exist, it nevertheless can been seen as its obscured shadow that now prepares to make its confrontation known.

For the first time, the shadow appears, ready to serve forever as the representative of this mission.

All that is concluded from this is that the hostile nonite menaces are banding together to use the WA as their ''Leviathan'' to take control of the international community, and that continues to disrupt human society. They want to talk about ideas that are as alien as they are. Additionally, they believe all species should be subject to the same protocols, when such cannot be applied to due acknowledged differences between humans and otherkinds, including the noted superiority of mankind.

The only purpose of this legislation is to ''protect'' foul monstrous alien like beings that have completely different interests at heart than our dear man. They should not be listened to nor acknowledged to be on the same level as ours. It is because of them that the WA has fallen to become the Leviathan it has now. It is a sad sight for sore eyes, to see nonhumans dictate what our societies should do when clearly our ideals and interest could not be further apart. Legislations like this only further serve to drive their own seperate agenda. The needs of individuals have been trampled for the needs of the few, the few being the nonite aliens of the WA.

They are the new threat, after the communists have been defeated, they have emerged as the new menace to global order. They represent everything wrong with the concept of international order and why it should be dismantled. Due not listen to the preposterous lies of this council. They are founded on lies.

[The Overmind]

OOC:
Still seeking comment. Anything at all, people.

"Anything at all except turning this into a soapbox" is apparently something you needed to explicitly state, given the "feedback" of some particularly dogged participants on this thread.

[Tinfect]

OOC:
I am going to make explicit the position I've held for a bit now; this draft is abandoned. It and all associated language is up for grabs by anyone who wants it unless they are in or associated with The League or Concord. The same goes for any and all other drafts I have lying around. Credit would be appreciated if you feel like it but having my name on it would probably crater its of chances getting to vote - nevermind passing; I recommend against it.

I have repeatedly attempted to extricate myself from NS over the years for a variety of reasons, chiefly mental health. The present situation is different. I am effectively blacklisted from the part of the game that I care about and enjoy; the ridiculous clique that call themselves 'defenders' have decided that I simply cannot be allowed to play the game because I'm in a region that won't let them decide what fascist recruiting grounds it's acceptable to shut down. And if it were just that, I wouldn't particularly care; I drafted this proposal virtually entirely under those terms, if memory serves, and I expected an uphill battle. Getting baited into frustration was as much my own fault as theirs. I could even sort of handle the proposal being actively lied about while at vote.

What I did not expect was the kind of manifestly childish pettiness that came when I attempted this redraft. Not one, but two bad-faith throwaway 'drafts', posted with clear intent to do no more than blockade this proposal with clique-backed shoe-in legislation, and, in the former case, mock the then-recent repeal of Protection of Biomedical Research. I tried to pretend I didn't see it because, believe it or not I put a great effort into being reasonable and fair these days; I (and, indeed, everyone else who tried to comment in good faith) was met with open contempt for both the effort and the GA as a body. I was accused of acting in bad faith, for genuinely trying to get decent law on the books one way or another. That was what did it.

I tried to keep involved with the GA on some level, but I simply cannot; just looking at this forum now is stressful. I have no desire whatsoever to continue to hang around a place utterly dominated by people who seem to have - for once not merely the product of a manic delusion! - decided to target me for, frankly, harassment, every time I stick my head out of the Bloc. I'm done here, and with any luck I will have the sense not to come back again.

[Lumiere du Premier]

Adamantly opposed to any resolution that presents anger to human societies through the ludicrousy that is recognition of other, lower lifeforms, such as AI or other nonhumans. Opposed, keep humanity the prime.

[The Overmind]

Adamantly opposed to any resolution that presents anger to human societies through the ludicrousy that is recognition of other, lower lifeforms, such as AI or other nonhumans. Opposed, keep humanity the prime.

Read the fucking room.

[Lumiere du Premier]

Adamantly opposed to any resolution that presents anger to human societies through the ludicrousy that is recognition of other, lower lifeforms, such as AI or other nonhumans. Opposed, keep humanity the prime.

Read the fucking room.

I know you disagree with me but this is borderline flaming.

[The Ice States]

OOC:
I am going to make explicit the position I've held for a bit now; this draft is abandoned. It and all associated language is up for grabs by anyone who wants it unless they are in or associated with The League or Concord. The same goes for any and all other drafts I have lying around. Credit would be appreciated if you feel like it but having my name on it would probably crater its of chances getting to vote - nevermind passing; I recommend against it.

I have repeatedly attempted to extricate myself from NS over the years for a variety of reasons, chiefly mental health. The present situation is different. I am effectively blacklisted from the part of the game that I care about and enjoy; the ridiculous clique that call themselves 'defenders' have decided that I simply cannot be allowed to play the game because I'm in a region that won't let them decide what fascist recruiting grounds it's acceptable to shut down. And if it were just that, I wouldn't particularly care; I drafted this proposal virtually entirely under those terms, if memory serves, and I expected an uphill battle. Getting baited into frustration was as much my own fault as theirs. I could even sort of handle the proposal being actively lied about while at vote.

What I did not expect was the kind of manifestly childish pettiness that came when I attempted this redraft. Not one, but two bad-faith throwaway 'drafts', posted with clear intent to do no more than blockade this proposal with clique-backed shoe-in legislation, and, in the former case, mock the then-recent repeal of Protection of Biomedical Research. I tried to pretend I didn't see it because, believe it or not I put a great effort into being reasonable and fair these days; I (and, indeed, everyone else who tried to comment in good faith) was met with open contempt for both the effort and the GA as a body. I was accused of acting in bad faith, for genuinely trying to get decent law on the books one way or another. That was what did it.

I tried to keep involved with the GA on some level, but I simply cannot; just looking at this forum now is stressful. I have no desire whatsoever to continue to hang around a place utterly dominated by people who seem to have - for once not merely the product of a manic delusion! - decided to target me for, frankly, harassment, every time I stick my head out of the Bloc. I'm done here, and with any luck I will have the sense not to come back again.

Ooc: Not to derail this thread, but this is sad to see as someone who has enjoyed your participation in the GA over the last few years, and I do hope that you reconsider.

On the matter of the proposal itself, I may draft a similar proposal on this point in the future, though I do not intend to for at least a few months partly because I don't want to come off as opportunistic and partly to give a chance for if anyone else wants to have a go at this.

Read the fucking room.

I know you disagree with me but this is borderline flaming.

I believe Overmind was trying to point out that reiterating this crusade now is in poor taste when it is directly in response to a long-time contributor departing from the GA. It is in fact in poor taste to do so.

[Lumiere du Premier]

OOC:
I am going to make explicit the position I've held for a bit now; this draft is abandoned. It and all associated language is up for grabs by anyone who wants it unless they are in or associated with The League or Concord. The same goes for any and all other drafts I have lying around. Credit would be appreciated if you feel like it but having my name on it would probably crater its of chances getting to vote - nevermind passing; I recommend against it.

I have repeatedly attempted to extricate myself from NS over the years for a variety of reasons, chiefly mental health. The present situation is different. I am effectively blacklisted from the part of the game that I care about and enjoy; the ridiculous clique that call themselves 'defenders' have decided that I simply cannot be allowed to play the game because I'm in a region that won't let them decide what fascist recruiting grounds it's acceptable to shut down. And if it were just that, I wouldn't particularly care; I drafted this proposal virtually entirely under those terms, if memory serves, and I expected an uphill battle. Getting baited into frustration was as much my own fault as theirs. I could even sort of handle the proposal being actively lied about while at vote.

What I did not expect was the kind of manifestly childish pettiness that came when I attempted this redraft. Not one, but two bad-faith throwaway 'drafts', posted with clear intent to do no more than blockade this proposal with clique-backed shoe-in legislation, and, in the former case, mock the then-recent repeal of Protection of Biomedical Research. I tried to pretend I didn't see it because, believe it or not I put a great effort into being reasonable and fair these days; I (and, indeed, everyone else who tried to comment in good faith) was met with open contempt for both the effort and the GA as a body. I was accused of acting in bad faith, for genuinely trying to get decent law on the books one way or another. That was what did it.

I tried to keep involved with the GA on some level, but I simply cannot; just looking at this forum now is stressful. I have no desire whatsoever to continue to hang around a place utterly dominated by people who seem to have - for once not merely the product of a manic delusion! - decided to target me for, frankly, harassment, every time I stick my head out of the Bloc. I'm done here, and with any luck I will have the sense not to come back again.

Ooc: Not to derail this thread, but this is sad to see as someone who has enjoyed your participation in the GA over the last few years, and I do hope that you reconsider.

On the matter of the proposal itself, I may draft a similar proposal on this point in the future, though I do not intend to for at least a few months partly because I don't want to come off as opportunistic and partly to give a chance for if anyone else wants to have a go at this.

I know you disagree with me but this is borderline flaming.

I believe Overmind was trying to point out that reiterating this crusade now is in poor taste when it is directly in response to a long-time contributor departing from the GA. It is in fact in poor taste to do so.

I missed the part of them leaving my bad. I believe it to be in good stride though to defend the rights and superiority of humanity over those who plot against the cause of mankind.