[Draft] Commend 10000 Islands

[Outer Sparta]

Am I referencing the wrong one then? I know a prior commend of 10000 Islands is repealed but I probably got the resolution number wrong.

SCR#5

Oh dang, it was a very early resolution. I wasn't around to know the circumstances of its repeal.

[Tinhampton]

Once again, this is too verbose for my likings do consider the below proposal vivisection rewrite (almost 4,000 characters):

Recognising that while 10000 Islands (XKI) has already been commended through Security Council Resolution #30 (SCR#30), that resolution no longer explains as much about XKI's military and diplomatic power as it did when it originally passed in 2010;

Noting that over its 18 years of existence XKI's system of government has proven to be a model for many successful regions and their own governments (such as Yggdrasil and 00000 A World Power);

Emphasising the impact XKI has had on the Multiversal community due to their long-running status as one of the largest regions in NationStates, which they have largely spent having over 1,000 individual nations, as a result of:

• Spreading interregional goodwill through opening embassies with regions as diverse as International Democratic Union and Europe which focus on General Assembly matters, Greater Dienstad and The Western Isles which focus on storytelling, and defender regions like The Order of The Grey Wardens and Texas; and
• Bringing various regional cultures together through the creation and hosting of cultural events such as Harry Potter and the Festival of Friendship; as well as the Tea House of Cards event, which celebrated international artwork in The East Pacific, XKI and Lazarus.

Recognising and seeking to describe in more detail the following accomplishments of TITO, the Ten Thousand Islands Treaty Organisation:

• Completing over 3,500 missions in 18 years to help and protect innocent communities from raider aggression, an increase of 2,300 since the passage of SCR#30;
• TITO Command in particular regularly advising the governments of innocent founderless regions on how to remain on the lookout for raider spies embedded within their communities in order to subvert the native will;
• Keeping innocent communities such as Deutschland, Australia and France - each of which has gone on to host successful, vibrant communities - safe by assisting them in refounding and helping protect them from raider aggression; and
• Helping to stamp out hateful, genocidal and racist ideologies, such as through their deployment to fascist regions such as The NSIA and The Iron Confederacy.

Thanking XKI and TITO for their work to prevent coups in Feeders and Sinkers and help protect the right of said regions to self-determination, which have led to deployments to:

• The North Pacific during the attempted coup of 2004, where the founder of the New Pacific Order, Francos Spain, tried to annex the feeder for their empire;
• The Rejected Realms in the single day occupations of Red Kagran, delegate of Taijitu (2007); Emperor Matthuis, delegate of The North Pacific (2007); and Aegara, delegate of Grand Central (2010);
• The South Pacific during the now infamous Devonitians Coup of 2011;
• Lazarus during the attempted 2015 coup by Delegate Stujenske and their "New Lazarene Order," where XKI deployed almost 300 nations to protect the Sinker region; and
• The East Pacific during the most recent attempted coup of 2019 by Scardino.

Appreciating XKI's initiative to expand inclusion within World Assembly matters by the pioneering of a system dedicated towards encouraging WA authorship, created by the Taco Island Charities regional business to provide WA authors with the regional currency of Tacos for writing, submitting, and passing resolutions; and

Believing that XKI's work in keeping free regions free and safe regions safe warrants official recognition;

Hereby commends 10000 Islands.

Some thoughts:

• I object to your description of Harry Potter and the Festival of Friends as having been "creat[ed]" by XKI - its original incarnation under that name was a creation of Escade. Its second incarnation, Harry Potter and the Festival of Friendship, was hosted in part by 10000 Islands.
• If you choose not to accept the above rewrite, I insist that Devonitians' name at least be spelled correctly and the year of their hijacking of TSP also given correctly.
• I very much doubt that TNIO are going to be celebrating the passage of a resolution by a former XKIer which briefly refers to the destruction of one of their old homelands =P

[Moonfungus]

How is this confusing? It's spreading interregional goodwill by bringing together various different types of communities. I could word it a bit better, which I might.

Yeah, maybe I misunderstood something from that clause.

No, I've explained this earlier in this thread. This proposal is to both expand upon and reach beyond SCR#30, tying into the past resolution.

See above.

Makes sense, was a bit confused there

[Lenlyvit]

Once again, this is too verbose for my likings do consider the below proposal vivisection rewrite (almost 4,000 characters):

Recognising that while 10000 Islands (XKI) has already been commended through Security Council Resolution #30 (SCR#30), that resolution no longer explains as much about XKI's military and diplomatic power as it did when it originally passed in 2010;

Noting that over its 18 years of existence XKI's system of government has proven to be a model for many successful regions and their own governments (such as Yggdrasil and 00000 A World Power);

Emphasising the impact XKI has had on the Multiversal community due to their long-running status as one of the largest regions in NationStates, which they have largely spent having over 1,000 individual nations, as a result of:

• Spreading interregional goodwill through opening embassies with regions as diverse as International Democratic Union and Europe which focus on General Assembly matters, Greater Dienstad and The Western Isles which focus on storytelling, and defender regions like The Order of The Grey Wardens and Texas; and
• Bringing various regional cultures together through the creation and hosting of cultural events such as Harry Potter and the Festival of Friendship; as well as the Tea House of Cards event, which celebrated international artwork in The East Pacific, XKI and Lazarus.

Recognising and seeking to describe in more detail the following accomplishments of TITO, the Ten Thousand Islands Treaty Organisation:

• Completing over 3,500 missions in 18 years to help and protect innocent communities from raider aggression, an increase of 2,300 since the passage of SCR#30;
• TITO Command in particular regularly advising the governments of innocent founderless regions on how to remain on the lookout for raider spies embedded within their communities in order to subvert the native will;
• Keeping innocent communities such as Deutschland, Australia and France - each of which has gone on to host successful, vibrant communities - safe by assisting them in refounding and helping protect them from raider aggression; and
• Helping to stamp out hateful, genocidal and racist ideologies, such as through their deployment to fascist regions such as The NSIA and The Iron Confederacy.

Thanking XKI and TITO for their work to prevent coups in Feeders and Sinkers and help protect the right of said regions to self-determination, which have led to deployments to:

• The North Pacific during the attempted coup of 2004, where the founder of the New Pacific Order, Francos Spain, tried to annex the feeder for their empire;
• The Rejected Realms in the single day occupations of Red Kagran, delegate of Taijitu (2007); Emperor Matthuis, delegate of The North Pacific (2007); and Aegara, delegate of Grand Central (2010);
• The South Pacific during the now infamous Devonitians Coup of 2011;
• Lazarus during the attempted 2015 coup by Delegate Stujenske and their "New Lazarene Order," where XKI deployed almost 300 nations to protect the Sinker region; and
• The East Pacific during the most recent attempted coup of 2019 by Scardino.

Appreciating XKI's initiative to expand inclusion within World Assembly matters by the pioneering of a system dedicated towards encouraging WA authorship, created by the Taco Island Charities regional business to provide WA authors with the regional currency of Tacos for writing, submitting, and passing resolutions; and

Believing that XKI's work in keeping free regions free and safe regions safe warrants official recognition;

Hereby commends 10000 Islands.

Some thoughts:

• I object to your description of Harry Potter and the Festival of Friends as having been "creat[ed]" by XKI - its original incarnation under that name was a creation of Escade. Its second incarnation, Harry Potter and the Festival of Friendship, was hosted in part by 10000 Islands.
• If you choose not to accept the above rewrite, I insist that Devonitians' name at least be spelled correctly and the year of their hijacking of TSP also given correctly.
• I very much doubt that TNIO are going to be celebrating the passage of a resolution by a former XKIer which briefly refers to the destruction of one of their old homelands =P

I'll fix "Friends" to "Friendship", and in case you noticed I said "created and hosted by XKI" not that they actually created it. It's a well-known fact escade created that particular event. Thanks for the tips on Devonitian though.

[Tim-Opolis]

I don’t think there have been significant enough accomplishments for 10000 Islands to merit a 2nd Commendation. I especially don’t think it’s merited when the author is someone who is still for all intents and purposes very tied to 10000 Islands.

[Grea Kriopia]

Some thoughts:
I object to your description of Harry Potter and the Festival of Friends as having been "creat[ed]" by XKI - its original incarnation under that name was a creation of Escade. Its second incarnation, Harry Potter and the Festival of Friendship, was hosted in part by 10000 Islands.

Relatively minor, but worth clarifying since I've encountered this a few times: Escade created the first HP&FOF while in TSP, and with the help of XKIers like The United Royal Islands of Euramathania and Flemingsa hosted it jointly for the first time in Jan 2018 (here). HP&FOF was hosted for a second time, without XKI, in the dispatch you link previously in Dec 2018. Then, after a hiatus, it was revived in the last iteration at the end of 2020 by myself and Aschente in XKI when it was hosted alongside TEP/TRR/TSP/GD.

There are other debates about how jointly held festivals add to a regional commendation, but XKI had been involved with the event from the very beginning–not just the second time around.

[Lenlyvit]

I don’t think there have been significant enough accomplishments for 10000 Islands to merit a 2nd Commendation. I especially don’t think it’s merited when the author is someone who is still for all intents and purposes very tied to 10000 Islands.

Hello Tim! I'm not tied to XKI anymore beyond keeping a nation there.

[Agletgreenia]

I'm going to have to oppose this, both on the merits and out of principle.

First, as to the principle: I'm a new player. Been in the game 2 or 3 weeks. I started in The South Pacific, and that's where I still am. I've enjoyed my first few weeks in TSP, and have gotten involved in SWAN, in OWL, and am currently a TSP Legislator and ran for LC of the RMB there. I've made some new acquaintances on Discord and feel like TSP is a good place to be. So, being an active and new player, I decided I wanted to commend TSP. Give it a like and a 'good job, bro!' thumbs up. I was categorically told that this would be seen as trolling and that people like Lenlyvit would oppose it. Well, I didn't really follow how it was trolling, but I accepted that it was bad form and dropped the matter.
And now today I get a telegram from Lenlyvit asking me to get involved in SC matters and to support this very thread.

So.... no. On principle.

As to the merits: one of my friends in TSP is a guy who just came there from Lazarus. He said he was in 10,000 Islands and that it was the most dispiriting, draconian region he'd ever been in, and that's why he went inactive. I trust the guy-- after we knew each other for a while, he invited me to join the alliance he was in in CN-- and I'll leave it to him to come here and post further details as to which parts of this commendation are inherently wrong. But I agree with the idea that 10,000 Islands doesn't need a second commendation. Also, since I'm currently in TSP, I don't see how the fact that allegedly something was done 9 years ago that allegedly helped TSP maybe ... I don't see how that's worthy of being commended in 2021.

At any rate, while there are some nice things mentioned as to what TITO has done (I assume TITO is like the Grey Wardens-- one of those raid/defense outfits) you can't equate a single organization with a region.
That would be like hating on the museums, art galleries, Broadway and parks of New York because you dislike the N.Y.P.D.; it's not equivalent. If there's some singular individual that's the driving force of both TKI and TITO, then recognize that person. Otherwise recognize TITO. But a commendation for TKI-- if it succeeds-- should have more stuff about what the region itself offers, be it roleplay, forums, retention activity, and so forth. That is to say: what intraregional goodwill does TKI currently (or in the past) generate to its own members and citizens?

[Outer Sparta]

I'm going to have to oppose this, both on the merits and out of principle.

First, as to the principle: I'm a new player. Been in the game 2 or 3 weeks. I started in The South Pacific, and that's where I still am. I've enjoyed my first few weeks in TSP, and have gotten involved in SWAN, in OWL, and am currently a TSP Legislator and ran for LC of the RMB there. I've made some new acquaintances on Discord and feel like TSP is a good place to be. So, being an active and new player, I decided I wanted to commend TSP. Give it a like and a 'good job, bro!' thumbs up. I was categorically told that this would be seen as trolling and that people like Lenlyvit would oppose it. Well, I didn't really follow how it was trolling, but I accepted that it was bad form and dropped the matter.
And now today I get a telegram from Lenlyvit asking me to get involved in SC matters and to support this very thread.

So.... no. On principle.

As to the merits: one of my friends in TSP is a guy who just came there from Lazarus. He said he was in 10,000 Islands and that it was the most dispiriting, draconian region he'd ever been in, and that's why he went inactive. I trust the guy-- after we knew each other for a while, he invited me to join the alliance he was in in CN-- and I'll leave it to him to come here and post further details as to which parts of this commendation are inherently wrong. But I agree with the idea that 10,000 Islands doesn't need a second commendation. Also, since I'm currently in TSP, I don't see how the fact that allegedly something was done 9 years ago that allegedly helped TSP maybe ... I don't see how that's worthy of being commended in 2021.

At any rate, while there are some nice things mentioned as to what TITO has done (I assume TITO is like the Grey Wardens-- one of those raid/defense outfits) you can't equate a single organization with a region.
That would be like hating on the museums, art galleries, Broadway and parks of New York because you dislike the N.Y.P.D.; it's not equivalent. If there's some singular individual that's the driving force of both TKI and TITO, then recognize that person. Otherwise recognize TITO. But a commendation for TKI-- if it succeeds-- should have more stuff about what the region itself offers, be it roleplay, forums, retention activity, and so forth. That is to say: what intraregional goodwill does TKI currently (or in the past) generate to its own members and citizens?

Are you advocating for a commendation of TSP or explaining why XKI shouldn't get a commendation? If the former, you should make a separate thread.

[Tim-Opolis]

I don’t think there have been significant enough accomplishments for 10000 Islands to merit a 2nd Commendation. I especially don’t think it’s merited when the author is someone who is still for all intents and purposes very tied to 10000 Islands.

Hello Tim! I'm not tied to XKI anymore beyond keeping a nation there.

I’m well aware of your present and former connections to XKI, thanks

I said what I said

[Refuge Isle]

I agree with the assessment that this proposal is a self-commend and I would be against for that reason. Although I am very supportive of XKI, a commendation to the region (especially a second one) should be proposed by someone outside of the XKI sphere.

For someone who served nearly two years as delegate and acted as the living face and personification of the region, with a host of ranks and accolades before that moment and arguably after, not having authority in the region at this second does not constitute your emotional divestment. You touch on this in your second post in this thread, acknowledging that you were apart of the very history of things that may be considered commendable. Referencing those items will either be controversial or off-limits as otherwise perfectly good argument points.

At the end of the day, for someone who was so connected with the region and built into its establishment, I don't believe any amount of time will suffice to where you will be detached or disassociated with it. Certainly not enough to say that you are not "tied to XKI anymore", that's simply not how notoriety works. You are still attempting to commend the region you are most associated with. If there were an amount of acceptable time, it is not two months, to be sure. I believe running this proposal only serves to push back the time and year XKI may receive another commendation.

You could have picked any other target, and ultimately there is no reason that it has to be you that writes this. It is your own emotional investment with XKI that's brought you to this proposal, and that's the same reason it will always be inherently partial.

[Lenlyvit]

I agree with the assessment that this proposal is a self-commend and I would be against for that reason. Although I am very supportive of XKI, a commendation to the region (especially a second one) should be proposed by someone outside of the XKI sphere.

For someone who served nearly two years as delegate and acted as the living face and personification of the region, with a host of ranks and accolades before that moment and arguably after, not having authority in the region at this second does not constitute your emotional divestment. You touch on this in your second post in this thread, acknowledging that you were apart of the very history of things that may be considered commendable. Referencing those items will either be controversial or off-limits as otherwise perfectly good argument points.

At the end of the day, for someone who was so connected with the region and built into its establishment, I don't believe any amount of time will suffice to where you will be detached or disassociated with it. Certainly not enough to say that you are not "tied to XKI anymore", that's simply not how notoriety works. You are still attempting to commend the region you are most associated with. If there were an amount of acceptable time, it is not two months, to be sure. I believe running this proposal only serves to push back the time and year XKI may receive another commendation.

You could have picked any other target, and ultimately there is no reason that it has to be you that writes this. It is your own emotional investment with XKI that's brought you to this proposal, and that's the same reason it will always be inherently partial.

That's a mouthful Refuge. I already said I'd let someone else take it, just nobody has come forward yet. Please read my posts in the thread, because I said that to Nova.

[Refuge Isle]

That's a mouthful Refuge. I already said I'd let someone else take it, just nobody has come forward yet. Please read my posts in the thread, because I said that to Nova.

You are literally still writing this as of even two posts ago and defending your detachment to XKI as of one post ago.

I do not discern a difference between you shadow-writing an XKI commendation and you proposing it directly. You may recall that topic having come up recently.

[Lenlyvit]

That's a mouthful Refuge. I already said I'd let someone else take it, just nobody has come forward yet. Please read my posts in the thread, because I said that to Nova.

You are literally still writing this as of even two posts ago and defending your detachment to XKI as of one post ago.

I do not discern a difference between you shadow-writing an XKI commendation and you proposing it directly. You may recall that topic having come up recently.

You can think whatever you want to think Refuge, I'm disassociated from XKI unlike Caelapes at the time of the resolution you linked. Remember, he was still a member of TRF? Or did you forget that? Anyways, doing something to keep myself busy when NS seems incred3boring at this time is not a crime.

Furthermore, I think it's very narrow minded to say that we can't commend regions we are formerly apart of. As Game Players we are involved in many regions that may one day, or already have, reached the C&C area of its reputation. There are not many good SC authors, and that seems to be dwindling because those that used to write have rested back on their laurels instead of doing anything.

I get your argument on me and XKI, I'm not saying I don't. Hell, it's a lot better than Tim's was. By your argument I'll never be able to write a commendation for TSP, TRR, UDS, FNR, or any number of other regions simply because I was or am still a part of those communities in either the present or past. That leaves me very limited on options of things to do Refuge.

Edit: And no, I do not plan on trying to C&C a region I'm actively participating in. I'm not stupid.

[Refuge Isle]

Furthermore, I think it's very narrow minded to say that we can't commend regions we are formerly apart of. As Game Players we are involved in many regions that may one day, or already have, reached the C&C area of its reputation. There are not many good SC authors, and that seems to be dwindling because those that used to write have rested back on their laurels instead of doing anything.

I get your argument on me and XKI, I'm not saying I don't. Hell, it's a lot better than Tim's was. By your argument I'll never be able to write a commendation for TSP, TRR, UDS, FNR, or any number of other regions simply because I was or am still a part of those communities in either the present or past. That leaves me very limited on options of things to do Refuge.

I was not aware that you were delegate of TSP etc. for two years and wrote the bulk of your Security Council legislation from there. You learn something new every day.

Instead of conflating what I said to mean "you cannot write a resolution on any region you have come in contact with", reassess your interpretation to the actual content of my message:

"You cannot write a resolution on a region to which you are primarily considered to be one and the same with it". There is no player who is more associated with XKI by their notoriety than you. Your departure two months ago accounts for nothing.

[Weed]

There is no player who is more associated with XKI by their notoriety than you.

That seems very unlikely to me, at least people of a certain age. Guy, Ananke, AD were all pretty big GPers. No offense to Lenly, but...

Anywho, I'm all for 10kI getting another commendation personally. There's only one UCR I'd imagine is comparable with being on 10kI's level. They are in a whole other tier of significant regions, and they do a lot of good.

I think it would probably be ideal for it to be written by someone who has never been a major member of the region, but it is not as much as a deal-breaker in my mind if you have a region with as large and storied a community as 10kI.

[HumanSanity]

Len, I'm very sorry but I cannot support this.

I count myself among the people who believe 10000 Islands should be Commended again.

I also count myself among the people who would have a remarkable conflict of interest in doing so. I was a member of 10000 Islands for many years, serving in a wide variety of leadership roles within the region, including ultimately a term as its Delegate. As its Delegate, I was the head of the region's Foreign Affairs and its de facto representative to the gameplay community. At the end of my term, I left XKI and the possibility of my return is so remote that is functionally non-existent. Yet, I will never consider myself capable of writing this Commendation, not now, not ever, as I have invested too much energy into XKI and its growth to be considered an impartial source on the matter.

As a result, I also count you among the people who would have a remarkable conflict of interest in writing this Commend.

Your model of conflicts of interest and allegiances is far too simplistic to "where am I literally affiliated at this moment". While now you do not represent the interests of XKI in, say, a diplomatic or military conversation in the way you did when you were in XKI, and there are notable divergences between XKI/TITO and TRR/RRA, all of which are relevant in private diplomatic discussions and military operations planning, you are still emotionally invested, and perhaps reputationally invested, in the perception of XKI as a strong and Commendable region. You have omitted your specific contributions from the Commend, which is not enough to divorce the region from your legacy as one of its central leaders. I simply don't agree with your theory of severability of both your personal contributions from the text of the Commend and yourself from the region of 10000 Islands.

There is no player who is more associated with XKI by their notoriety than you.

That seems very unlikely to me, at least people of a certain age. Guy, Ananke, AD were all pretty big GPers. No offense to Lenly, but...

To be fair, you weren't particularly active during Lenly's terms as XKI Delegate. You and Luca are also talking to each other with completely different perceptions of the region and its history based on your age in playing the game. There are few players more influential to recent XKI history than Lenly, and I don't think there's much that can be said to dispute that.

That's a mouthful Refuge. I already said I'd let someone else take it, just nobody has come forward yet. Please read my posts in the thread, because I said that to Nova.

There are many Commends that need to be written for deserving communities and nations. The idea that "it's OK to take an author with a conflict of interest because no one else has come forward before" does not hold water. This isn't an emergency Liberation and there is no immediate need for this Commendation to be passed, even if I do believe it is deserved, and if no one comes along to write it for another week, another month, or another year then that will be okay. Others have waited longer.

Furthermore, I think it's very narrow minded to say that we can't commend regions we are formerly apart of. As Game Players we are involved in many regions that may one day, or already have, reached the C&C area of its reputation. [...] By your argument I'll never be able to write a commendation for TSP, TRR, UDS, FNR, or any number of other regions simply because I was or am still a part of those communities in either the present or past. That leaves me very limited on options of things to do Refuge.

Maybe I just exist in some kind of different gameplay universe, but I don't think over a player's career many of them are involved in more than a small handful of regions. In fairness, I have been incredibly limited with where I've chosen to venture, believing that maintaining limited allegiances makes me better able to serve those regions. However, I don't think your understanding makes sense by really any understanding.

To clarify, I don't think you should be able to write a regional Commendation for any region that you have in the past been a member of, especially if you served a meaningful leadership role. I consider myself ineligible to Commend XKI, RIA, TSP, or Refugia as a result. It's not an exceptionally high standard, and there's plenty of other regions I could choose to Commend.

There's also plenty for you to do still in terms of SC writing. I don't venture much outside of my defending and region building bubble, but I can think of a short list of Commendable nominees. You've had a lot of success in the past with Commending for things outside of r/d as well. You're not going to run out of things to do if you can't Commend XKI.

[The Splatlands]

You need to add more detail and characters. But this is a good topic I was a part of 10000 Islands before I founded my own nation. So I believe that they should be commended BUT by a partial third party. Not a part of 10000 Islands, and not a hater of 10000 Islands. But still great topic!

PS: Sorry if this is a bit short I have to write this before my computer dies.