SOPHIA | A Rose by Any Other Date...

[Tinhampton]

The Gameplay Embassy of Sophia

Sophia, the region *** The Constitution of Sophia *** Join our Discord Server! *** Citizenship in Sophia - granted by WA membership only!

Government as of November 2021: Tinhampton, President & Philosopher-Queen — Zamnico, Prime Minister
Yoyoyoyoyo, Foreign Minister — Yofflandia, Entertainment Minister — Freestateland, Emissary for Civil Rights

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Who are you guys, anyway?
Sophia is a relatively new - but nonetheless thriving and democratic - region with a focus on helping its residents grow and develop their wisdom, whether practically or in theory. As of time of writing (early November 2021), it has about 130 members, of which about 45 are in the World Assembly and therefore possess citizenship.

Tinhampton is the Philosopher-Queen (founder); she is also the President (WA Delegate), and currently has 38 endorsements. Zamnico is the Prime Minister, responsible for overseeing and maintaining order in the Council, Sophia's regional legislature which is comprised of all citizens. Yoyoyoyoyo is the Foreign Minister, responsible for building and developing interregional embassies, treaties and relations. Yofflandia is the Entertainment Minister, responsible for fun regional games and roleplay. Freestateland is the Emissary for Civil Rights, responsible for promoting fundamental civil rights across the multiverse.

The individuals listed above have largely been freely elected, and together make up the government of Sophia. All citizens of Sophia are invited to help each of the five members of government in accomplishing their jobs as such.

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Index of Government Announcements (and similar)

1. Coming soon

[Tinhampton]

The Government of Sophia
Statement in Support of the Frontier/Stronghold Proposal

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In recent weeks, Sedgistan - the Development Manager for Regional Gameplay - has proposed that all user-created regions (UCRs) in future be able to choose between being a Frontier and a Stronghold. Stronghold regions will behave like regions with an executive founder today, except that their founder can act as a successor. Frontier regions will behave like regions with a non-executive founder today; however, they will also be able to benefit from a powerful executive delegate, the opportunity for new nations to spawn within them, and influence decay like that experienced by residents of feeders.

The Government believes that Sedgistan's recent proposal will significantly enhance the general gameplay environment for all nations and regions acting in good will with their neighbours, including Sophia. As 742 excellently pointed out in the Technical thread for the proposed reform, new founders will continue to create regions with executive delegates just as they do today. We wish to add that whether those regions succeed or fail will depend on the skill that their founders (and those working with them) have in interacting with and integrating with new arrivals, a toolkit that will not suddenly be diminished or minimised simply because a text-based political simulator somewhere on the internet has changed the mechanics of how groups can be created.

It is further convinced that, while many of the greatest UCRs have already opposed these reforms, almost none of the worst and least inclusive UCRs will be able or willing to take advantage of them, either. Frontiers will, we predict, overwhelmingly be free, sensible, democratic - and at least somewhat adventurous - regions, seeking to develop their regions and, where possible, "get on with the job" even in the face of many challenges (whether mechanical, political, or grounded in the real world). This spirit, too, is present among many regional founders today.

To that effect, President and Philosopher-Queen Tinhampton will declare Sophia to be a Frontier region as soon as possible, and further propose a constitutional amendment to significantly strengthen Presidential power to reflect the new realities of the gameplay environment which Sophia will interact in.

We finally wish to remind everyone reading this statement that Sophia exists only because its previous home, Auctor, was destroyed - not by a well-oiled group of raiders with a point to prove, but by a bored regional founder who wanted to retire from NationStates. The Government is unanimous in its belief that effective accountability can only be delivered in a vibrant and functional democracy, rather than a static autocracy that fears creativity and change.

Signed by the Government and Cabinet of Sophia:
Tinhampton, President and Philosopher-Queen
Yoyoyoyoyo, Foreign Minister
Yofflandia, Entertainment Minister
Freestateland, Emissary for Civil Rights

[Tinhampton]

The Government of Sophia
Statement on Cancel Culture

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The current Security Council resolution at vote is Liberate New Western Atlantic, by Andusre - a former resident of the NWA and Thaecia's current Minister of Defence.

August recently argued, on the United Regions Alliance's Discord server, that he was opposed to the Liberation "due to the author, who in my opinion is just as objectionable as his former compatriots from NWA, and I am not interested in giving him a helping hand in whatever revenge plot he has going on." This statement was later removed from the URA's vote recommendation dispatch by its keeper, Scalizagasti, and not by August or by NationStates Moderators.

Many famous gameplayers support the Liberation. Here are some of the reasons they have provided:

• Sylh Alanor, WA Delegate of Refugia, boasted that "August... single-handedly convinced me" to support it.
• HumanSanity, The South Pacific's Minister of Defence, proclaimed that his vote in favour was "a show of solidarity against this persistent unjust and baseless out-of-character attack."
• Quebecshire, TSP's Minister of Culture and a Consul of The League, claimed that he was led to support it because "August... had the absolute audacity to compare and equate the author to the target region."
• Witchcraft and Sorcery, TSP's Prime Minister, declared his backing due to NWA being "OOC problematic," plus August having "equat[ed] the resolution's author to" the NWA.
• Emodea, TSP's Minister of Media, stated that he would offer his support "following some choice comments by August regarding the author's character."
• Wischland, 10000 Islands' Delegate, announced her backing "as a show of support to" Andusre, who she credited with upholding "XKI's friendship with Thaecia," after having read "unwarranted and bad-faith attacks on the author,"
• The list surely goes on. Everybody quoted above, except Sylh Alanor, has directly or indirectly said that they would have abstained from voting had August's comments never been published.

The President has voted for the Liberation because she believes that Andusre has elaborated on the key facts as far as possible, within site rules. Yet there is no reason why he should be treated as some godlike figure, beyond reproach and capable of no wrong, simply for wanting his old region to be taken over by the "inter-regional community." Nor should August be coerced into apologising for comments that are site-legal and which he sincerely believes in, however controversial.

There is a fine line between criticising authority (which is acceptable) and dogpiling (which is not). We believe that the recent actions of Thaecia, many important figures in TSP, and others constitute dogpiling. The Government of Sophia will no doubt be looking forward to working with the Augustin Alliance whenever possible. It will not be seeking to engage TSP - which has, for example, proscribed the entirety of The Black Hawks on extremely flimsy evidence - nor Thaecia any time soon.

No sanctions or punishments will be applied against any region or individual as a consequence of this statement.

Signed by the Government and Cabinet of Sophia:
Tinhampton, President and Philosopher-Queen
Yoyoyoyoyo, Foreign Minister
Yofflandia, Entertainment Minister
Freestateland, Emissary for Civil Rights

[Quebecshire]

Miss me with this whining. It's not cancel culture to call someone on their shit when they behave as August has.

I stand by everything I said, the ballots I cast in relation to this resolution, and the lobbying to various delegates I have done in support of the resolution as a result.

[Tinhampton]

...It's not cancel culture to call someone on their shit when they behave as August has.

It is cancel culture when you tell that someone that they're banned from your region and you aren't going to work with their military, as Thaecia has.

[Quebecshire]

...It's not cancel culture to call someone on their shit when they behave as August has.

It is cancel culture when you tell that someone that they're banned from your region and you aren't going to work with their military, as Thaecia has.

Why would Thaecia let August into their region and aid in advancing his military's goals when he published unacceptable attacks against Thaecia's Founder/SecDef?

It's not cancel culture to refuse to be mistreated.

[Refuge Isle]

Heaven forbid there be consequences to an action.

[Khevo]

Nor should August be coerced into apologising for comments that are site-legal and which he sincerely believes in, however controversial.

One could say the same of pro-fascism comments, which have been widely condemned by the Nationstates player base. A view being believed in and site-legal does not put it beyond reproach.

[The United Peoples of Centrism]

As the CEO of Cancel Culture, I unequivocally support Andusre and Thaecia here.

[Freedomanica]

This is not at all cancel culture, but rather consequence culture. August, unfortunately said comments that are downright disgusting, and as a result, the appropriate effects shall and have already come.

[Moon II]

Many famous gameplayers support the Liberation. Here are some of the reasons they have provided:

Emodea, TSP's Minister of Media,

Mum look, I'm famous now.

Apparently calling out someone's terrible takes and standing up for someone against baseless attacks is called 'cancel culture' nowadays. I'll make sure take notes for the future.

[Tinhampton]

Nor should August be coerced into apologising for comments that are site-legal and which he sincerely believes in, however controversial.

One could say the same of pro-fascism comments, which have been widely condemned by the Nationstates player base. A view being believed in and site-legal does not put it beyond reproach.

There are many potential responses to "pro-fascism comments." Urging the person responsible for them to apologise is not a particularly effective response. Expressing opposition to fascism, and acting on that opposition (through raids, for instance), is a much better response. Sophia is, and always has been, opposed to fascism in all of its forms.

August's recent comments are not as egregious as "pro-fascism comments," however, and should not be met with a similarly extreme response.

Why would Thaecia let August into their region...

As far as I know, August has never had a presence in Thaecia and has never been particularly fond of the region. He did not join the region even when he was not being sanctioned by them; why would he be more tempted to join after criticising Andusre in such terms?

...and aid in advancing his military's goals...

Not his military. The current director of the Joint Task Force is Cognitive Realm, known to all and sundry as Aav.

...when he published unacceptable attacks against Thaecia's Founder/SecDef?

Unacceptable according to whom?

It's not cancel culture to refuse to be mistreated.

Who would be "mistreated" as a consequence of sanctions not being applied against August and the Joint Task Force, and why?

Heaven forbid there be consequences to an action.

Consequences... such as a bunch of people crediting that action for making them support a resolution they would otherwise be indifferent to, and a region imposing sanctions on that actor which will have very little practical effect on them anyway. Yes, those consequences.

As the CEO of Cancel Culture, I unequivocally support Andusre and Thaecia here.

[Doge Land]

new europeia

[Wascoitan]

why are people actually supporting August here? just why? is it really that unreasonable to not want to be compared to doxers and people who tolerate fash? idk too much about you tin but I have a feeling that if someone basically called you a fash sympathizer and doxer that you wouldn't be too fond of them and probably wouldn't be willing to work with them.

[Quebecshire]

Unacceptable according to whom?

Thaecia, The League, and a number of other individuals and organizations.

Who would be "mistreated" as a consequence of sanctions not being applied against August and the Joint Task Force, and why?

August's comments were unwarranted and were a mistreatment of Andy.

Not his military. The current director of the Joint Task Force is Cognitive Realm, known to all and sundry as Aav.

I've organized more ops with the JTF in recent times than ops you've been a part of in recent times. I know how they work. It's the military of August's regions, and he's listed above Aav as their Founder in their roster. Your correction attempt on that note is completely ineffectual and irrelevant.

[Great Algerstonia]

Every statement made so far is nonsensical.

[HumanSanity]

It's incredibly bizarre to see a statement released supporting August's position in this matter under the subject line of criticizing "cancel culture". If any actor in this situation has engaged in cancel culture, it is most certainly August who has applied a vague and unsubstantiated accusation of poor behavior to Thaecia/Andusre and argued this means they should be deplatformed in the form of voting "against" a resolution for the simple purpose of "cancelling" the author.

By comparison, Thaecia's actions are measured responses to an unprovoked, unwarranted, unsubstantiated, and incendiary statement by August. Thaecia has not advocated for a broader deplatforming of August or his efforts (as "cancel culture" would imply) but is instead using its military and diplomatic connections to respond to a specific incident. Furthermore, unlike August who is making accusations that were never substantiated to begin with, Thaecia has offered two specific options for its sanctions against Augustin Alliance/Joint Task Force to be lifted, both of which are entirely reasonable. I can assure you, Thaecia's bark will have far more bite than Sophia's on this issue.

Yet there is no reason why he should be treated as some godlike figure, beyond reproach and capable of no wrong, simply for wanting his old region to be taken over by the "inter-regional community." Nor should August be coerced into apologising for comments that are site-legal and which he sincerely believes in, however controversial.

No one is suggesting that Andusre be held as a god-like figure, he certainly is not. People are suggesting a basic standard of decency -- that players not falsely be compared to regions which have harbored fascists or out-of-character bad actors.

No sanctions or punishments will be applied against any region or individual as a consequence of this statement.

Would seem to be contradictory to the previous section where you assert sanctions by the government of Sophia for this statement.

...and aid in advancing his military's goals...

Not his military. The current director of the Joint Task Force is Cognitive Realm, known to all and sundry as Aav.

The Joint Task Force is the military of the Augustin Alliance. The name makes clear the association between the person making the comments and the political goals of the Joint Task Force. Additionally, for an unaligned region such as Thaecia, it is well understood that their military serves their own interests -- and, in this case, the comments of August have made the interests of Thaecia clear.

[Refuge Isle]

Does "Sophia" intend to ever post actual region/governance information in this post, or shall it remain just your personal soapbox to present relatively daft opinions you feel everyone must know about?

[The Church of Satan]

Being held accountable for one's actions when they do something wrong is "cancel culture?" I suppose that makes me "woke" then, despite my complete objection to cancel culture and everything it stands for. Good work, Sophia, you just made everyone that disagrees with you "woke." You've never helped cancel culture so much before!

[The Python]

Statement on Cancel Culture

Quebecshire, TSP's Minister of Culture

lol

[Tinhampton]

Being held accountable for one's actions when they do something wrong is "cancel culture?"

Where is the accountability being shown in this situation?

Good work, Sophia, you just made everyone that disagrees with you "woke."

We didn't, honestly!

Does "Sophia" intend to ever post actual region/governance information in this post, or shall it remain just your personal soapbox to present relatively daft opinions you feel everyone must know about?

The Statement on Cancel Culture was a consensus statement of the entire Cabinet.

No sanctions or punishments will be applied against any region or individual as a consequence of this statement.

Would seem to be contradictory to the previous section where you assert sanctions by the government of Sophia for this statement.

No contradiction.

[The Church of Satan]

Where is the accountability being shown in this situation?

Sanctions against JTF for August's unsubstantiated claims (claims that tend to have a major impact in NS when they're found to be true) against Andy. The kinda claims that can get you banished from decent communities in GP. Claims that should never be made lightly, as August has.

[Sylh Alanor]

Not gonna wade into this, I just thought I'd ask how in the world I'm considered a famous GPer lol. I'm a regional hermit and sometimes post in the GA and SC boards about proposal drafts.

[Hulldom]

Not gonna wade into this, I just thought I'd ask how in the world I'm considered a famous GPer lol. I'm a regional hermit and sometimes post in the GA and SC boards about proposal drafts.

Shhhh don't question it, take the fame and notoriety!

[Minskiev]

I'd stick to spamming my DMs with arf, Tin. We aren't treating Andy as a godlike figure, we're just acknowledging that he isn't a fascist/doxxer like some NWAers.