Intergalactic Summit

Freedom

These letters carry power. More than one war was caused by this word. The weak steel themselves to rise against the strong. The weak win, becoming the strong so they can opress the weak around them.

Liberty

While freedom is personal and individualistic, the concept of liberty is like gunpowder. Nothing sparks a nation like a common enemy or a hero they can inspire to. Make that hero a martyr and you have made a quite a powderkeg for yourself.

These are all words common in the Gallente vocabulary. After all, they are the very foundation that the Federation was built on. Or so we say. However, I can admit the world is not so black and white after all. The Federation this days has enemies of all walks of life.

Terrorism

This is another popular word in the Gallente vocabulary. Truth be told we use this word against any enemy we can not deal with conventionally. Technically anyone can be a terrorist. Of course this is a major blow to the pride to terrorists worthy of the title but I think that's part of the plan as well. Terrorists have no special rights unlike actual enemy combatants. We're free to deal with terrorists as we wish. I've conducted some interrogations myself. Consider terrorists a mix between a petty thief and an abomination. No respect is given and it's sort must be swifty eliminated.

Sure you might hear on the news about we putting terrorists to trial but if those guys are the real deal you must be really naive to think they have any chance of seeing the sunlight ever again. As soon the cameras are turned off and the average Joe has moved on to care about his mundane life I can guarantee you the terrorist won't be living for much longer. He'll live as long he can keep from telling us who his friends are, where they are and what they are up to.

Humanity

Part of our ego trip we like to see ourselves as the bearers of the torch of the human race. Ironically this a great way to get your population to look at anything foreign with disregard. After all how could the Caldari ever cook well if they never leave their sad cubicles and board rooms. Do you really expect someone in the Amarr Empire is capable of literature that is not mere religious jibber jabber?

So anything made by Federation will be better. Because not only we hate relying on imports, we also technically hate anything foreign. After all only a ethnic Gallente could ever write an article about democracy or about law. Don't get me started on how it is hard to find a decent meal outside the Federation.

This is all an ingenious over the top nationalistic ploy thinly under the surface. The kind capable of making your skin crawl if you think deeply about it but has wonderful effects on our economy and how we engage in diplomatic talks. After all the only way to do something is our way, because we can both do it better and we can do it by ourselves. Obviously that is the best way.

So I think that's enough for today's lecture. Hopefully I opened a few eyes around here.

Noodles? I can hardly consider that food.

All I can say is Periault, Ouriette, Tasanne and Metierre. I am an ethnic Intaki and you have to admit that this last statement is quantitatively true.

That being said, I have read decent Amarr science fiction. Khanid stuff if you can find it, is often really well written.

Ethnic Gallente street food is the clearly best in the galaxy - cheese encrusted meat with cream sauce - can't go wrong there... but I do have a fondness for Caldari fish products. The noodles really are good, Mekhana. Try it sometime.

And yes...I am regularly called a rabid Gallente nationalist, a pawn and a media tool of the state by Caldari and Sansha on these boards.They haven't seen me talk about my hopes to see the rise of a Intaki hedgemony yet.

But both you and Mekhana must see that it's a self-feeding cycle that ultimately constructs a paradigm. Democracy and freedom create the image that democracy and freedom are the only way. On the other hand, with the exception of the secession war, generally subordinate regimes end up asking to join the Federation of their own accord. Caldari and Amarr seem to think of this as a form of cultural tyranny; it just bewilders me as to why.

You seem to suggest here that, as these others have, that the Federation pumps out the culture as an offensive weapon with the intent of absorbing other cultures. Possible, but it's also important to remember that cultural absorption is a natural process that humanity has undergone for all known history. If the people of unaffiliated systems no longer wish to enjoy the benefits of the federation, they can spit out their organically-grown, herb-breaded steak, dump out their wine, turn off their entertainment systems, shut off Galnet and turn on high-power antennae to broadcast signals to their nearest Amarr or Blood Raider slavers to come pick them up.

Also a second observation:

No ethnical Gallente, Jin Mei, Intaki or Matar individual has ever been called a terrorist by the government. They are always treated as criminals. Of course this special treatment guarantees they still have rights as our society dictates.

The only exception is when they have comitted treason and therefore lose their status.

Terrorists are always descendants of the Caldari State and Amarr Empire. Unless they turn their back to them, then they quickly ascend to the pantheon of heroes and freedom fighters. Because they 'fight the good fight'.

Ironically the numbers back this claim enough that there are scholars who actually believe the Caldari and Amarr are just naturally evil.

You're how things are meant to be, Mekhana.

I would say the true limit to Federal ideals is that the overwhelming majority of the cluster cares not a jot for them.

Must be quite the task then to try and, 'force others to be free' in order to prescribe to them.

No, the only true ideal that drives the Federation is the advancement and protection of its own power, interests and agendas. There is nothing inherently amoral, or out of place in the life of nations in doing so. The point of contention is in the denials that it is not so. The almost laughable concept that Federal industrialists and bankers have a care for such lofty ambitions such as freedom, liberty and humanity and not their own ambitions of power, wealth and prestige.

The lamentable fact of history is that in the end it is they who wield the might of the Federation and not its citizens.

See, this is exactly the type of stuff I hear out of Caldari nationalists that really upsets me and the biggest reason why I have a hard time seeing Caldari Ideology as rational. They tell me I'm indoctrinated by Federation media because I can't see the value of terrorist attacks on innocent civilian populations.

Ms. Mekahana...please say you're being ironic/satirical?

In which case, it makes this guy's --



--so utterly, blatantly, missing that even more comical.

If not though, then the chorus-of-approval from him and others like him for something this...shamelessly un-critical and profoundly blinkered...Is just very, very sad.

So which is it, then?

Ah, good.

Just checking, as some hereabouts take themselves much too seriously. (Come on people, it's just a Neo-Com uplink. Not worth your sense of humour, now is it?)

The best satire is that which contains the largest grains of truth.