Intergalactic Summit

Pieter brings up a good point. We always ask the Gallente Federation to keep their nose out of our internal affairs, as we have no interest in their 'space democracy' and 'Liberty above security' litanies.

However, in return we should keep out their internal affairs, save for what's asked here and that does concern us as well, namely who should vote in the conflict zones?

In my honest opinion, the people that have Gallente citizenship. From what I remember, even Gallente citizens outside the Gallente border can still vote?
As for representatives in the warzones, well, Caldari do have representatives as well in contested areas, by example the Ishukone representatives in Intaki space, yet Intaki still has representatives for the Gallente senate, so I guess that would go similarly for other places, a dual representation. Not an outrageous concept if you keep in mind how often some constellations switch ownership.

As for the Gallente Citizens on Caldari Prime, I don't see any trouble for them voting, even the ones in the Caldari Controlled regions. Allow them to vote across secured data networks for their representatives on the Gallente controlled parts of Caldari Prime, as a token of good wil from our sidel.

Ho hum. Wouldn't it be convenient to pretend that pilot Kim's ever deranged viewpoint still carried any currency in mainstream Caldari society and proceed to my own extreme from there? Too easy. Lets just move right along shall we?

While I appreciate the sentiment and effort at intellectual consistency from Captains Ymladris & Tuulinen in recusing themselves from the discussion, I think both of you may be missing the point I was getting at earlier. I'll try to clarify. In the Federation we value individual freedom of speech and expression as one of the most important foundations of our society. A truly Gallente outlook would be to welcome all viewpoints to a discussion, especially those in opposition or criticism. For us, our society progresses in the process of constant challenge and reaffirmation of our core values. From within, from without... whatever.

Competition is as Gallente as it is Caldari, that's for sure.

What I was calling out of bounds earlier was basically numerous capsuleers criticizing the "Gallente being Gallente." Something I believe our Caldari neighbors are quite familiar with by now. Its a worthless avenue of discussion, and would certainly be just as worthless if it were Federals criticizing Amarr for being Amarr or Caldari for being Caldari. Obviously that happens plenty here on the IGS.

At this point I'll regress slightly back to the many passionate debates that took place during the Heth regime. Speaking for myself, my constant driving purpose in those exchanges was never to prove that the Caldari way of life was inferior and that Heth & the Provists had only to convert to Democracy in order to redeem Caldari society.

My purpose was to convince my Caldari neighbors that Tibus Heth was a traitor to every value and institution of Caldari society my father taught me to respect. Heth lost the Way long before he lost power. I wish more Caldari had realized that sooner.

So, if our neighbors are here to tell us when we have lost our way... I hope we have the presence of mind to listen. If you are here to denigrate the Federation for upholding its own values... I've no reason to respect that.

That's a very meritocratic attitude you have there.

Of course, we can still debate the relative worth of one another's values. I mean, purely as an intellectual exercise, let's suppose for a second that one or the other of our cultures genuinely WAS inferior to the other in some objective and demonstrable way. Wouldn't the honest and neighborly thing to do be to try and draw attention to that deficit?

Speaking for myself, if I were silent on such an issue, it'd be because I was planning to exploit it.

And yet the CEP officially declared him to be a traitor.

Which means either that the meritocracy works and the CEOs are not idiots and therefore he really WAS a traitor, or else it means that the meritocracy doesn't work and the CEOs are idiots whose voices carry a lot of value.

If you're going to be a fool (I don't think Cold Wind himself could stop that at this point), at least strive to be a consistent fool, please.

I am not going to be a fool, just, as it seems, you aren't going to stop being a fool.

Luckily your anti-Caldari propaganda and lies about CEP can be easily refuted.
You see, official documents are publicly available, and each word in them has direct meaning. Everyone with decent searching and reading skills, would confirm, that among official falsified and fabricated charges against Tibus Heth there was no charge in treason.

I don't know, maybe you revel in your ignorance, but for me, you are disgusting not because of your ignorance, but because you have betrayed Caldari, and dare to speak about Cold Wind.

You aren't Caldari anymore, Stitcher. You betrayed us and ran away from the State. Go back into your hiding wormhole and sit there silently.

Guess I'll go eat ice cream in the shower and listen to sad songs, then. Truly, you have pierced right to my very core with your sharp insight.

Fortunately for me, Kim does not decide who is and is not a traitor. The State doesn't think I am, and she can bust a brain artery raging against that all she likes, I'm still just as much a citizen as she is. More so, seeing as I sided with the CEP when they outlawed the Dragonaurs and the CPD.

What have you people done to my thread...

By all means though, carry on.