Intergalactic Summit

While I still believe that rash action should not be taken, I am becoming less convinced about the benefits the Federation gains from this endeavor. Everyone who knows anything about capsuleer alliances knows that alliances are based on trust. An ally must be trustworthy, at least to the point of not having to expect an invasion from them. The Republic's hotheadedness has led to a major breach of trust. I was expecting much appeasement and apologizing from the Minmatar, or at least on behalf of the pilots who are loyal to them. Instead, I see justification, threats, and "that is who we are." If a single faction is responsible for Colelie, it seems to be powerful to enough to silence any dissenters. The implications of this are grave: this incident could very well happen again.

My initial advice to Federation capsuleers was to let go of their anger, and speak to the Republic counterparts, while I simultaneously encouraged the Republic loyalists to the do the same. My hopes was that this informal diplomacy would serve as the basis for something more concrete. And indeed, many responses by the Federation have demonstrated good reason and logic: war is irrational, and the alliance can be saved so long as the Republic fault and seek to make amends. However, due to the lack of positive response from the Republic, I would now urge Federation citizens to petition their government to formally seek reparations for the incident at Colelie.

As I have stated before, my desire is the status quo. However, I am reconsidering my Republic contracts the more the situation unfolds. If the Republic cannot display basic respect and courtesy towards their allies of over an century, I am dubious of their capacity to honor contracts with non-Matari.

Now now.

While you're all talking down to us, you know - like we claim you always do, and which you deny doing - make sure to put more emphasis into your finger wagging and say "NO" in a even, low voice.

That'll do it, I am sure.

Hurting someone's feelings is not, properly speaking, a causus belli.

Failing to detect sarcasm really isnt either.

I have trouble parsing what the accusation is actually about. People hate the Gallente because we're "arrogant" and "condescending". What does that mean? It seems to mean that we have the audacity not to be ashamed of ourselves, for some reason that is never well defined. At least, not to my face.

We've come up with some half-decent solutions for how to get a whole lot of people, spread out over a whole lot of space, to get along, and lead pretty happy, rich lives. They're not the only solutions; we have no right, certainly, to impose them by force on others who have different solutions.

But by the same token, we arrived at those solutions through a long process of conflict, debate, upheaval... and sweet Germaine do some people seem to resent us for it.

I like how Federal Citizen's are forgetting just how much the Minmatar are talked down to/at passive aggressively by politicians we voted into office.

It makes me giggle.

Tee.
Hee.
Hee.

I picture you all to easily wearing some filthy portrayal of a Jin-Mei schoolgirl outfit, twirling your pigtails whilst making this giggle.

Eugh.

But they are entangled. Over in the other thread, we have a very violent person exclaiming that all the blood we've shed defending Minmatar freedoms are for nought because we've hurt their feelings, and so they have to murder a bunch of us.

What reasoning, exactly, are we meant to employ in dealing with such a person?

You're not. You're meant to employ reasoning with the people who are reasonable.

Disentangle the conversation and have it, it's a valid one to have. The whys, wherefores and consequences of Colelie are one conversation. The question of whether or not the Federation respects the Matari and is content to leave the Tribes to chart their own course is another. The latter may have springboarded off the former, but it's a subject that can be discussed on its own, I think.

And if somebody tries to kill you, you try and kill them right back. That's the way of the world.



When would be?

Yet surely you don't disagree that invading someone's sovereign territory with a capital fleet and firing on their navy is casus belli.

In any case, I don't see why you're here tossing little snarky throw-away lines into a discussion which is intended to be by-and-for citizens of the Federation. I have taken pains to try and keep Federation citizens out of Havohej's discussion, after all. I would have hoped the same courtesy would be extended to this one.

I recall the immediate aftermath of the Republic attack on the Federation at Colelie. You, pilot Starfire, started a rather heartfelt discussion about your sorrow at having to play your part in the first and only battle between what have been close allies. I was extremely angry - on a deeply personal level, which you probably will never understand - about the attack. It's interesting to see that, as my own anger has faded to a more reasonable thing, your own anger at how the Federation has treated the Republic has grown to this point. There was a time that I would have thought it fruitful to discuss this with you. But hey, that's probably just more cultural imperialism on my part, right?