CARE Policy Accomplishments

Moderator: SC Moderators

Locked
Beathan
Forum Wizard
Forum Wizard
Posts: 1364
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2006 3:42 pm

Post by Beathan »

Michel --

The inquiries I made of SC are not in the nature of legal process. Nor are they inquiries mad on behalf of the Simplicity Party, but rather on my own behalf. I do not intend to publish my questions.

If the SC interprets the plain language of Article IV, Section 2 Constitution as I think it must, then I will undertake more formal process. I will at that time, but not before, place the issue before the Simplicity Party to see if the Simplicity Party wishes to be involved in a formal action to invalidate CARE as a CDS faction for violating the faction requirements of the Constitution.

I think that CARE is a good group -- even a laudable group -- but it is not a proper or lawful faction. So far, almost all CARE members I have spoken with told me that they thought they were joining a "think tank" like group -- not a faction. They believe that Michel specifically misrepresented the group and the purposes of the group to them when inviting them to join. I think that CARE can and should exist as the think tank it was apparently represented to be, but not as a faction.

The Constitution makes clear that CDS factions must exist for the sole purpose of allowing citizens to organize their thoughts and run for RA elections. The Constitution is absolutely clear that avs who are not CDS citizens cannot be members of the faction group. The Constitution is also clear that citizens cannot be members of more than one faction.

I see no reason why there can't be a nonfaction group. Surely a faction can have a different, associated group to bring in and engage noncitizens and citizens who are not members of the faction. Such a double-breasted process would be an excellent one -- and very Constitutional. However, there are strict limits on what a faction group is, what a faction group does, and who can be the members of a faction group.

Unfortunately, under these standards, I don't believe that CARE has a faction group. This means that CARE might not be a proper participant in the elections. This problem can and should be addressed by CARE prior to the election. CARE should create a separate faction group for election purposes as soon as possible.

However, I will observe that this whole mess about CARE being organizedin an unconstitutional way -- along with the mess concerning the Judiciary Act -- are both symptomatic of serious problems with new-comer aggressiveness. The CDS is an open community -- and an inviting one. However, it is also a longstanding one, with its own history, networks of relationships, and developed ethos. It is unwise and harmful for newcomers to come in and do what they want before they have integrated themselves into the community, learning at a minimum the social rules that govern their political goals. We should not create a second-class citizen status for newcomers -- but, at the same time, newcomers should act with proper circumspection and not make bold moves before they have learned the lay of the land. Unnecessary tensions, even hostilities, even feelings of exploitation, result if newcomers do too much too soon with too little information.

However, the fault here does not just rest with newcomers. I have found that I had to make noise and draw attention to myself to receive the attention of longtime residents who could show me the lay of the land. I have spoken to several other newcomers who have not made nuisances of themselves, and they have said that they feel rather neglected -- left unregarded in their lonely houses. We can and should do better than this. We need a process to draw the community together inworld -- at publicized social meetings without a political agenda that forces the kind of debate that turns many people off.

Beathan

Last edited by Beathan on Fri Jan 05, 2007 11:53 am, edited 2 times in total.
Let's keep things simple enough to be fair, substantive enough to be effective, and insightful enough to be good.
michelmanen
I need a hobby
I need a hobby
Posts: 812
Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 2:53 am

CARE Openness&Inclusivity Rules irk Simplicity Party Mem

Post by michelmanen »

I have already addressed your and Diderot's queries on my interactions with CDS citizens regarding CARE's recruitment approach here, in the following terms: http://forums.neufreistadt.info/viewtop ... ight=#4930

[quote:1xv3a8ax]I have spent anywhere between 30 minutes and two hours with each individual who joined, explaining to each of them that:

1. we will have elections to the RA in the CDS this month (many did not know that);

2. CARE is a new faction formed recently to put forth a new, dynamic, citizen-oriented view of our community and field candidates for the RA;

3. we would soon hold our inaugural meeting to discuss and approve our election manifesto and policy program;

4. we would like him/her to join our group and helps us shape our program with their insights and experience;

5. offered them a membership in our faction, which they were free to accept or not (maybe said they were interested but preferred to wait until they saw our draft Manifesto and Policy Platform and attended our inaugurl meeting), and specified that if they decided later on to change their minds they could leave at any time and vote for whichever faction they wished;

6. told them I would let them know when and where our meeting would be held.

The goal here was to start a proactive information and recruitment drive and get as a many citizens as possible involved from the very beginning in shaping and developing our Manifesto and Policies rather than having 5 individuals coming up with a blueprint of what their vision was and then trying to sell it to the electorate.

If you think i should have spent more time with each person or neglected to tell them something, I'd appreciate your input.
[/quote:1xv3a8ax]
As for the rest, CARE will vigurously defend the constitutionality of its Charter.

We note with interest that, after attending our meeting, talking to our members, and then deciding to hold more meetings and information sessions for citizens regarding your party in orderto counter our success in involving a large number of hitherto ignored citizens in the political process, you feel compelled to try to eliminate CARE as a faction by any means necessary, including spurious legal proceedings, rather than facing it in open and public debate, simply because it doesn't conform to your personal views of what a faction should be. Then again, you've acted in exactly the same way regarding the Judiciary Act, so not only are we not surprised by your actions, but were fully expecting them and are prepared to counter them in accordance with the laws and customs of the CDS.

Beathan
Forum Wizard
Forum Wizard
Posts: 1364
Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2006 3:42 pm

Post by Beathan »

Michel --

"By any means necessary" is overstating it. I came to the CDS because I believed that its Constitutional structure and commitment to civil rights was unique in SL, and in virtual worlds generally. I was and remain committed to the CDS, its structure, its goals, and its citizens. I will protect the CDS, it citizens, and their rights from any threats (including the JA and CARE) by any lawful means available. However, this is a far cry from saying that I maliciously seek to destroy good institutions by any means necessary. I will seek, under democratic and lawful means, to protect and preserve what is good about the CDS and to defend the CDS from threats and harms. I think all CDS citizens should do likewise.

That said, I know, having read your response to Diderot, what you have claimed to have done to recruit members to CARE. However, the CARE members I have spoken with have denied that this was your approach. I tend to take their word over yours because: 1. their stories are independently verified by other, similar stories of other CARE members, without any evidence that these folks collaborated to create a consistent but false story and 2. unlike you, they have no vested interest in your recruitment methods.

Beathan

Let's keep things simple enough to be fair, substantive enough to be effective, and insightful enough to be good.
michelmanen
I need a hobby
I need a hobby
Posts: 812
Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 2:53 am

CARE Openness&Inclusivity Rules irk Simplicity Party Mem

Post by michelmanen »

If there are any who feel that, nothing stops them from voting for other factions or resigning their CARE membership.

As to what you believe, think, or want... Go Gezundt!

Locked

Return to “New United Citizens' Alliance for Rights and Equality (CARE)”