This thread wil contain discussions regarding, and the updating versions of, the CARE Constitution.
The Current CARE Constitution is as follows:
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE CITIZENS' ALLIANCE FOR RIGHTS AND EQUALITY
1. OUR VISION
1.1 The CDS will be a democratic, prosperous, diverse community based on principles of fairness and sustainability. The creativity, enthusiasm, participation and success of its growing number of citizens will transform it into a knowledge society at the leading edge of Second Life. The success and vitality of our innovation-driven community will lead to its establishing links with Real Life organizations on issues of economic, social, environmental and cultural sustainability.
2. OUR MOTTO
2.1 "Democracy, Prosperity, Diversity in a Fair and Sustainable CDS"
3. OUR MISSION
3.1 CARE’s mission is to provide leadership and strive to implement its vision by becoming a grass-roots movement involving as many citizens as possible in its activities and having a real impact at the local (sim), community (CDS), in-world (Second Life) and out-world (Real Life) levels by means of six fundamental IDEALS:
3.1 (a) Innovation: we will develop new and innovative ideas and policies;
3.1 (b) Debate: we will engage in vigorous and creative exchanges of opinions;
3.1 (c) E-communication: we publish online a newspaper and magazine where our members will be not only readers but also authors and critics;
3.1 (d) Active participation: we will make our voices heard on those issues which affect us most and take an active part in the elaboration and implementation of solutions;
3.1 (e) Learning: we will offer courses, lectures, seminars, presentations;
3.1 (f) Soul force: we deeply believe in the existence of norms and values transcending purely materialistic principles as well as narrow considerations of local self-interest and strongly affirm the right of each and every human being and avatar to respect, dignity, personal and cultural recognition and development.
4. OUR PRINCIPLES
4.1 We believe in four core principles which we shall strive to uphold in all our activities:
4.1 (a) Absolute inclusion: all individuals concerned and affected by a debate, proposal, decision must be included not only in the decision-making process itself, but also in the shaping and adoption of the rules which will set the parameters of such a process;
4.1 (b) Deep diversity: we will respect and celebrate the rich diversity of our citizens, recognizing the value of their unique identities, assisting them to develop it, and bringing them all together to create an architecture of trust and cooperation between them by assisting them to get to know each other and work together on common project
4.1 (c) The power of the best argument: we believe in principles of deliberative decision-making in a democratic context. Through open, inclusive, reasoned, and vigorous debate between individuals holding different ideas, new and more creative and innovative positions and arguments will develop which will be recognized asa such by the participants and adopted by all as their own. No one group or individual will be able at any time to impose its point of view or blueprint outside the deliberative decision-making process.
4.1 (d) Multi-level citizenship: our notion of citizenship mirrors that of our layered identities, with both territorial (place-based) and non-territorial (group-based) elements. Through it, we will be able to give voice to all communities, interests, and cultures and develop, in the process, a unique CDS citizenship identity that will be unique in both Second Life and the Real World.
5. OUR PARTY
5.1 Membership: Participation in CARE is open to all CDS citizens (CARE Activists: CDS citizens composing the CARE Faction, and CARE Oservers: CDS citizens not in the CARE Faction) and non-citizens (CARE Supporters). All CARE members are entitled to take part in all CARE debates and activities. Participation in decision-making procedures (such as voting) pertaining specifically to CDS-related policies is open only to members of the CARE Faction (CARE Activists).
5.2 Organization: CARE activities shall be organized under six Taskforces:
5.2 (a) Media and Information Taskforce: deals with all community, in-world and out-world communication issues;
5.2 (b) Education Taskforce: deals with all our learning, knowledge, innovation and creativity-oriented activities;
5.2 (c) Activities and Events Taskforce: deals with the proposal, planning, budgeting, organizing, monitoring and feedback gathering of all our events;
5.2 (d) Election Taskforce: deals with the planning, preparation, running and evaluation of all CDS-based elections CARE will field candidates in;
5.2 (e) Membership and Renewal Taskforce: deals with enlarging our membership base ad constantly reviewing and updating our goals, strategies and tactics;
5.2 (f) Policy Development Taskforce: deals with the innovative, creative, consensual and pragmatic development of our policies and proposals; it comprises five Study Groups:
5.2 (f) i. A Democracy Study Group;
5.2 (f) ii. A Prosperity Study Group;
5.2 (f) iv. A Diversity Study Group;
5.2 (f) v. A Fairness Study Group;
5.2 (f) vi. A Sustainability Study Group.
5.2 (f) vii. It is lead by the Policy Development Council, composed of the Chairs (Quaestors) of each study group.
5.3 Officers: CARE shall be led by three Co-Chairs (Consuls).
5.4 (a) Executive Consul: in charge of CARE party issues; chairing the Membership and Renewal Taskforce and Election Taskforce.
5.4 (b) Communications Consul: in charge of all media, information and education issues and activities ; chairing the Media and Information Taskforce, Education Taskforce, and Activities and Events Taskforce.
5.4 (c) Policy Development Consul: in charge of all CARE policy development; chairs the Policy Development Taskforce as a whole and the Policy Development Council in particular.
5.5 Selection: consuls running for specific consular positions shall be selected by a majority of CARE members at its yearly Convention (Senate) Meeting. All consuls must be CARE Activists (CDS Citizens). Consuls cannot hold more than two consecutive one-year mandates.
5.6 Impeachment: any two consuls can vote to start impeachment proceedings against the third. Hearings shall be presided over by a CDS Judge and be conducted in accordance with the rules of the judiciary system in force in the CDS. All hearings shall be open, publicized, reported and its proceedings published. One week after the conclusion of the Hearing, a CARE Members vote shall be held, which will decide by a clear majority (60%) of the great majority of its members (75%) on the impeachment of the Consul. If the Consul is impeached, resignation will follow immediately and a new Consular election shall be held within two weeks of that resignation.
5.7 Meetings: all Taskforces and Study Groups will organize their own meeting schedules. Once a year, a Convention (Senate) Meeting shall be held at which all CARE members will decide upon the future direction and activities of the party for the up-coming year. Such meetings shall not be held closer than two months before or after CDS elections.
5.8 Elections: CARE shall field candidates (who must be CARE Activists/CDS Citizens belonging to the CARE Faction) for the positions of Chancellor of the CDS and Representative Assembly Members. Such candidates shall be selected by majority vote of all CDS Activists (CDS Citizens belonging to the CARE Faction) at their yearly Senate Meetings and commit to run in two consecutive elections. Elected candidates cannot hold their CDS positions for longer than two consecutive terms of office.