I’ve often been saying that in order to understand each other we shall first define the terms we use. And considering how you have defined ‘Godless’, I am not among them. I was one according to the definition that I have foolishly assumed by straightforward linguistic disassembly without knowing sociocultural definitions and without asking you first, and for this I bring my apologies.
You were absolutely correct.
Unfortunately, I am a bit too much straighforward person, and this is far from the first time when I misuse the word by assuming it’s literal meaning and put myself into awkward situation by doing so.
Those who are enslaved are only those who have made themselves Unworthy.
If the Matari would simply embrace the Word, they would be free alongside all other Chosen.
Yet instead, they chose to isolate themselves from God, to kill entire cities because the people inside are ruled by the wrong person, to murder loyal Amarrians in cold blood for the crime of being pure!
But… no. The Amarr must make concessions. The Amarr must change. The Amarr must become more like the Gallente, more hateful, more spiteful, must lose their connection to god because we choose our faith.
I believe that peace can come.
I believe the Matari can bring that peace.
That peace requires faith. And the Matari have no faith.
Personally that sounds workable. However It would be my feeling that having RSS or Justice observers might go some way to making that process work. Possibly even a combination of that & CONCORD observers.
However I have the depressing feeling that the people organising these raids have arranged things so they are not, technically, guilty of breaking Imperial law. I would suggest a thorough audit of recent slave “acquisitions” by the relevant authorities as a first step. Possibly even checking that slaves purported to come from internal breeding programs actually did so.
And, yes, Arrendis. I know Imperial slave breeding programs are inhuman in and of themselves. But one step at a time to start the journey of a thousand light years.
Bear in mind I am not talking about POW’s taken by capsuleer groups. I am talking about civilians taken in raids by ships that seem to be baseline Caldari military. The State being the pragmatic institution that it is I can’t see it passing up the chance to get it’s military some combat experience (well, combat from a certain point of view anyway) and get paid for it into the bargain.
Then how can the Republic trust the Empire to actually conduct fair trials? Especially when the crimes are being committed within the Republic’s jurisdiction, not the Empire’s?
Yes, if the Matari would simply agree to unquestioningly obey the Amarr Throne (as the representative of God in the physical world), we’d be perfectly free… to, you know, obey, unthinkingly, unquestioningly, or be punished.
Or, you could be right, and Le Serpent there could be coming up with a completely personal definition that wouldn’t be agreed with by the people who actually have authority to make such distinctions within the Amarr faith.
Of course, we’d expect similar treatment of Minmatar raiders and terrorists. The last time the Republic had a government willing to oppose such acts, it became so unpopular it was deposed. Clearly the Minmatar cannot be trusted to police their own either.
Why would you even suggest blind obedience to the Tribal Chiefs? If the Chiefs order something objectionable, the people will complain to their Clan leaders. If the Clans find the complaints warranted, they can remove their Tribal Chief by whatever means that Tribe has in place to do so, and replace them with one who will argue for a change in direction.
The Tribes are expected to hold our leaders accountable.
Actually, Aldrith, tell me what you think of this one:
CONCORD courts to determine the guilt/innocence of offenders charged with what amount to violations of international law (ie: members of one empire’s military/command & control structure/governmental or ruling heirarchy* who have used that position to violate laws in another Empire’s territory). Sentencing to be determined by a panel of judges selected in equal numbers from the offender’s nation and the nation that has suffered the crime, with a CONCORD officer of neither national origin as arbitrator in case the panel becomes deadlocked.
This would mean someone wielding (examples, but not limited to) Parlimentary authority, a position of power/influence within one of the Tribes/Houses/Megacorps/Unruly Mobs (or whatever the Gallente have), etc.
Heh. No no, I mean at the level below the top Federal government. For example, the Tribes have their Chiefs, who represent them on the Tribal Council, but they aren’t the only one wielding Tribal power. There’s a whole governmental infrastructure within each Tribe, just as there’s a corporate hierarchy and power structure within each Caldari Megacorp.
This is all starting to read like actual constructive discussion. If our respective governments actually took note and implemented any of this likely the world would end (yes, I am joking about that last part).
Not that this is likely to happen but it makes a nice change of pace for us anyway.