Which is more selfish, I wonder? To say ‘we should not kill a human being who is hostage to our will unless there is absolutely no doubt about the crime’, or ‘we should be allowed to kill other human beings who are under our power for whatever reason we choose’? Obviously, I don’t really care what the Federal mob decides, but it’s an interesting question.
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The proposal would not limit the ability of the member states in the Federation to have capital punishment as the ultimate sanction in their criminal justice systems. The proposal by Senator Bellaron would abolish it at the Federal level only. It does however contain certain restrictions into what member states can do in regards to how capital punishment is implemented.
The barbaric method of execution of Anvent Eturrer, regardless of his crimes, fell nothing short of disgraceful. A public execution by immolation, driven by the banshee wails and cries of the mob, is what the Federation should be associated with? Irrespective of the legitimacy of the sentence, which it was as Senator Bellaron stated, that the President of the Federation, an individual charged with preserving and upholding the Federal Constitution and the Charter, decided to violate several of those principles to satisfy the desire of the crowd suggests that reform is imminently required.
If the means and methods of protecting the Federation violate the basic principles upon which it is founded for the benefit and protection of all those that reside within, it is a portent sign of bad faith by those individuals that think themselves appropriate enough to circumvent or undermine the covenant that exists between the Federation and its citizens.
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Emotion is a natural and human process - anger, shock, sadness, and grief were all but a few emotions millions of Federal citizens experienced following the acts of traitor Eturrer. Emotion is something that should be associated with the Federation, yes. Especially in cases where it aligns with logic, such as in the decision to publicly execute Eturrer. The Federation represents the pinnacle of humanity, and this includes human emotions whether they are positive or negative. His death was a fitting one, but as I stated perhaps the manner in which it was executed should be a rarity.
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Emotion can also make individuals act irrationally and with compulsion rather than logic and reason. People in those states do not often make good choices and can easily be manipulated into doing things that they feel are righteous and just but in actuality are far from any sense of the word.
President Foiritan knew exactly what he was doing, by delegating the responsibility for executing to the assembled crowd. He manipulated their emotionally vulnerable state into carrying out an act for him to give it the veneer of public approval, despite his position as someone who is meant to protect not only the populace but the principles within the Constitution and Charter. Principles such as the right to a fair trial, and that of maintaining the inviolability of human dignity.
In a way, it is not too dissimilar from how Heth twisted our collective grief and confusion and fear in the aftermath of Malkalen into fuelling a vehicle of hatred and animus. To say that his farce of a trial, held in his absence, and the disgusting spectacle of his execution was representative of the ‘pinnacle’ of humanity and the Federation is quite frankly incorrect. If anything, it was the utter nadir of what the Federation should aspire to be.
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Capital punishment itself is not an ideal solution, but we also don’t live in an ideal world but a one with many flaws. It should be here to stay the only thing if not done already, is to sanction by law for it to be “humanitarian” a quick death without unnecessary suffering, cruelty and pain.
Throughout it’s history, the Federation has rarely been content with simply accepting the status quo. It has constantly sought to improve and redefine itself in an attempt to make it a better institution for all that choose to reside under it’s aegis. Six iterations of the Federal Union have come about thus far as evidence of that, and it would be folly to suggest that the possibility of a seventh or an eighth union would be realised in the future as part of the inexorable stride towards further improvement.
The Federation may not be what is called a ‘perfect’ place. I wouldn’t see anyone claiming it to be so. That does not imply that Federal society should revert back to the days of the Ancients and replicate punishments which are more fitting for more depraved times than it is for a Union that places the value of human life within it’s charter. Humanitarianism is based around the recognition that life has value, which is why the Sisters of Eve condemned the execution of Eturrer and called for a prohibition on any further instances, and why currently that the Aidonis Foundation has chosen to back the proposal, not to mention many individuals across the varying member states within the Federation that have chosen to make their voices heard.
A prohibition of the penalty at the Federal level is well within the rights of the Federal Government to do so. It is not prohibiting the member states from utilising capital punishment, merely regulating it to prevent such displays from ever occurring again sanctioned by those that are elected and trusted by their citizens from betraying their trust again.
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I was under the impression that there wasn’t actually a trial for Admiral Eturrer. That the Federal authorities skipped that and went straight to execution.
Makes you wonder what might have come to light if there was an extensive trial.
Considering how Federal “justice” works, I’d expect the trial of Eturrer to be some sort of farce, filled with speeches “for Freedom” and other usual Federal crap, with Admiral admitting in his guilt only because he was extensively tortured before.
Gallenteans are quite infamous for their tortures and inhuman treatment of inmates. Thus I’d expect him signing everything they incriminated to him, whenever he was actually being guilty or not.
There was a trial held in his absence, which was mentioned by then-President Foiritan at the execution rally.
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In his absence…
A vivid example what Federal “justice” is.
Even if he was a murderer, serial killer or whatever, fair Justice system would always give him chance to defend himself. Clearly Federals don’t know what real justice is…
Did they even think with their freedom-obsessed fanatical minds that the guy might not be guilty, that someone might have framed him and the real perpetrator is free? Nooo, they just launch trial in his absence to quickly admit him guilty. He returns back, “Oh, hi there, but you’re sentenced to death already! To the execution you go!”
What’s more amusing, how they did that could show that there could be no real perpetrators at all. Gallenteans just found a scapegoat and killed him as a sacrifical lamb on the altar of their democracy (or - ochlocracy…). Just because they can’t admit that we are simply BETTER than them, and Tibus Heth has executed the best military operation in the cluster. Nope, someone of them should be a scapegoat for the faults of their whole Federation.
We have better prepared troops? Kill Eturrer.
We have better ships? Kill Eturrer.
We have more professional officers? Kill Eturrer.
Our Executor is smarter than Gallente President? Kill Eturrer.
We gathered better fleet? Kill Eturrer.
Their commanders didn’t get grid awareness? Kill Eturrer.
Their tripwire system wasn’t working as intended? Kill Eturrer.
Their President surrendered planet to us? Kill Eturrer.
… Gallente …
Commander, I agree with you that the Federation’s evolution is something to be proud of. That said, change makes people nervous, particularly Member States when the Federal Government starts talking about regulating them. There is a very delicate balance to be struck here between taking what many would consider a positive step for the Union and damaging the integrity of the Union itself.
I also worry that raising an issue as potentially divisive as this at this point in the Presidential election cycle risks turning that process into a single issue campaign, when there are so many other challenges that deserve the attention of whoever the candidates turn out to be.
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The thing about traitors is that they rarely stick around to voluntarily submit themselves to the justice of those they have betrayed. Sometimes the justice system is forced to do their best to provide due process in their absence, as was the case with both Admiral Eturrer’s betrayal of the Federation and Tibus Heth’s conviction as a traitor by the Caldari Executive Panel. The difference was that the Federal Navy was competent enough to conduct a successful operation to capture Eturrer, whereas the Caldari left Heth’s fate up to Sansha’s Nation.
Truly, what a military mastermind Heth was to have ended up either dead or a toaster.
A majority of governmental power should indeed rest within the member states themselves. The reason this should be so is by simple virtue of the fact that, by-and-large, the average Federal citizen cares not for the overarching Federal government. A vast majority of citizens identify first with their member state of origin, if they choose to identify themselves at all. The politicians in Villore have no right to regulate or step on the feet of the thousands of member states across the Federation.
It will certainly be interesting to see if this issue will be resolved prior to the next Federation Presidential elections.
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Except for Tibus Heth never betrayed the State and died as a hero in combat against Nation, like every honorable officer shall, in fight.
But it’s typical for gallente to make up crazy stuff like that “treason” about those who are better than you.
Moving on.
What do you mean, “at this point in the Presidential election cycle?” The Federal Election Commission probably won’t officially set the election date till November, with heavy campaigning only to follow in the next few months till an election at the end of January.
I think there will be plenty of time for other issues to become apparent, and for this proposal to be fully considered in the Senate, before the election gets into full swing.
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Called for arrest doesn’t mean his betrayal. Are gallente always that dense? Where is the act of betrayal?
Even among these falsified charges there wasn’t a treason.
As you were a liar, you remain a liar. And I am glad I was able to point out on another nonsense gallentean propagandists were making about our State and Tibus Heth.
Never trust a gallentean and what their filthy mouth tell about our State and Leaders.
The Federal Government is entitled to regulate Member States. The Charter and the Constitution provide for this. There is, however, substantial room for debate about the extent of that right, which Senator Bellaron’s proposal highlights; and, as Commander Adams points out, the nature of the Union is rarely static.
The Electoral Commission may not have fired the starting gun yet but we all know that in the months beforehand potential candidates are jockeying for position on the line, trading policy commitments for promises of endorsements and campaign contributions. If that is happening against a backdrop of this debate, I cannot imagine one not affecting the other. I suppose that’s inevitable though, the old saying about laws and sausages comes to mind!
I would say never trust a Progressive Gallente to tell the truth to your face. It must not be forgotten that it was a Progressive who attacked the State under the flag of truce. That it was a Progressive who violated member state rights in Placid to get the war they wanted after provoking the State. That it was a Progressive who set up a show trial for Eturrer and executed him in public both brutally and inhumanely. That it was a Progressive who sought the theft of private property in a socialist style coup.
It has always been Progressives like Foiritain who have lied and cheated their way to power in the Federation for decades, and once in power have done everything in their power to increase tensions with the State – whether through threats of sanctions over ‘human rights’ or just outright terrorism like at Malkalen.
While it is unfortunate that President Roden had to inherit a war begun by the criminal actions of his predecessor, he has at least shown more reason and willingness to negotiate with the State than Foiritain did.
Over the past decade under the Roden Administration we have seen the political culture of the Federation shift ever more towards the values of the State: an increasing acceptance of traditional identity; the necessity of strong governance; the primacy of the rule of law; the eradication of subversives who undermine the authority of the state.
While actions such as Operation Highlander remain openly questionable, the trend within the Federation of rejecting the lies of its warmongering Progressives among its populace should be encouraged if we are ever to find a lasting peace between our nations.
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Excuse me, but that’s an oxymoron.
There are no progressive gallentes, they are all seems to be regressive and degrading.
And their crimes you have listed point on that as well.
There’s nothing questionable about this operation. It was a war crime and atrocity, executed in violation of a treaty of 10.07.YC110, which signed by Gallente President Foiritan.
The only thing that should be questioned about Operation Highlander is who exactly participated in it on Gallente side, so we can catch them all and hang on lampposts along the road for their crimes.
Oh, I’m sure that Bellaron’s proposal will play a significant role in the upcoming election. I’m just pushing back against the idea that it will turn things into a “single issue campaign.”
I’m no fan of the Progressors, or former President Fioritan. But you’ve pretty clearly departed from reality insinuating that he orchestrated Malkalen as part of some plot against the State. It was painfully obvious that he had staked huge amounts of political capital on his economic aid package to the State. If successful, that would have let him lay claim to a legacy as either the greatest architect of peace in our time, or of the most devious maneuver of economic and cultural soft power dominance since the original formation of the Federation, depending on who you ask.
Malkalen destroyed all of that, and his political legacy never recovered from the disaster that followed, and probably never will. I’m not going to try to convince you he was negotiating with the State in good faith, before or after… but there’s no way the attack was in his self interest. And self interest is the defining trait of every Progressor.
I’ve been supportive of most of what President Roden has done during his two administrations. He’s certainly been effective at challenging continued Caldari aggression. My main problems with him relate to what he has not done. At this point, I will be glad to see what new leadership can accomplish for the Federation.
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